Five young alumni show that meaningful careers are often built one opportunity at a time.
There is no single roadmap from a liberal arts education to a career.
There are Tulanians who head to Washington. Others find themselves in Hollywood, renewable energy, or nonprofit leadership. Few of the folks we spoke to could have predicted exactly where they would land when they first arrived at Tulane, but each discovered that curiosity, initiative, and a willingness to embrace unexpected opportunities mattered as much as any carefully crafted plan.
Here are five recent School of Liberal Arts alumni whose careers have taken them in remarkably different directions.
Meredith Galanti (SLA ’20)
Associate for Strategic Engagement
Gates Ventures
Galanti worked on the 2020 presidential campaign cycle after graduating with a degree in Political Science. She served on the White House Transition Team and held appointments at the U.S. Department of Education and the White House in the Biden administration before joining Gates Ventures.
“Courses like Women in Politics and Comparative Politics sparked my interest in political science and helped shape my career in public service. Beyond the classroom, my experiences as an Orientation Counselor, Green Wave Ambassador, and at the Taylor Center taught me the value of building community and connecting leaders, lessons I have carried with me from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., New York City, and beyond.”
Amanda Krantz (SLA ’22)
Policy Analyst on the Energy Team
National Governors Association
Krantz graduated a semester early with a double major in Environmental Studies and Political Science and began working as an analyst for the Energy Division of the California Public Utilities Commission. She recently completed a Master’s degree in Environmental and Sustainability Policy from George Washington University and currently works as an energy policy analyst at the National Governors Association.
“During my last few years at Tulane, I worked on a project trying to get solar on campus. My first boss told me that she hired me because of the project management skills I gained from this self-directed project and the drive I had to work toward the future of clean energy. What began as just a passion project became the foundation of my career in energy policy.”
Kendall Pierce (SLA ’23)
First-Year Law Student
Tulane Law School
After graduating with a degree in Communications and Sociology, Pierce took a role as a community partnership coordinator at BEAR (Be A Resource). She is currently following her childhood dream of becoming a lawyer and has returned to Tulane as a first-year law student at Tulane Law School.
“The class that stands out to me most from my time as a liberal arts student, relating to my decision to eventually go to law school, was Associate Professor of Sociology Camilo Arturo Leslie’s course ‘Sociology of Law.’ The class, for lack of a better description, blew my mind, and reignited the desire I had to go to law school when I was a little girl first seeing Legally Blonde. Hearing the connections and history of law in sociological terms and theories was incredibly fascinating to me and impactful in my future career decisions.”
Akira Shelton (SLA ’24)
Production Coordinator
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Graduating with a degree in Political Science and Africana Studies, Shelton started in the mailroom at United Talent Agency and worked her way up to the agency side. She is now a production coordinator for Sony Pictures Entertainment, working in their Game Show Group on shows like “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!”.
“My sophomore year I took a political science class called ‘Sustainable Tourism,’ where I learned that in order for change to be sustainable it requires small steps, must be reversible, needs to anticipate surprises, and makes way for human inventiveness. It was true in the academic context of talking about change, but also serves as fantastic career advice — whether that’s navigating career changes or tackling large endeavors. A perfect example of how easily applicable a political science degree can be.”
Suhas Subramanyam (SLA ’08)
U.S. Representative
Virginia’s 10th Congressional District
A philosophy major, Subramanyam found his calling in public service after living through Hurricane Katrina as a Tulane student. He became the first South Asian American elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 2019 and won a seat in the Virginia Senate four years later in 2023. In November 2024, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I wanted to be part of the rebuilding of New Orleans. Before Katrina, I was just kind of going through the motions, unsure of what I would do with my life. But afterward, I saw a purpose — serving the community.”
Their destinations may differ, but their stories share something in common. The first job wasn’t the destination. It was the beginning. Their careers have grown through curiosity, relationship building, and the confidence to pursue opportunities they couldn’t have imagined on move-in day.