2021 Modern Languages Graduates

As an international student from Ghana, my sole reason for taking up French in addition to my Economics major was to be able to communicate fluently with people from neighboring countries (Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso – all French speaking). However, the French and Francophone Studies department at W&M is a tight knit community made up of compassionate professors who exposed me to so much more than French grammar -- from courses on provocative texts, to contemporary degenerative realist novels to feminist theories on women's writing! I have been constantly challenged and rewarded each step of the way. As I start my career in Finance in New York City this summer, I hope to continue to find ways to engage with the French language daily, whether through podcasts, novels or music. 

As a Engineering Physics and RPSS double major, my time at the College has not always been pleasant. Despite that, I have loved every second I spent with the RPSS program. It is the place where I met a lot of my friends and it provided a nice way for me to decompress between my more mathematically intense classes. It is also the place where I was introduced to the beauty of Russian cinema and literature. While I am sad to be graduating, I am very grateful to the RPSS program, and the MLL Department as whole, for providing me with a wonderful experience. In regards to my post-graduation plans, I will be working at the DoD where I will be utilizing both my majors as an analyst.

Пока пока

My name is Danielle Barr and I am graduating with a double major in Finance and Hispanic Studies. After graduation, I will be starting a job with KPMG in their Risk Advisory practice in Tysons Corner, VA. My time in the Hispanic Studies department has been nothing but enjoyable. One of my favorite on campus memories was from Freshman year in my Cross Cultural Perspectives class. Our final assignment was a group project where we were instructed to film a skit. During our scheduled 7-10 pm final exam period, our class ate snacks and watched all the group skits together. It was a fun and different project that made finals week a bit more exciting. However, the ultimate highlight was my study abroad experience in Sevilla, Spain through W&M’s program. Of course, living in Spain and traveling through Europe was incredible, but what was truly memorable was the program and people I met there. The Centro Mundolengua program provided us with very unique and exciting cultural experiences and all the people who guided us through our study abroad were extremely fun and authentic. I am still in contact with some today! In the future, outside of working and advancing in my Finance career, I hope to continue to travel, experience new places and cultures, and connect with people within my own communities through the skills I’ve learned through Hispanic Studies. Thank you to all the professors and peers who have impacted me throughout this journey !  

 

I have greatly enjoyed my time in William & 玛丽's Russian Studies  program. I feel that I have improved in both written and spoken  Russian, and that I have acquired a much better understanding of  Russian culture. The program was often hard work, but usually very  rewarding.  Спасибо.

From the start of my career at William & 玛丽, I knew that I wanted to major in Hispanic Studies. I wanted to continue to improve my fluency and learn more about Latin America and Latinx communities within the United States. I thoroughly enjoyed the classes that I took and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I had to study abroad in La Plata, Argentina. I met many wonderful people through this department and have become much more confident in my Spanish language skills. 

The classes that I took with Professor Riofrio and Dr. Varra on Latinx communities in the United States directly contributed to my decision to go to the University of Virginia next year to pursue my master's degree in ESL. After I finish that program, I plan to either work as an ESL teacher or a teacher in a bilingual elementary school. Thank you to all the wonderful professors in the Hispanic Studies department who helped me on my journey! 

Choosing to pursue a major in German Studies was one of the best decisions I made during my time at W&M. From my very first day of Modern German Critical Thought with Professor Leventhal back in 2017, I knew I had found a program that would help me improve not only my language skills, but my intellectual capabilities. 

机汇

 

My experience as an International Relations and Chinese double-major has opened my heart and mind to global affairs, cultural heritage, and language appreciation. I’ve been learning Mandarin Chinese since middle school- but William & 玛丽 gave me the resources to actually learn about the country as a whole. My summer at Beijing Normal University was transformative; I dined on Peking Duck (many, many times), climbed the Great Wall, perused hutongs, sang karaoke, and made friends from around the world. Even in Williamsburg I felt deeply connected to what I was studying. Being the Chinese major peer advisor, interning for the Confucius Institute, completing an honors thesis, and landing the Freeman Fellowship reaffirmed my passions. I’m so deeply grateful that I was able to nurture my studies and personal interests, as well as introduce many other students to what the Chinese major has to offer.  

After I graduate this May, I plan on attending New York University pursuing a joint-masters degree in Journalism and East Asian Studies. This next step will help catapult me into investigative journalism or policy making, as I hope to one day make a difference with the expertise from my studies. A big thank you to Professor Michael Hill for aiding me in my post-graduation process and honors thesis, as well as Professor Chun-Yu Lu for leading my study abroad and being such an instrumental language teacher at William & 玛丽. 

 

I knew I wanted to major in Hispanic Studies as well as Biology as soon as I got to William and 玛丽, and I am so happy with my decision. The Hispanic Studies program gave me some of my favorite classes and favorite professors during my four years here, and I’m glad I got to keep up and improve my Spanish while doing it. I have always loved the language and all the cultures, and having traveled to so many Spanish speaking countries it’s been so helpful to have been able to converse with the people there.

I double majored in Biology and Hispanic Studies wanting to be able to combine the two after graduation. The dream is to work in animal conservation and research in Central or South America. I’m also a huge diver and I would love to work in the field of shark conservation, so this summer I’m spending a month or two in Utila, Honduras to get my Dive Master certification! I hope to find some conservation work after that and then apply to grad school the next year. 

