"Without study abroad and numerous on-campus opportunities to develop and practice my Spanish, I never would have become fluent. The decision to go abroad for a year in Ecuador/Chile forever shaped my life in the most amazing way."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Spanish and International Studies; Certificate in Educational Policy Studies
Language(s): Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Graduation Year: 2009
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
Since high school I was very motivated to become bilingual in Spanish, and other than that I really had no clue what type of career path I was interested – I considered business/marking, medical, education, legal, among others. Becoming bilingual in Spanish was my primary focus during my undergraduate years, and while taking courses at U.W. Madison I felt a bit of a “plateau” in my Spanish and was having a hard time staying motivated, so I decided that taking a new language (in addition to Spanish, which counted toward my degree) may be a way to reinvigorate me. I was right! Taking two semesters of Italian met my needs as a lover of the language learning process and also allowed me to really appreciate how much progress I was simultaneously making with my Spanish. After studying abroad in Ecuador and Chile, and becoming fluent in Spanish, I continue to take advanced Spanish coursework, but was inspired by my travels to Brazil to pursue Portuguese. In my last year at U.W. I took the accelerated Portuguese class for speakers of other Romance languages and was amazed at how quickly I felt conversational.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
My UW language classes allowed for a much smaller class size than the majority of my other classes. I felt they were far more interactive and I loved that more advanced courses were conducted completely in Spanish.
How valuable were your out-of-class experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
Without study abroad and numerous on-campus opportunities to develop and practice my Spanish, I never would have become fluent. The decision to go abroad for a year in Ecuador/Chile forever shaped my life in the most amazing way. While on campus it was always a priority for me to build upon and maintain my bilingualism, so I attended any and all events related to Spanish speaking countries or topics, I attended a Conversation Table weekly at the old Union South where I became good friends with several graduate students from Chile, and I applied to be a student medical interpreter at the free student-run MEDiC Clinic. Additionally, I joined the student organization AIESEC where I met connected with many local and international students with a similar passion and mindset. Through AIESEC I also made connections in Colombia and Ecuador, which allowed me to meet up with local students while in South America and get a much richer experience while traveling/studying abroad.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
Immediately after undergrad I became a bilingual 5th grade teacher on the Texas-Mexico border through Teach For America. I moved to Colorado, and continued to work in schools as an Elementary Spanish and English as a Second Language Teacher while at night teaching Parental Involvement and Adult English as a Second Language courses for parents and family members in the district. I went back to school for a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology and during graduate school I was offered a graduate assistantship conducting research on bilingual language development in preschool and school age children. I earned this assistantship primarily because I was bilingual, and it earned me in-state tuition at the University of Wyoming as well as a stipend. As a Speech-Language Pathologist I worked for a number of years in bilingual schools primarily with preschool and birth to 3 (Child Find) students. I later made the switch into the medical realm and am now a Speech-Language Pathologist and Medical Interpreter in the hospital setting. My husband and I are also proudly raising our children bilingually, speaking Spanish multiple days a week a home.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
Language learning has always been my passion. It is something that inspires and motivates me. I have found that if I keep following my interests and passions related to Spanish and language learning that career doors continue to open and I find new opportunities I had never even considered. I will also say, that once you are to the interview round for a potential job “being bilingual” is the thing that often closes the deal and gets you the job – especially in medical and educational fields.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
Since graduating I have spent significant amounts of time traveling and volunteering abroad. I have worked in bilingual schools and sought out friendships with others who speak Spanish in my community. We have a goal in our household of using only Spanish four days a week, and on those days all TV/podcasts/music/books/conversations are conducted solely in Spanish. My husband and I continue to look for ways to expand on our Spanish abilities through language schools abroad, and we have taken classes in Gigante, Nicaragua; Medellin, Colombia; and Turrialba, Costa Rica. Podcasts like News in Slow Spanish, Radio Ambulante, and Cuentos Increíbles (for my kids) have helped a lot along the way. As far as reading material in Spanish, we frequent four different local library systems and between hard copies and electronic materials there is a near endless supply of resources for kids and adults.
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 was that student who was always visiting the career resource center and study abroad center, long before decisions needed to be made about either. Testing out multiple paths before diving in seemed to help me get more clarity on what really mattered for me. Remain curious, network, and talk to others who have pursued interests similar to yours. Carry out informational interviews with people who have pursued courses, degrees, study abroad locations, or jobs that interest you. Talk to professors, TAs, and academic advisors – even if they aren’t your own. Try to stay open to new opportunities and changes in your path. Always have a solid plan B (or C, D, E) in case one avenue doesn’t work out, but also stay optimistic. Right out of my undergraduate degree I was considering Teach for America, Peace Corps, and an AIESEC internship, for example. And when I applied to graduate school I applied to three local schools, as well as had a plan for how to increase my test scores or gain more experience if I wasn’t accepted the first year. If something motivates you or inspires you, it is definitely worth pursuing, and even if it doesn’t work out the first time, or come to you immediately, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t meant for you and that it can’t happen in your future.