"I found that native speakers are forgiving when you misuse the language and are gracious when correcting you."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Majors in Sociology & Chinese; Certificate in East Asian Studies
Language(s): Chinese
Graduation Year: 2017
What motivated you to study these languages?
My best friend studied Chinese in high school, and I’ve always found the culture intriguing. So, I decided to learn Chinese to have something fun to look forward to while in college.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
Many more class interactions happened in my language classes that didn’t happen in any of my other classes. To better learn the language, we often had pair discussions, small group discussions, role-playing activities, and more hands-on-learning in the classroom.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
Having the opportunity to go to China first to study abroad and later to partake in an internship was immensely important to shaping me as an individual and guiding the direction I went in after college. Because of these opportunities, I knew I wanted to live and work in China for some time after college.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
After graduation, I taught English and Drama in China for four years. Now, I work as a fundraiser at Carthage College.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
It benefited me in my career as a Teacher abroad because I could understand the students in the classroom and adapt my classroom materials to better suit their needs based on what I overheard my students saying. I wish that I felt more confident in my speaking abilities and went on to do translation work. Even so, having my China experience has connected me to many of the donors I work with daily.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
Initially, my listening and reading improved tenfold while living in China after graduation. Currently, I have not been doing a great job at maintaining my language ability.
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
My advice is this: Take every opportunity presented to you, and don’t be afraid to use the language. I found that native speakers are forgiving when you misuse the language and are gracious when correcting you. Trial-and-error is a great, natural way to learn a language; you will sound more fluent after using the language freely. Also, join competitions! Although terrifying, they are a great way to build confidence in your language usage and help your pronunciation.