"I believe learning other languages has made me a better problem solver, more adaptable, more collaborative, and more connected."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Latin American Studies; Community & Nonprofit Leadership
Language(s): Spanish and Portuguese
Graduation Year: 2010
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I started taking Spanish classes in 7th grade, but I never felt confident in my ability to speak until I joined the global student organization AIESEC at UW and did a summer internship through them with AIESEC in Medellin, Colombia. I lived with a Colombian family and interned with a United Nations Development Program NGO focused on nonviolence education. By the end of summer I could very comfortably chat in Spanish, but more importantly it transformed my view of the world, what I wanted to study, and what I wanted to do for my career.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
I found a lot of community in my language classes– in particular my Intensive Portuguese class for Spanish speakers and other courses I took in LACIS. One of my dearest friends today is someone I met in my Portuguese class.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
In addition to language classes I was an active member of AIESEC, I received a scholarship to study abroad at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, and I was a LACIS fellowship recipient after graduation and lived in Curitiba, Brazil working for Aliança Empreendedora, a microfinance organization. I’m so thankful that I had access to these incredible opportunities and financial support to make them happen because so many of the skills I developed through these experiences I’m still using regularly today.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
After graduating, I joined the Peace Corps in Paraguay as a Community Economic Development volunteer where I served for two years in Paraguarí. I returned to Paraguay in 2014 to work on the launch of the first Paraguayan National Volunteer Service program Arovia, and again in 2016 as a founding board member to support the launch of the SuperKids Foundation, focused on mobilizing children as agents of change in their communities. I returned to school and completed a master’s degree in Social Design at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 2017. I have since pivoted my primary focus to economic development and social impact work within the U.S. and I have worked on design and innovation teams supporting federal agencies and financial services companies on a variety of topics, including patient and customer experience, affordable housing, and inclusive product innovation.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
Learning another language is a forcing mechanism to see things from a different perspective and regularly engage new parts of your brain. It also requires a courage to put yourself out there and learn something new. I believe learning other languages has made me a better problem solver, more adaptable, more collaborative, and more connected.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
At graduation I spoke Spanish and Portuguese, which I still find ways to use today. I also learned Guaraní, the indigenous language of Paraguay, as part of my Peace Corps training and service (or more accurately Jopara, the mix of Spanish and Guaraní). Recently, I’ve started learning Telugu, a South Indian language.
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
Language skills are in such high demand these days — add it to your resume, incorporate your skills into your personal pitch about what you bring to the table and what you are looking for, and get creative about using your skills through volunteering or other routes if you’re not able to incorporate it into your work immediately.