"If you love studying a language, be creative and look for opportunities to incorporate it into parts of your life. There are so many ways you can use your language skills that you don't know about yet, and you don't have to monetize something you're passionate about for it to be valuable."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): German, English; Certificate in European Studies
Language(s): German
Graduation Year: 2013
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I love the literature, art, and movies that have come out of German-speaking countries, and it such a joy to be able to those things on a deeper level by learning more about their the language and culture. And it doesn’t hurt when you have an older sibling studying the same language.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
I made great friends in my language classes, as depending on where you place in, you are often taking a sequence of classes together. Having familiar faces each semester helped me feel more comfortable working on my conversational skills.
I also enjoyed that so many different media sources were valid learning resources in a language class—you could look at books, movies, artwork, and operas over the course of a semester, each valued for what it could bring to classroom discussion.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
I worked in marketing for a few years before returning to UW-Madison to complete my master of arts in library and information studies. I have worked in library and archives settings, and currently work as a records manager.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
When I was again a student at UW-Madison for my master’s degree in library and information studies, I worked as a project assistant completing bibliographic research and verification for Prof. Hans Adler in the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+. It was a wonderful opportunity to combine my undergraduate major with the research skills I was building in my graduate program, as well as help pay for my degree. To this day, it is still one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever had.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
My assistantship in graduate school helped me maintain my language skills while expanding my arts and philosophy vocabulary. I continue to enjoy reading and watching movies in German, as well as getting international news from another perspective. I’m hoping to travel more, as it’s been too long!
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
If you love studying a language, be creative and look for opportunities to incorporate it into parts of your life. There are so many ways you can use your language skills that you don’t know about yet, and you don’t have to monetize something you’re passionate about for it to be valuable.