"Studying abroad had a massive impact on my language acquisition process, and it truly opened up my world to teach me about global topics and different ways of life outside of the US."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Italian Language & International Studies; Certificates in German Language & European Studies
Graduation Year: 2021
Language(s): Italian, German, French
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I started learning Italian through Duolingo in high school, then really enjoyed Italian courses at UW-Madison and ultimately decided to major in it. Then, after traveling through Germany and Austria, I was inspired to re-learn German after mostly forgetting it after high school.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
I remember having truly excellent TAs who were so passionate about teaching their language. There were some very fun units/topics covered in class, and creative projects designed by TAs. Many professors were also extremely kind and insightful.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
Studying abroad had a massive impact on my language acquisition process, and it truly opened up my world to teach me about global topics and different ways of life outside of the US. It greatly influenced my long term goals.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
I moved back to Italy to pursue a master’s degree, and then subsequently returned to Madison to work as an International Admissions counselor at UW!
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
Speaking multiple languages and living abroad have greatly benefitted me in my role as an international admissions counselor. As I work with incoming students from around the world, I can draw upon my own experiences as an international student speaking a second or third language, and occasionally I am able to communicate with students using their native language to discuss more nuanced topics (which helps them a lot!). I have a great deal of compassion for students whose first language is not English as they enter our world of higher academia, and I feel that my foreign language background has greatly boosted my communication skills in general.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
I continue to speak with friends I made abroad and at UW in the languages I studied, and I continue to consume media (TV, movies, books) in those languages.
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
There are so many job opportunities — you don’t just need to become a translator/interpreter! Language and communication skills are applicable to many different fields of work that you may not even know exist yet. Studying a language also helps get your foot in the door if you’re interested in working for an international company, or eventually living abroad.