Although hailing from first-generation Italian American parents, my journey to formally learn Italian really started when I got to William & 玛丽. It was a really great experience to enhance my language skills and combine it with the customs and traditions I grew up with. The Modern Languages department, and more specifically the Italian Studies program, has offered me a range of cultural studies courses that have augmented my appreciation for Italian history and contemporary contributions. While studying abroad was not in the cards for me, the faculty in the department did everything they could for me to help me get the most out of my experience: we worked to design a curriculum specific to me and my interests! After graduation I will be working for an IT consultant to the federal government, where business with the State Department will hopefully send me abroad. I am grateful for this supplemental educational opportunity and I can't wait to see where it will take me. 

When I first began studying German in high school, I had no idea of the lasting impact it would have on my life and my studies in college. I decided to take one of Professor Leventhal’s courses during my very first semester and fell in love with the German Studies program. I enjoyed seeing how close-knit the students were and the strong relationships that they were able to form with the professors. With encouragement from Professor Leventhal, I decided to declare a double major with German Studies. I’ve greatly enjoyed all of my German Studies classes as well as my time as a TA for the department, and I can truly say that I am friends with all of my fellow German Studies majors.

One of the highlights of my college experience was my study abroad in Potsdam, Germany the summer after my freshman year. Over the course of the program, I forged strong bonds with my fellow German Studies students, many of whom are graduating with me, and with our program leader Frau Gully. I loved living in Berlin and was able to greatly improve my German skills with the help of my host family, who I am still in touch with today.

Next year I will be putting my German skills to good use as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Germany. Afterwards I will be returning stateside to begin medical school at George Washington University in 2022. I know that I would not be where I am today without the guidance of my professors, especially Professor Leventhal and Professor Gully, and I can’t thank them enough for all of their guidance over the past four years. 

Studying Chinese Language and Culture has been one of my great joys throughout my time at William and 玛丽. Whether it was improving my language skills in class, participating in cultural activities in the Chinese House, or bonding with my many friends in the department, Chinese studies always gave me a sense of accomplishment and community.  

Having fallen in love with the Chinese language in high school, I came into William and 玛丽 excited to continue my studies. Four years later, I am happy to say my time in the department more than lived up to my high expectations. From my very first semester, the professors and other students made me feel welcome and excited to learn. The classes were often difficult but always rewarding, the professors were passionate, and the other students were supportive.  

Chinese studies also gave me my most cherished college memory: my time studying abroad at Beijing Normal University in the Summer of 2019. Meeting new friends, exploring the city, and experiencing Chinese culture in an immersive environment helped me take my Chinese to the next level and build relationships that will last a lifetime. I often find myself getting nostalgic for those two and a half months, and I’m sure this will only continue as college gets farther away.  

Next year, I will be attending New York University to begin a Master’s Degree in Psychology. While I do not plan to continue with the formal study of Chinese, I hope to keep up my language skills and to one day return to China. As I move on with my life, I will forever be grateful for the skills, the memories, and the friendships that the Chinese Department gave me.

My time as a French major has given me some of my most treasured memories at William and 玛丽. I began my French classes in order to fulfill the language requirement for my degree in International Relations, but I soon decided to major in French as well. My professors were not only knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but they also truly embraced our individual progress and all the mistakes that came with it. Anyone who has tried to learn a language knows how uncomfortable and daunting it can be, but from my first French class at William and 玛丽, there was always an atmosphere of support and acceptance that made the classes as fun as they were challenging. 

One of my most meaningful memories was my study abroad program in Montpellier in the summer of 2019. I loved getting to know the other William and 玛丽 students, staying with a host family, and visiting amazing sites all over France. Beyond improving my French skills, my whole experience in Montpellier was unforgettable and I will always be grateful that I had the opportunity to share that experience with the group and Professor Compan. 

After graduation I will join a human rights NGO, the Global Human Rights Defense as a research intern and in September I will begin a graduate program at Leiden University in Global Political Economy. 

When I look back on my years as a French major at W&M, what stands out to me is how much everyone in the department (students and faculty alike) have challenged me intellectually and personally. Through my French studies, I have been encouraged to enrich my worldview and grow as a scholar by exploring new perspectives; learning about literature, history, and culture in ways that challenge the official and most accepted narratives; and by investigating a vast array of different topics while never ceasing to be amazed by the depth and scope of how much there is to learn. Above all, I will always cherish the connections I’ve made with peers, faculty, and community members through my studies on campus and abroad. While I do not yet have set plans for next year, I am considering the Teaching Assistant Program in France and pursuing a master’s degree in ESL/Bilingual Education in the near future—both of which would allow me to continue applying what I have learned as a French major! 

