"The frequency of languages classes allowed us to get to know our classmates and our TAs very well. There was a real community of people invested in learning the same language and cultures you were which was unique and very valuable."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): International Studies, Political Science; Certificates in Middle East and African Studies
Language(s): Arabic
Graduation Year: 2018
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
After studying Spanish and Mandarin and not feeling particularly good at either, I decided to start fresh with a new language. I like studying languages as a means to connect with people and learn new cultures, so I Googled the most widely spoke languages and landed on Arabic!
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
The frequency of languages classes allowed us to get to know our classmates and our TAs very well. There was a real community of people invested in learning the same language and cultures you were which was unique and very valuable.
Was there value to your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
Studying abroad was an incredibly valuable experience. I spent my junior year studying in Morocco and was able to use the language skills I spent the last two years developing to immerse myself in the culture. It was very gratifying.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
After graduation, I moved to Taichung, Taiwan to teach English. I then moved to Surkhet, Nepal to work at the Communications Manager of a small non-profit called BlinkNow. When the pandemic hit and sent me back to the States, I worked as an Operations Associate at a New York City charter school. Deciding to transition back into international work, I left the charter school and began working at DAI, an implementing partner of USAID. I initially worked on the Afghanistan Relocation Team where we helped facilitate the relocation of current and former USAID staff from Afghanistan to the US under the Special Immigrant Visa. I now support two USAID funded projects – a water and sanitation project in Nepal (located in the same region where I lived!) and a social accountability project in Cambodia.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
While I haven’t used Arabic in my post-grad career, my time studying Arabic and living in Morocco has helped me as I moved to new countries, studied new languages, and worked with people from cultures other than my own.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
I haven’t! But I’d love to go back to the Arabic Language Institute in Fes to brush up on my skills.
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
You don’t have to be fluent in the language you studied, or even use it directly in your career, for the experience to be valued by future employers.