"Speak the language as much as possible. Even if you feel like a fool and even if you speak it 'brokenly,' do it anyway. In my experience, I've ALWAYS been met with positivity and encouragement from native speakers when I try speaking their language."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Majors in Biology and Spanish; Certificate in European Studies
Language(s): Spanish
Graduation Year: 2016
What motivated you to study this language?
Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. I thought it would be highly beneficial to know how to speak it. Also, admittedly, it was one of just two other languages (besides English) offered in my high school so I wanted to stick with it.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
The class sizes were much smaller. There was daily homework, so our grades weren’t just solely based on exams (which was nice). There were so much more interactions between students and with the professor. Attendance was mandatory.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
The value and skills I gained from studying abroad in Madrid was/is immeasurable. There is absolutely no better teacher than diving headfirst into a totally different country that speaks a totally different language and has a totally different culture… And not as a tourist, either. Being a resident in a foreign country is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. It awakened a sense of wanderlust within me, as well as my strong desire to learn and understand different cultures. It vastly improved my Spanish-speaking skills at the time (I was almost fluent). In my study abroad program, I was forced to take two classes with natives (compared to taking classes geared towards study abroad students), and thus was forced to make Spanish friends. Being over in Europe, I was fortunate enough to travel to several different countries to experience even more culture and become even more worldly. This whole experience made me more mature, confident, healthy, open-minded, and mindful.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
Almost as soon as I graduated in the spring of 2016, I moved on to the UW-Madison Hospital & Clinics where I was a Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) in the Phase 1 Oncology office. I worked there for 4 years. As a CRC, I would go down to clinics with oncologists and consent patients to one of our many clinical trials. Then, we would schedule appointments for them, track their side effects and medications, and perform data analytics on patient information. I was also the head/lead contact for the national, renown EAY131 MATCH trial for the entire hospital.
I remained jobless for all of 2020 and for a good chunk of 2021 (thanks, COVID) until I ended up being hired as a Clinical Research Analyst/Specialist I (CRS I) at Huron in fall 2021, which I am currently still doing. As a CRS I, my primary duties are to develop CTMS Calendar Builds and Coverage Analyses for complex clinical trials.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
It’s helped me be more mindful of different cultures and people from different backgrounds. I’m also more confident in myself and in the work that I do. I’m able to communicate more effectively with different people.
Have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
Unfortunately, no. For a little while I volunteered at the Catholic Multicultural Center in Madison, but then I moved back home once COVID hit and that was basically the end of my language practice. I did very recently purchase several Spanish books – I really want to get back into learning languages. (Next up on my list though is Hindi)
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
(1) STUDY ABROAD!!!!! I can’t stress that enough. You will absolutely not regret it. And when you’re abroad, GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. Don’t just hang around your friends speaking English – try speaking the foreign language you’re studying. Get to know the ins and outs of the city you’re living in. Get to know some locals and have them show you around. See the world!
(2) Do the homework. It may seem like a lot of work or annoying, but by doing the homework your professors assign you are inherently learning more of the language without even realizing it.
(3) Speak the language as much as possible. Even if you feel like a fool and even if you speak it “brokenly”, do it anyway. In my experience, I’ve ALWAYS been met with positivity and encouragement from native speakers when I try speaking their language.
(4) Learn about and come to respect the culture of the language you’re studying. The entities of language and culture are intertwined; the more you understand one, you’ll understand the other.