 

艾尔

My name is Soleil Ephraim and I’m a senior at William & 玛丽 double majoring in Sociology and Hispanic Studies. The Hispanic Studies Department has been my second home at William & 玛丽. The professors have become my mentors and friends who genuinely care about both the academic success and personal growth of their students. Through my classes, specifically with Professor Terukina, Professor Serna Jeri, and Professor Rivera, I have learned how to constantly challenge binary ways of thinking. As a BIPOC student on campus, they have given me the tools to critically analyze the environment and actions of people around me. Hispanic Studies courses have inspired me to engage in acts of decolonization, whether that’s reflecting on my own identity and processes of racialization and gendering, or questioning common knowledge that is passed down through education. I am thankful for being a part of a community in which I have developed specific language and a sociological imagination to make connections between history and what is going on around me. My experience studying in Argentina has influenced me to find the intersecting nature of social justice movements (in particular with environmental justice and reproductive justice).  I hope to contribute to work that examines the social determinants of health and allows me to advocate for women and BIPOC communities.  

When I came to William & 玛丽, I knew I wanted to continue my French education, but always assumed it would be in the form of a minor, or just a few classes for fun. Four years and many French classes later, I’m so happy I decided to become a French & Francophone Studies major. Over the years I’ve been able to learn from fantastic professors in a wide variety of classes, all of whom took the time to make their students feel welcomed and cared for (and, most importantly, ensure students had fun while learning!). While I wasn’t able to study abroad due to COVID-19, I still feel as if I was exposed to many different cultural and historical aspects through my French classes. I’m so thankful for the guidance of so many wonderful French professors during my time here as well as the friendships I’ve made with my fellow students in the department. As I leave William & 玛丽 to pursue my passions in climate change and social justice, I owe much of my current skillset to the French program for bettering me, not just in my French language skills, but also in my compassion for others, and allowing me to have a better, more diverse understanding of the world around me.  

 

I started by taking German language course in my first semester in college, mostly for really loving classical music and wanting to travel to Germany and Austria one day. But Professor Gülly, who was teaching the course at that time, helped us go beyond the language itself and introduced me to topics such as European immigration, Berlin in the Cold War and the aftermath of Nazism. I was surprised yet so fascinated by the many connections between German Studies and my other interest in politics. Before I knew it, I have taken courses in German history, philosophy, literature and films so that becoming a German major just seemed like the natural thing to do (I still remember how vigorously Professor Gülly attempted to talk everyone on the study abroad program in Potsdam who was not already in German Studies into doing a major or minor, and yes, she often succeeded).   

The fall immediately after the Potsdam program, I took Professor Leventhal’s German philosophy course. For the first time I was systematically introduced into the vast body of German critical thought, and became deeply fascinated by such thinkers as Marx, Benjamin, and Heidegger. The course completely changed my intended academic direction from European politics to political philosophy. Long story short, now I am about to start my doctoral work in political philosophy, specifically German Critical Theory.  

The faculty at the German studies program have shown me not just what it is like to love what you teach but to love teaching itself. I hope to emulate it in my own academic career.  

 

 

The German Studies Department has shaped me as a scholar and person. Our lessons have solidified my interest in promoting human rights through an in-depth study of the Holocaust and through the department’s support in helping me bring Holocaust survivor Frank Shatz to the College in 2019. The department also supported me in studying in Germany in 2020 and in starting up the German Newspaper--experiences which have allowed me to develop my language and leadership skills. 

Although I find the German Studies class material innately interesting, it has been my professors who have made this experience memorable. Professor Leventhal was there to help me when I was having academic-related problems due to the pandemic in 2020, and it was wonderful and calming knowing that my department was there to support me. Professor Ellis has been my honors advisor since 2019, and has always been positive, kind, and flexible with me, especially when I needed it the most. Professor Burney is without a doubt one of the coolest professors at W&M, Professor Gülly is eager to assist students--even ones she has not taught, like me--to help them reach their goals, and I am thankful for Professor Taylor for allowing me to overuse office hours when I first came to W&M and helping me enroll in my study abroad program. 

I am also thankful for the German Haus. This is where I have met some of my greatest friends at W&M. We still keep in touch years later. 

From playing soccer on the Sunken Gardens to cookouts outside of Randolph, our department feels like a family, and I will always be grateful for that. 

In regards to my post-W&M plans, I will serve as a teaching assistant in Vienna for this upcoming school year! 

 

Graduation is a huge accomplishment! I want to give a special thank you to my major advisor, Professor Pacini, for welcoming me back to the French Department after I tried out a few other majors. My favorite academic part of college was the intellectually stimulating discussions with my brilliant classmates and professors in my French classes. I am also grateful for the opportunity to have conducted research in many of my upper-level French classes. I will continue to apply the writing and speaking skills as well as the knowledge and perspectives that I developed in the French & Francophone Studies program. This June, I will begin my one-year  MAEd  in Elementary Education and ESL Certificate in William & 玛丽’s School of Education. I hope to be just as caring, passionate, and skilled at teaching as my French professors are!  

电动汽车

 

 

I came to William & 玛丽 set on being a Chinese major, I had already invested years learning the language and I was really excited to continue learning it. What I did not realize was how much I would grow to love the people in the program here, both professors and students. That first year of 8 am Chinese 205/6 with 苏老师 was hard to get to sometimes but such a rewarding experience by the end of the year. Some of my closest friends have been made in Chinese class, bonding over the vocab quiz or laughing about the presentation we were going to have to make the next day. It has not just been the language though, the culture classes have been by far my favorite classes at this school and I have loved every single one from Professor Lu’s Forbidden Romance in China COLL 150 to Professor Vierthaler’s Hacking Chinese Studies which really pushed the limits of my knowledge of technology far beyond what I expected. 

