"Even if it isn't an obvious fit for someone's future goals or primary professional path, I would urge [students] to think about the additional doors that studying a language could open that they may not have considered or even dreamed of!"
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Spanish; Latin American, Carribean, and Iberian Studies; certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies
Language(s): Spanish
Graduation Year: 2015
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I was fortunate to have at least one Spanish class every year throughout my entire academic life – from kindergarten on through graduating from UW-Madison. I also have a well-traveled aunt who always encouraged me to engage with the language outside of the classroom, sending me CDs, magazines, and books in Spanish to enjoy. From childhood on, I’ve loved the possibilities that language learning make available, for new experiences, content, and connections with people I couldn’t have otherwise met or communicated with. I became attached to the idea of achieving fluency and spending time abroad in Spanish-speaking countries, and was determined to achieve that dream (which I ultimately did, spending time living with host families or otherwise immersed in Spanish language in Costa Rica, Spain, and Chile). I am also grateful that I received good academic advice from my mentors, who encouraged me to study what I enjoy and to try to find opportunities both in and out of the classroom to build towards my personal and professional goals, without limiting myself to a script of what I thought I “should” do or study.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
I remember being excited about the variety of topic courses that are available in the Spanish and LACIS departments. I took several courses that sparked and eventually cemented my interest in human rights, social movements, and related community-based organizing and acts of resistance, particularly in Central and South America. I also remember wishing I had more time in my schedule to include some of the fascinating courses that I wasn’t able to fit in. The passions and interests I developed through my UW language classes ultimately led to my living and teaching in Valparaiso, Chile for a year, one of the most impactful experiences in my personal story to date.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
Both study abroad and participation in BRIDGE added so much value to my undergraduate experience and my coursework. Studying abroad in Seville, Spain, profoundly broadened my horizons and opened my mind in so many ways. Living outside my comfort zone helped me build trust in my own abilities and navigate new challenges and contexts with confidence. Specifically studying at Universidad de Seville, and the coursework I took there, also added breadth and perspective to my academic interest areas – as an example, I took a course related to Ethnology of Latin America, and I was curious how topics of colonialism would be explained by the colonizing country (in this case, Spain), and it was fascinating to participate in related conversations with my classmates and professors. My involvement in the BRIDGE peer group, while somewhat informal, further enriched my undergrad experience, fostering lasting friendships and connections with people from diverse backgrounds that continue to be a meaningful part of my life. The insights gained from both the study abroad program and BRIDGE have certainly had a lasting impact on my personal and professional growth.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
Since graduating, I’ve built a career centered on public service and compassionate, intersectional, and culturally competent community care. I currently serve as the Program Director for Connected Communities at United Way of Wisconsin, the statewide association of local United Ways, where I manage a portfolio of grant-funded initiatives related to promoting digital access and equity, supporting volunteerism, and connecting individuals to the resources they need. Before this role, I served as Chief of Staff for a State Representative in the Wisconsin State Legislature for five years, working to support constituent needs and advance policy-based solutions. I also supported her successful re-election campaign, and have worked with a variety of other candidates and their campaigns for legislative office in our state. Before the State Capitol, I also leveraged my Spanish language skills to spend a year living in Valparaiso, Chile, and teaching English at all levels to college students there. Earlier in my career, shortly after graduating, I also did some additional work in political finance and campaigns.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
I’m frequently surprised by the ways my language skills come up and come in handy personally and professionally! During my time working in the State Legislature, I learned that there is not a translation service readily available to State Assembly offices, and once I made it known that I was bilingual, I was occasionally called upon by other offices to help translate for Spanish-speaking constituents seeking help from their Representative, in addition to helping our own office’s constituents with things like unemployment claims or other questions for state agencies. In my previous political campaign work, I found it helpful when going into communities where Spanish speaking is prominent, and was often able to successfully share information that supported folks’ civic engagement and access to resources by using my language skills.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
While I haven’t taken formal Spanish lessons since graduating from UW-Madison, I’ve continued to maintain relationships with Spanish-speaking friends, lived abroad for a while, travelled to Spanish-speaking places, and have enjoyed lots of Spanish media (music and Netflix shows especially), all of which has helped me stay sharp. Keeping Whatsapp conversations alive with my international friends has certainly helped!
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
I have found that in every context I’ve worked within, language skills are viewed as a huge asset. Even if it isn’t an obvious fit for someone’s future goals or primary professional path, I would urge them to think about the additional doors that studying a language could open that they may not have considered or even dreamed of! It has brought an immeasurable amount of joy, connection, and enrichment to my own life, and has had a serious impact on my worldview. In an increasingly globalized world, it seems all the more crucial for anyone to have multiple languages in order to be able to understand the complexity of the world around us and communicate with others across cultural or geographic differences.