"I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without my study of language under my belt."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): (BA) French, (BA) Italian. Masters in Professional French Studies. Certificate in European Studies
Language(s):French, Italian, Turkish
Graduation Year: 2016 (BA), 2018 (MA)
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I started studying French in high school because it was a language my family had studied. Once I realized I had a knack for it, I started taking Spanish as well and discovered I loved language study, particularly comparing and contrasting between languages. At UW, I decided to pick up Italian, thinking, rightfully so, that I’d enjoy adding another romance language to the mix. I had been fortunate enough to travel to France and to Italy and loved both places, I dreamt of studying abroad and eventually working abroad or using my language skills professionally. I began taking Turkish because of my desire to study a non-Indo-European language and because my sister-in-law is Turkish. I didn’t have any nieces or nephews at the time, but knew that she would be raising them bilingual, English/Turkish, and I had a desire to be able to connect with them a bit in Turkish.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
My UW language classes were my bread and butter. As a double language major, I was taking so many language classes that they were the standard against which I measured my other classes. They were typically smaller sizes, extremely engaging, and, in lower-level classes, they were a bit playful. Because of the class sizes and the collaborative nature of the classes, they often led to me making friends–some of whom I am still friends with to this day. Additionally, in the more advanced language classes, I love that they are really a mix of subjects: art history, literature, writing, linguistics, history, film, and even anthropology. It is almost like dabbling in other L&S classes, just in your target language.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
There was an incredible amount of value to these experiences. The fact alone of immersing yourself in another culture and, for a domestic student, to see what school and certain quotidian things are like abroad is truly invaluable for anyone interested in language or culture. I was able to study abroad while completing degree requirements and taking interesting electives that would not have been offered on campus at UW. It was also a friend-building (and later, networking) opportunity to meet people with some similar language/culture interests from different parts of the country in terms of my cohort (and world!). On campus, I interned as a market research associate performing in-language market research in French and Italian for American companies seeking to go/expand their footprint abroad. I even got to represent a client at a trade show in France. My language skills opened the door to this internship and both allowed me to understand what kinds of careers could be out there as well putting valuable experience on my resume/under my belt.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
After graduating undergrad I went directly into the Professional French Masters Program (PFMP) at UW. That was a year of coursework, then I interned in French for a large market research company on their global learning team. While writing my master’s project, I continued working for that company on a short term contract. After receiving my master’s, I took a position working in market research and B2B matchmaking for European companies seeking to expand their footprint in the US. After that, I took a position as a French-speaking Customer Success Manager at a software company. This company, Workiva, offers a platform for complex financial, regulatory, and environmental reporting. I worked in Enterprise Customer Success at Workiva as well before moving into Product Management. I have now been in Product Management at Workiva ever since.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
Speaking French was very much my foot in the door for many of the early experiences on my resume, both in undergrad and after my master’s. I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today without my study of language under my belt. It is a bit ironic that French lead me into the Tech industry (a place I had no idea a language student could look to find a career) where I am, unfortunately, no longer using my language skills in a professional capacity. A degree in studies of a language is proof of ability to learn and a willingness and desire to operate in unknown and often ambiguous environments. I have found that my language and intercultural communication studies have made me an extremely effective communicator, presenter, and Product Manager in general.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
I improved my French by pursuing a master’s in French and by working in France with French colleagues. However, since moving back to the US and since I am no longer working in French (or Italian), it takes a serious effort to maintain the languages. I try to read books in both French and Italian and to watch movies and shows in those languages. However, I find that the best way to freshen up those languages is to travel to somewhere where I get to use them. For instance, my company offers a flexible remote work policy where I was able to work remotely from the south of France (near the Italian border) for two weeks, then take a week off for travel (both to Italy and elsewhere in France). I was able to operate completely in French and Italian and I always find that after a rusty day or so, the language skills I have worked hard to hone come back to me (although I am sure some nouns and verbs are lost along the way).
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
My advice would be to lean into the soft skills that language study have allowed you to acquire and to be open to the places your language capabilities may take you professionally. I encourage students to be open to the fact that they may not find themselves working directly in a target language, but that it can still help open doors and be a personal skill/interest that you hone outside of work.