 The summer I spent at Tsinghua University after freshman year is one, I will never forget and while my Chinese improved exponentially, I also learned a ton about myself. I am incredibly excited to spend next year in Foshan, China teaching English and continuing to work on my Chinese skills. I will never forget the Chinese department because it has really felt like my academic home for the past four years. I have been pushed but also been supported every step of the way.  

My time at William & 玛丽  was undoubtedly transformed  by experiences I gleaned from the Hispanic Studies department. I entered college knowing that I wanted to keep practicing my Spanish by taking at least one Hispanic Studies course per semester;  but,  it was after a wonderful semester in "Intro to Hispanic Studies" with Professor Tandeciarz my freshman spring, that I realized the course material in Hispanic Studies classes was exactly what I wanted to be studying. My classes in the Hispanic Studies department exposed me to new histories and to a new critical way of thinking and analyzing literature, culture, and social movements. I spent my sophomore spring studying abroad in  Sevilla , where I had the pleasure of taking classes at Pablo de  Olavide  University, volunteering in the community, and exploring southern Spain and other European countries.  I made lifelong friends through the  Sevilla  program, and will cherish the memories from that semester for a lifetime.  Additionally, during my junior spring, I had the unique opportunity to take an immersive course with Professor Tandeciarz about public memory work and transitional justice in Guatemala. With the class, I traveled to Guatemala for a week on a trip dedicated to the study of genocidal memory. We visited numerous sites of memory and met with a forensic anthropology NGO, activist groups, artists, and students to learn about the state of public memory work in relation to the Guatemalan Internal Armed Conflict and the state-committed acts of genocide. The trip was incredibly affective and sobering.  It is experiences like that time spent in Guatemala that I owe to my involvement with the Hispanic Studies department.  I am very grateful to all of the lovely individuals and professors who have shaped my time as a Hispanic Studies major and made my time in the department one of immense learning, acceptance, and joy. After graduation, as I look to pursue a career in journalism, I know that the communicative and oratorical skills that I have gained from my studies in Hispanic Studies courses will certainly color my work and story-telling pursuits.

 

I have truly enjoyed my time as a Chinese major at W&M. I started out with Chinese 101 in my freshman year and have taken a language course every semester since then. I am confident that I can take the skills I have learned as a Chinese major into my future endeavors and am glad I decided to take that first Chinese class 4 years ago. Special thanks to Professor Michael Hill and Professor Qian Su for their guidance and support throughout the years, as well as my classmates who have made the whole endeavor beyond worthwhile. The MLL department and the Chinese major in particular are a fantastic group of people I'm lucky to have been a part of.

When I was first going into college, I  can't  say that I expected to be graduating with a second major in Japanese Studies—I thought it was going to a simple three years and I'd be done with college with just a degree in Computer Science. In my very first semester I decided to take Japanese 101 on a whim since I needed a language requirement and I grew up watching classic Japanese films, and the semester after I took my first Japanese Studies course (although the major wasn't official yet). Now as a senior, after three years living in the Japanese House, a member of the Japanese Culture Association, and having discovered a new love for performing research within the domain of Asian studies, I can definitely say that the MDLL department has been a major influence on my college career.  Although there have been many late nights of research and times where I've felt hopelessly stuck in progressing my language abilities, I'm fortunate that I've made many new friends and met professors through the language and J-Studies departments, who both encouraged me to move out of my comfort zone and gave me the means to excel in my academic and personal studies.  My current trajectory after college is to  hopefully  use both my Computer Science and Japanese Studies degrees and land a position at an international tech company based in Japan.  

 

My experience with French began with a teacher who believed in my ability to excel - even when I didn't. Without him, I might not have pursued my now-cherished major beyond satisfying the necessary requirement to graduate. Within MLL, I've found countless professors who similarly believed in me and, importantly, nurtured my love of language. Whether it is the kindness of Professor A. Leruth, the exquisite music taste of Professor Brehm or even the eccentricity of Professor Caille, this department has been my home during my time at William and 玛丽. Above all else, I'm incredibly grateful for the research opportunities that fused my love of politics and language that I've shared with Professor M. Leruth and the wickedly talented folks I've met along the way. Although my plans for the future don't explicitly utilize the crafts I've honed over the past few years, I hope that someday I'll be able to travel to the many places I've never been and maintain the strong connections I've forged in this department.  

我

On top of Chinese language learning, W&M's Chinese culture classes instilled within me a great fascination for the complexity of ancient Chinese history and Chinese foreign policy. This drove my East Asian focus as a primary International Relations major and will influence my future career in international peace and security. I look forward to using my language skills and passion for foreign policy as an intern U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Alliances Branch this coming summer, as well as beginning a Fulbright scholarship in Taiwan! I also hope to pursue a master’s degree in International Studies. I look forward to staying in touch with the W&M Chinese Studies program and seeing what wonderful research and events they continue to do. 

