Jordan Cavanaugh – Alumnus Spotlight

Hometown: Arlington, VA
BA in History, minor in Journalism (2013)
LinkedIn Profile 

Why did you choose to study history?
For love of the subject matter – history has been my favorite course since I can remember.

What was your favorite history class?
My favorite history class is a tough answer as, truthfully, I enjoyed them all. That said, the Civil War courses taught by Professor Neff and HIS 400, where Professor Namorato and I spent the entire semester writing and refining my capstone essay, are the first that come to mind. My capstone essay was titled “The Black Sox Scandal & the Loss of Purity in American Sports.” It was about the Chicago White Sox intentionally throwing the 1919 World Series, which was the first well-publicized instance of gambling infiltrating/influencing American sports, and how that led to a sense of mistrust among many fans.

Tell us about your educational/career path since UM.
After graduating from Ole Miss, I worked in the staffing and financial services industries, and earned an MBA from the University of Memphis.  After working as Director of Recruitment then Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual, I am now a Senior Consultant with Deloitte Consulting, helping federal clients devise and implement information technology strategy. 

What is the value of studying history in today’s world?   
I believe you can do anything with a liberal arts degree and I’m a living example of it. My career has been circuitous, encompassing several industries, but my background in liberal arts has helped me effectively communicate (verbally and written) with clients and colleagues alike, which is an invaluable skill regardless of your career path.