A conversation with Madeline Buday, English alumni
- Graduated from CUA in 2016 with major in English and minors in Philosophy, History, and Theology
- H. Edward Cain Award Recipient
- Graduated in 2018 from the University of Oxford with an MPhil in Modern Theology (my thesis, “Christ and the War Poet: An Analysis of Theology and Suffering in World War One Poetry,” was inspired by Dr. Baker’s class on World War Poetry)
- Taught English in Japan through the JET program in 2019
- Graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2023
What is your current job/title?
I currently am an associate at Rule Garza Howley, an antitrust boutique law firm, in Washington DC.
Why did you choose to study English at Catholic U.?
When I started at Catholic U, I was not sure what I wanted to study. I have always been interested in a wide variety of topics, and I was not keen on limiting myself to one area. Eventually I landed on English as a major because it allowed me to study the whole breadth of human experience. I have always loved to read, but studying literature added another level of interest and enjoyment for me. Words are as beautiful as they are powerful; learning to use them and understand them allowed me to communicate my own ideas and understand the ideas of others.
What was your path from graduation to your current job like? What advice can you give senior majors and recent grads about life after graduation?
Upon graduating from Catholic U, I knew I wanted continued my education. My time at the University of Oxford convinced me that I wanted to continue inhabiting a space filled with learning and ideas. I decided to become a teacher while considering if I wanted to pursue a PhD. In the end, I loved being a teacher, but I decided I wanted to engage with the world and ideas on a grander scale, which led me to law school and eventually antitrust. Writing it down now, it can seem as if everything led meaninglessly into the next, but in reality, I often had no idea what I wanted to do next. My advice to recent graduates and seniors would be to take life one step at a time and go through whatever door opens in front of you. In my experience, you will get where you need to go in the end whether you plan for it or not.
How has your English background served you professionally?
The majority of my day as a lawyer is spent reading and writing. The skills I learned as an English major help me every day: whether it is reading caselaw, critically analyzing documents, or writing briefs and memorandums.
What do you like the most about your job?
I like that I get to learn new things every day. I like thinking about complex problems and their solutions.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I do not really have a typical workday. Part of what I like so much about my job is that every day is different. Some days I spend hours researching case law, other days I spend writing documents for the courts, and still other days I spend combing through documents in search of new evidence.
What did you learn as an English major at Catholic U. that has stayed with you?
I learned that the world is full of different stories, and any time you can spend learning them is time well spent.
Do you have any advice for current English majors?
My advice would be to keep reading. The more you read, the better you’ll be able to express your own ideas and understand others. There are not many better skills out there in my opinion.