 

 

I originally came to William & 玛丽 to study history, and when I signed up for German 101 freshman year, all I had in mind was to learn a new language for primary source research. After two years of blood, sweat, and tears, I emerged from German 202 knowing that I could not stop there. The time and effort to learn German was an amazing investment from which I have already reaped plentiful dividends. I have learned so much about German history and culture in my four years of German Studies, and I also had the unique opportunity of living with Berliners and studying at the University of Potsdam. From a midnight bus to Munich to visit my host-father’s family, to hours spent learning from the amazing departmental faculty, to forcing German movies and shows on my friends and family, my love affair with Germany has been a wonderful journey, and I am excited to see where it goes next.  

When I arrived at William & 玛丽, I was sure that I was going to major in history, and I never expected to take more than a few Hispanic Studies classes. However, after enrolling in “Cross-Cultural Perspectives” my first semester, I fell in love with the cultural studies component of these courses. I decided to double major in Hispanic Studies and history, and now cannot imagine my time at William & 玛丽 without the Hispanic Studies program. I have honed my Spanish language skills and have also gained an interdisciplinary understanding of the cultural, political, and historical landscape of the Spanish-speaking world. 

One of my favorite things about the Hispanic Studies department is how supportive the faculty is. I am grateful for all of the guidance Professors Buck, Tandeciarz, and Cate-Arries have given me over the years. This department has also provided me with invaluable experiences outside of the classroom through study abroad programs in Cádiz, Spain, Guatemala, and La Plata, Argentina. Perhaps the biggest impact on my college experience, though, was taking “Text Translation” with Professor Cate-Arries. I learned that there is more to translating than knowing the language, and that the cultural knowledge I have gained throughout the Hispanic Studies curriculum is crucial to successful translation work. This class illuminated a career path that I had previously never considered but am incredibly excited about pursuing. I will be attending Wake Forest University in the fall for an MA in Interpreting & Translation Studies.

 

My my name is  Kirsten Magaard and I’m graduating with a double major in Economics and Hispanic Studies. Throughout my time with the Modern Languages & Literatures Department, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know and develop relationships with so many professors who have made my W&M experience so positive. From my COLL400 class on gender identity in the 16th century to my first Hispanic Studies class freshman year, Cross-Cultural Exchange, this department has broadened my understanding of politics, culture, identity, and so much more. After graduation I’m moving to Washington, D.C.  to work as a business analyst, and though this seems outside of the realm of MLL, I know the wider lessons and inclusive narrative all my professors and classes have emphasized will serve me well, regardless of my occupation. I’m so grateful for my time in Hispanic Studies & MLL, and hope all of my professors know how thankful I am for their role in shaping my college experience!  

Being a part of the German Studies program at William and 玛丽 has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling parts of my undergraduate experience. I have improved and gained skills in conversation, critical thinking, literary analysis, and even teaching. I am thankful for Professor Gülly, who not only helped me become a TA as a freshman, but supported me in every aspect of my undergraduate career and believed in my language skills even when I did not. I am thankful for Professor Taylor, who did an independent study with me and never failed to make me laugh, Professor Leventhal is an amazing resource and faculty advisor who truly cares about his students, and Professor Burney, who helped me complete my senior capstone as a sophomore and never hesitated to stay back and help me when I was struggling.  

As I look back on my time at William and 玛丽, I am extremely grateful for the experiences and people I have met through the German Studies program. The close-knit community that the Modern Languages Department has fostered allowed me to find lifelong friends and a community at William and 玛丽 that supports me. I truly cannot imagine my undergraduate experience without the support from the faculty and students in the German Studies program and I am excited to see where my German skills take me. 

Reflecting on these past four years, my Hispanic Studies major has been invaluable to my personal and professional growth. I am grateful for the support of my major advisor, Professor Cate-Arries for helping me discover my true passion for the Spanish language and culture. Along with her guidance, I am grateful for the opportunities the HISP department has given me. Interning for the Spanish Embassy in 2019 was one of several invaluable experiences that I will never forget, influencing me and my future career interests.
While the pandemic cut my study abroad experience in Argentina short, I am grateful to have spent a short time in South America and long to return hopefully soon! I am also thankful for the opportunity to be a HISP TA and teach introductory Spanish classes in my final semester at the College. Along with these opportunities, my classes have impacted me just as much and have been a true joy to enhance my knowledge of the field.
I want to thank Prof. Baker in 2018 for encouraging me to major in HISP as well as Prof. Varra for improving my Spanish accent and speech potential. I also greatly appreciate Prof. Cantarello for an amazing class on Mexican issues and both Prof. Root and Prof. Buck for their genuine kindness and support. As I look toward the future, I can’t wait to utilize my experiences from the HISP department no matter where life takes me.  

My name is Tori McCaffrey, and I am graduating with a double major in Government & Hispanic Studies. Coming to William & 玛丽, I knew that I loved studying the Spanish language, but I could not predict the impact the Hispanic Studies department would have on my time here. The Hispanic Studies department has encouraged me to dig deeper in everything I do. I have developed my cultural analysis in ways I never knew was possible. The department has offered classes on a wide variety of topics, from reading 100 Years of Solitude in a class on Borges’ impact, or examining the cultural impact of humoralism in Spain. Last spring I had the opportunity to travel to Seville, Spain where I was able to volunteer among the community, hone my language skills, and immerse myself in a brand new culture. I am incredibly grateful to all of the Hispanic Studies professors who have made my time at the College so meaningful.

