"UW-Madison offers an incredible number of foreign language classes, opportunities to meet with native speakers of those languages, and chances to visit places where those languages are spoken -- make the most of it while you can! You never know which doors could be opened by studying a new language."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Majors in Political Science, Languages & Cultures of Asia; Certificate in South Asian Studies
Language(s): French, Hindi, Turkish, Urdu
Graduation Year: 2015
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I had been interested in studying languages since a young age. My mom had been an exchange student when she was in high school in the 70s, and this sparked my interest in learning about other countries and studying other languages. I studied French in high school and also had the opportunity to study abroad in Turkey as a Rotary exchange student, so I wanted to continue to hone my skills in these languages at the university level. My choice to study Hindi and Urdu came a bit later, when I developed an interest in learning about the South Asia region and India in particular.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
The language classes I took at UW-Madison were among my most interesting courses. They were typically small, ranging from 3-15 students. The instructors were passionate about sharing their language and culture with the students, and coursework often involved activities beyond the classroom, from watching movies/series to museum visits to sharing a meal. They were very hands-on and always lots of fun.
I spent one summer studying Hindi at the SASLI summer institute, which was quite an immersive experience.
Was there value to these experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
My study abroad experiences were instrumental to my time as a UW-Madison student. I had the opportunity to study abroad in India three times, once a Boren scholar and twice as a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) recipient. Studying less commonly taught languages allowed me to access scholarships, including the FLAS award, that helped fund my undergraduate studies. I made great friends while studying abroad, widened my professional network, made connections with people from the region, and deepened my knowledge of the South Asia in a way that would not have been possible had I not been given the chance to spend so much time there.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
Since graduating, I have gone on to get my Master’s degree in International Relations from a university in Geneva, Switzerland. Since finishing that program, I have worked in several different international organizations, primarily in the global health domain. During grad school, I also spent one summer back in India working as a resident director for a high school study abroad program.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
I never expected to wind up living in a French-speaking city/country, but now I use French every day.
Furthermore, although I don’t use them in a professional capacity at the moment, studying less commonly taught languages gave me confidence to try new things and go new places. I don’t think I would have such an international career had I not had the chance to study many different languages at UW-Madison.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
Now living in Geneva, I use the French language daily. Although I have fewer opportunities to use Hindi, Turkish or Urdu in my day-to-day life, I do enjoy watching movies in those languages and keep in touch with some of the people I met while studying 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?
UW-Madison offers an incredible number of foreign language classes, opportunities to meet with native speakers of those languages, and chances to visit places where those languages are spoken — make the most of it while you can! You never know which doors could be opened by studying a new language.