How Emily Gottschalk turned her love of English into a career as a UX designer

Emily Gottschalk is a self-described “editor of the technology world.” At the University of Michigan, Emily pursued a dual degree in English and a Bachelor of Science in Information (BSI) from the School of Information. 

As a member of the first graduating class of BSI students, Emily has enjoyed watching the BSI program grow through the years. She says much of what she learned during her time at SI is directly applicable to the challenges she faces in her career. 

Emily’s favorite UMSI memory involves professor Cliff Lampe, who showed up to class in a Hagrid costume during Halloween. 

“He was dead serious while teaching us dressed with a full beard and coat, and it was definitely a highlight of my college career,” she says. “I think it might have been then when I realized I could definitely fit in well with the School of Information." 

Today, Emily is the global operations manager for digital support at Qualtrics. She says the skills she learned at UMSI shaped her into the user experience (UX) designer she currently is. 

“I believe that is what SI taught me to do — solve problems from where they originate instead of simply treating its symptoms,” she says. “Those skills never leave you, and I believe they can be applied broadly beyond just UX as well.”

Emily continues to rely on the coursework she took at UMSI. For example, she recalls “citing directly” from one of her textbooks and combining her writing and UX skills to “help build the groundwork” for Qualtrics’ support portal. 

The SI program believed in me and the endless possibilities I saw with this degree, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities that have arisen from it.

Find out more about how Emily’s UMSI training taught her “the right ways to approach problems” and her advice for students in her Alumni Snapshot.