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My college experience was defined by Modern Languages, and specifically the Hispanic Studies department. I’ve been fortunate enough to take advantage of many opportunities thanks to Hispanic Studies. My time abroad, via the Cadiz program and the La Plata program, gave me unforgettable experiences and lifelong friends. I’ve been able to complete two summer research projects (thank you to Prof. Cate-Arries and Prof. Tandeciarz!) and participate for nearly two years in the W&M - National Security Archive partnership. The incredible experience of learning Spanish has cascaded into a desire for more languages (Portuguese, Italian, and hopefully more to come!), along with a passion for teaching languages which I’ve explored for two semesters as a Hispanic Studies TA (thank you Prof. Cantarello!). I’ve also just adored the coursework that comes with Hispanic Studies (thanks to Prof. Terukina and Prof. Buck for two exceptional senior seminar courses!). 

      My time with Hispanic Studies has let me be surrounded by exceptional students and professors throughout my time at William and 玛丽, for which I am eternally grateful. The professors, in particular, have been amazing role models, whom I hope to emulate as I pursue teaching English abroad after graduation. 

 

I’m eternally grateful I stumbled into my French COLL100 my first semester because Professor Pacini has been an absolute treasure as a major advisor and role model. She helped me work through a four-year long period of burnout with French, reminded me to sleep 8 hours a day, and has also been lovely to talk to. She talked me into bumping a French minor into a French major, directed me toward UVA’s Lyon program, and sometimes just chatted with me about Philadelphia when I missed home. 

Much of my International Relations work has focused on the Slavic world, but French has always been where I feel most comfortable. I gained an odd assortment of insights, like up and coming French revitalization movements in Maine and Vermont, the history of surrealist collage art, and the fact that I’ve spoken with a slight to moderate Quebec accent all my life and it’s only gotten more marked after taking a class on North American French. It’s been unabashedly nice, discovering things that I enjoy about French again. Even if I end up in Ukraine with the Peace Corps once travel opens up again, French is still my first love. 

Being a French Major has helped me to thrive academically and personally during my time at William & 玛丽. The French program cultivates an ideal learning environment in which students and faculty are mutually supportive and genuinely interested in one another’s pursuits. I have especially benefited from close relationships with faculty in designing research projects of my own, and would never have discovered my own unique interests, much less how they can converge, without their encouragement. As an Honors student and the recipient of the McCormack-Reboussin scholarship for research in French & Francophone studies, I am highly indebted to the program’s commitment to the undergraduate research experience. 

Based on my enjoyment of my honors research, I wanted to encourage other students to consider pursuing projects of their own. I was fortunate to be able to help organize the program’s annual research festival in Fall 2020. Furthermore, I have been honored to contribute to the French program as a teaching assistant. It has been a pleasure to work alongside faculty mentors and fellow T.A.s in order to instill a passion for French language and culture among intermediate-level students. 

I will very much miss the French & Francophone Studies program upon graduation, but I look forward to keeping in touch with friends and faculty and supporting the program as an alumna. Meanwhile, I will continue to enjoy French literature and music throughout my life and hope someday to have the chance to refine my spoken French through international travel.  

 

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The Hispanic Studies Department at William & 玛丽 has broadened my horizons in a variety of disciplines and nurtured my aptitude to relate to people in an impactful and productive way. Though the Hispanic Studies Department has enormously enriched my linguistic skills in Spanish, it also has provided ample opportunities to learn about the world and how people and nations interact. From starting as a wide-eyed freshman sitting in an entrancing seminar about Don Quijote to preparing briefings at the Spanish Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Hispanic Studies faculty and students were there to support me at each juncture, always encouraging me to realize my full potential. The most exciting opportunity within Hispanic Studies was the chance to study abroad in Seville, Spain, where I gained a firsthand appreciation of the subject I had been studying all throughout college.
My time abroad emboldened me to undertake an Honors Thesis, a fulfilling, yearlong research project allowing me to synthesize everything I have learned from my time in Hispanic Studies. In this project, I discuss the Andalusian socio-political identity and how the national and supranational levels of authority in Spain and the European Union affect such identity.

I wish to extend my most profound appreciation especially to Professor Buck, Professor Cate-Arries, and Professor Terukina, all of whom have greatly helped me navigate this program as well as the world after college, which is a testament to the stimulating, conscientious, and generous nature of each HISP professor. I am eager to pursue my professional and academic formation at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain working towards a Máster en Geopolítica y Estudios Estratégicos. Afterwards, I hope to take what robust resources with which the HISP program has equipped me to begin a career in the field of Diplomacy and International Relations.

I didn’t think I would major in Hispanic Studies when I enrolled at William & 玛丽, but I can say now that Hispanic Studies has probably been the most important part of my undergraduate experience. I have spent more time in Washington Hall than any other academic building on campus. Since Hispanic Studies is a smaller program, I have consistently been in classes with the same great students and professors; that’s what makes Hispanic Studies so special. In the semester leading up to my study abroad I lived in the Hispanic House, which was full of amazing people whom I wish I had gotten to know better. The pinnacle of my experience with Hispanic Studies was my study abroad in the Sevilla program. Even though I had to return halfway through the semester due to Covid, it was an amazing time while I was there. I took classes entirely in Spanish, including one with Spanish students. Before I left I was able to visit several different cities in Spain, as well as the most important landmarks in Sevilla; my favorite was probably the remains of the Expo of 1992. As I begin law school in the fall, I intend to maintain and develop my Spanish skills in order to enhance my future work in public interest law.  

