Sanette Tanaka, B.A. 2012

Vox Media — New York, New York

2012 Major: History and Public Policy; Certificate: Policy Journalism Media Studies

How has being a History graduate from Duke helped shape your professional success?

"History is all about communication—how can past events inform our here and now? As a history major focusing on the Americas, I learned how to think through abstract concepts, dissect a topic, and find relevance to the here and now. I've pursued two career tracks since graduating from Duke—first as a real-estate reporter and then as a product designer—and in both fields, I have to parse lots of information and come up with an end product that communicates with my reader or user. History helped set the foundation for me to do that."

What advice would you give students in History?

"Don't worry too much about how all your classes and learnings will tie together for your career. Take classes that interest you, and the relevance will come later."

Sanette Tanaka