ECU students Kelsey, Payton and Katelyn with Dr. Robert Eggleston at the FCCS Dean’s Pancake Breakfast, fall 2025
Through literature and cultural studies, we engage with some of the most important issues of our time—sustainability, decolonization, the impacts of AI, power, and belonging.
Current UBC Okanagan students, Payton, Kelsey and Katelyn, all say that studying in the English and Cultural Studies programs have given them important critical thinking, reading, writing, and communication skills. Each of these students has discovered something unique and rewarding about studying in English and Cultural Studies.
Katelyn is a fourth-year English major, who says she chose English because she loved how wide-ranging it was, and she felt like she didn’t have to study just within one topic.
“In my English classes, I find there is so much culture and history involved in what we study that it isn’t just about reading books. It’s easy to feel passionate about the humanities because you naturally connect with the material—you’re studying human life, patterns, and the things people have cared about for centuries,” says Katelyn.
Fourth-year student Kelsey always knew she wanted to go into teaching after finishing an undergraduate degree.
“I always liked English in school, and since I knew I wanted to go into teaching and needed a teachable subject area, choosing English felt right—I enjoyed reading, it was a great major, and now I see how it gave me valuable skills in both my personal and academic life,” she says.
She adds that studying in the humanities provides important personal and academic skills such as communication and reading between the lines. “The programs help you make meaningful connections across time, seeing how texts and characters from centuries ago still resonate today.”
Payton, who is in her fifth year, is completing a combined major in English and Cultural Studies. She always knew she was going to study English at University, and after taking a first-year Cultural Studies course as an elective, she was hooked, deciding to do a combined major.
She explains that there are many connections between these subjects. “Studying in English is more about the historical aspects, how we came to what we consider good literature and why we’ve deemed it that—whereas Cultural Studies looks at similar ideas through a modern lens, but using the same tools.”
In addition to their studies, these three students are also on the executive team for the English Course Union. Kelsey is the President, Katelyn is the VP Finance, Payton is the VP of Events.
The English Course Union (ECU) is a space not only for members of the English program but also for non-majors who want to be part of a community centered around reading, writing, and literary events.
For Payton, the opportunity to meet so many members of the English community and grow closer with faculty members has been one of the highlights of being part of the ECU. “Being part of the ECU has been a great place to build friendships, and strengthen connections with faculty,” she says.
The group has worked to create an inclusive environment that supports students from all disciplines. Events range from book clubs, book exchanges, masquerade balls and film nights, to writing groups and essay workshops.
“We had a lot of people want to join when we were at club days showcasing what the ECU is. They said things like we don’t get any time for reading, and they want to work on writing skills. So, we’ve really taken that into consideration when forming our events to make sure that they’re inclusive to all students on campus,” says Katelyn.
At the first book club meeting, Kelsey says that a group of first-year students who didn’t know each other ended up staying after the meeting just to keep talking and connecting with each other.
“It was great to see those connections forming right in front of us. I see them regularly on campus and we stop and say hello; I just love how we continue to create a meaningful space for these things to happen. I think community is really important at university because right now this is your home away from home.”
Payton also admits that she was very shy coming into university, noting that coming to this campus, which was close to home, was a safe option for her. And she has learned and grown so much during her time here.
When asked what advice she would give to her first-year self, she says: “Push yourself beyond what you think you’re capable of—making connections, talking to professors, joining clubs, and stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to personal growth and opportunities you never imagined.”
Studying in the humanities invites a dive deep into the stories we tell and the ways we tell them, through texts, media, and cultural narratives. With opportunities to engage in everything from literary analysis to digital storytelling and community-based research, these programs offer a rich and varied academic experience. Whether passion lies in literature, culture, or both, students find a place to explore, connect, and broaden horizons—an experience that can shape an academic journey, but personal life.