Being a Chinese major in the undergraduate department at the College of William and 玛丽 has been an extremely fruitful experience. I have made amazing friends, learned a great deal about the various aspects of East Asian culture, and improved in all facets in speaking, reading, and writing Chinese. 

I am grateful to an amazing department that has carried me this far into my development. As a Black person, I am privileged to have been able to learn during these years in a welcoming department that never excluded me as a learner. I will use these experiences in my future here at the College as a graduate student next year, on my way to becoming a teacher in bilingual education to future generations. 

 

I have greatly enjoyed my time in William & 玛丽's French and Francophone Studies program. I feel that I have improved in both written and spoken French, and that I have acquired a much better understanding of Francophone culture. The program was often hard work, but usually very rewarding. I especially enjoyed Prof. Lee-Ferrand's course "Medieval Shenanigans," Prof. Brehm's course on audio-vision in the modern era, and former Prof. Rabalais's course on North American Francophony; however, each course I took had something special and excellent about it. Next year, I will be attending graduate school to get my teaching certification in French and Latin. Je vous remercie tous! 

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My name is Natalie Ronan and I'm graduating from William & 玛丽 with a double major in History and Hispanic Studies. I loved my time in the Hispanic Studies department because I was able to learn so much from my professors as well as other students. This department is incredible in how it encourages people to share their different cultural experiences and encourages students to step outside of their comfort zones. I feel like I have not only become a better spanish speaker but a better person through my courses. Thank you and congratulations to all of my classmates. Lastly, I want to thank my professors, particularly Profesoras Buck and Cate-Arries who were so supportive during this last, challenging year. The time I spent in the Hispanic Studies department in Williamsburg and in Sevilla will inspire me for years to come.

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Studying German Studies at William & 玛丽 provided an amazing variety of educational and cultural experiences that helped set the course for my future plans. While improving my German language skills, the German major also introduced me to some of my best friends and helped make my college experience one of fun and intellectual stimulation.  

My German professors are phenomenal people and educators and have played incredibly important roles in my education. Whether reading children’s literature with Professor Burney, studying abroad in Potsdam with Professor Gülly, watching German horror movies with Professor Taylor, discussing colonialism with Professor Ellis, or reading Kafka with Professor Leventhal, I was guaranteed to expand my horizons and improve my German language skills. As a Teaching Assistant for four semesters, the German major improved my communication skills and allowed me to interact with and help dozens of other students as they figured out the basics of the German language. The Potsdam summer program provided an amazing experience with a fast-paced language curriculum and a diverse array of German cultural activities.  

My German skills helped get me a summer job at a deli near my home due to my ability to pronounce the names of different meats and cheeses. And I am confident there will be many more opportunities that come about due to the German Studies Program. Regardless of what I end up doing after William & 玛丽, I know my German major will help me navigate the post-college world. 

I started my college experience never planning to major in a language. Though I had studied French throughout high school and had a deep passion for it, it wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year that I even considered pursuing French and Francophone Studies. I owe my decision to major in French to Dr. Magali Compan and her wonderful guidance during my time in the 2019 Montpellier summer study abroad program. That summer was one of the best experiences of my life. It started me on this incredible journey to explore the beauty, the complexity, and the pure joie de vivre that is the Francophone world. 

My favorite part about French at William & 玛丽 is undeniably the community surrounding it. I lived in the French House for two years, and I grew very close to my classmates, spending class after class in semester after semester together. From deepening my understanding of history and contemporary events, to introducing me to post-colonial discourse, to challenging me to reimagine the power of art and literature as a force for social good, majoring in French was the best decision I could have made. 

Though the next step in my journey will take me to law school in pursuit of my JD, I will forever treasure the memories and friendships I made here. Merci à tous! 

I entered William & 玛丽 with few future plans besides continuing to study Chinese language. Through my college career I experimented with many possible paths, but my dedication to Chinese was always an anchor. By studying abroad in Beijing 2019 I was able to not only grow as a student but also learn how to apply my knowledge independently and without a safety net. This valuable experience has encouraged me to job search within China as I am more confident and wish to hone my professional communication skills.  

I have so many fond memories of early mornings in Washington Hall and the professors who guided my education. My taste in literature has been irreversibly changed by Prof. Lü who introduced me to the works of Mo Yan and Liu Cixin. And I will greatly miss the hilarity of my senior seminar class with Prof. Vierthaler and graduating classmates. I ended my last language class this year with Prof. Su, the same professor who taught my first ever freshman class and watched my proficiency from beginning to end.   

Senior year brought some changes to my future career plans. I started taking chemistry, museum studies, and textile curation internships. As it stands now I will be pursuing an MS in museum conservation, hopefully with a specialty in Chinese decorative arts. My honor’s thesis within the department marries my love of both material culture and Chinese culture, which would not have been possible without the guidance of my advisor, Professor Hill.

