Jason Mikula '01

American Studies (Economics minor)

Co-publisher, Outer Limits Publishing, Media Group

“Little did I know that pretty much everywhere I went, Middlebury would help open doors for me. To my first “real” job working at Wilson Sporting Goods as one of their product and marketing leads, traveling all over the world and meeting new people to meeting my wife (also a midd grad) and starting the business we now successfully run in Vermont. If I didn’t go to Middlebury than none of this would have happened.”

Tell us what you do.

Sales and Business Management

What have you done since Middlebury?

Little did I know that pretty much everywhere I went, Middlebury would help open doors for me. To my first “real” job working at Wilson Sporting Goods as one of their product and marketing leads, traveling all over the world and meeting new people to meeting my wife (also a midd grad) and starting the business we now successfully run in Vermont. If I didn’t go to Middlebury than none of this would have happened. There have have been numerous key milestones along the way that have helped me continue to build skills and experience needed to succeed in a variety of careers. The job market is ever-changing in most professions and requires one to be nimble, applying skills acquired along the way and learning on the job to solve future problems and create opportunity.

How has your choice of majors influenced your life after graduation?

For me personally it wasn’t so much about my specific major but about the professors that taught me, the books I read, and the people I met and the learning that ensued between us all while in college and after. In American Civilization, I especially recall in my Visions of Nature class reading Jon Krakauer and taking a political science class called “Presidents in America” during the Gore/Bush election — these and so many others made me newly aware and interested in civic engagement, which I have pursued both in my personal and professional life (career at EF education, board member of local chamber, taught journalism at Killington Mountain School). Mostly my experience at Midd taught me how to multitask successfully, think critically, meet deadlines, go above and beyond, have high standards and expectations — all skill that have been the biggest asset for me.

When did you know which major you were going to choose?

I started gravitating toward lit and history early on, by Junior year I decided to follow that passion all the way and make Am Civ my major.

How did you decide what career path you wanted to pursue after graduating?

All I knew is that I wanted to continue to pursue my passions: I found Wilson Sporting good and my Midd mentor helped guide me to rise within the company.

Finally, what advice or suggestions do you have for current students as they consider their post-Middlebury futures?

Use your major as a jumping off point to pursue whatever you want to pursue. Middlebury gives you the transferable skills to walk into any organization and help them succeed.

Learn More About the American Studies Department at Middlebury

>>Go back to the Alumni Profiles page.