My name is Madeleine Scherer and I am graduating with an International Relations major and a Russian Language & Literature minor. After graduation I will be moving to Charlottesville to attend law school at the University of Virginia. I have absolutely loved my time in the Russian department. Each class has been so enjoyable. Some of my best memories with the Russian department come from the intro to Russian classes that met every day. They always brightened my day and I found myself constantly looking forward to class. One of my favorite moments was when we translated “Shallow” from A Star is Born and performed it at the Russian Olympics! I am so thankful for all the events and speakers the Russian department hosts for exposing me to lots of new ideas. I am beyond grateful for my time with the Russian department and for all the amazing professors who helped my love for Russian language and culture grow. I will miss the Russian department so much and can’t wait to come back to visit!

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I am immeasurably grateful to the Hispanic Studies department for all of the opportunities it has presented me with during my time as an undergraduate. This program took me out of the country for the first time when I participated in the Cadiz summer program in 2019. Through that program, I met amazing friends, saw beautiful sites, and completed the first of several lengthy research projects with the department. I could not believe my luck when, less than a year later, I was offered the opportunity to travel with WM again on a trip to Guatemala to study the internal armed conflict there. That class stands out as an absolute favorite of undergrad, in no small part due to the unique opportunities to engage with course content in a multilingual and hands-on format.  

As if this were not enough, I have also been blessed with the opportunity to TA in Hispanic Studies 3 times and have delighted in the experience every time (yes, even when I had to teach online). The experience affirmed my commitment to a quality and equitable education. For that reason, I will be staying in Williamsburg for the next year to pursue my MAEd in ESL and Bilingual Education at the W&M School of Education.  

Thanks to the guidance of incredible HISP faculty, particularly professors Cate-Arries, Carrión, and Varra, I have been able to pursue projects at WM focused on equity, education, and justice. Of all of my accomplishments, however, my proudest are the relationships I have formed with other MLL students and faculty. These people have held me up through COVID, thesis writing, and everything else the world could throw at us. We have grown, changed, learned, and grown some more. I am proud to call you my friends, mentors, and family. Thanks for everything! 

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I extend a particularly gigantic thank you to Professors Ferrarese, Mattavelli, Seger and Paolino for their gentle guidance, never-ending patience, unwavering support, and infectious enthusiasm. Thank you especially for cultivating my curiosity. I will sorely miss all our engaging conversations!

I look forward to sharing all I have learned from you with my peers and students as I pursue a PhD in Romance Studies at Cornell University this fall. There is no doubt that Italian—and all the other languages I have had the privilege to study among such inspiring individuals—will continue to play a central role in my life.

Grazie mille per tutto—siete davvero un’immensa ispirazione! Спасибо большое, merci beaucoup, muchas gracias, herzlichen Dank, and thank you!

The reason I kept taking French classes at W&M and ultimately decided to pursue it as my major was because of the wonderful professors and peers that made learning feel like a community conversation. I genuinely feel that my experience in the department has shaped me into a more humble and self-assured global citizen.  

Through my classes, I have explored themes including the paradoxes of metropolitan French discourse, the struggles and solidarity of the working class, the justified rage of the subaltern, and the use of art as a tool of resistance. This year, I am writing an Honors thesis on elite pathways within the baccalauréat. The knowledge and skills I have gained from my experiences as a French major have opened my eyes to wider societal issues and remind me of my obligation to contribute to lasting structural change.   

In Spring 2020 I got to study abroad at IAU Aix-en-Provence, where I was a student in the French Honors Program. There, I was exposed to a diverse array of artistic expression, from the 30,000-year-old Chauvet cave paintings to modern-day graffiti art in Marseille. Although half of the semester was spent on Zoom in my dining room instead of in Aix, I am still grateful for the time I had. And I will never forget walking alone through the empty streets of Paris during the country’s very first lockdown!  

In addition to my B.A. in French and Francophone Studies, I will be graduating with a B.S. in Psychology. In the future I plan to ultimately pursue a graduate degree that will give me the tools to transform the American education system. 

 

 

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I  hadn’t  planned on furthering my studies of Spanish in college, but after taking both of my freshman seminars in Spanish I quickly realized how special the Hispanic Studies program at William and 玛丽 is. Professor Cate- Arries ’ freshman seminar on Madrid gave me the first opportunity I ever had to leave the U.S., and learning about Spanish culture so in-depth in her seminar had me hooked from there on pursuing a double major in International Relations and Hispanic Studies. Every professor in the Hispanic Studies department has such a profound understanding of interesting and diverse topics, and while my time there has certainly improved my Spanish language skills, more  importantly  it has greatly increased my understanding of the culture, history, and politics of Spain and Latin America, and in that way granted me a much broader cultural perspective. I am also so grateful for the opportunity I had to live and study in Cádiz for the summer, during which time I studied the topic of historical memory of Francoism through researching the exhumations of mass graves, which I  couldn’t  have done without Professor Cate- Arries . Professor Cate- Arries  truly shaped my time in the Hispanic Studies program  by encouraging me to take the risks of studying abroad and living in the Casa  Hispánica . Her kindness and encouragement towards students of Hispanic Studies helped me to push myself out of my comfort zone and pursue a major in Hispanic Studies, and I am so grateful for all her guidance in my time at William and 玛丽.  

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I graduated  from William & 玛丽 in December with a major in chemistry and Russian language and literature. I was a Fulbright grant recipient in 2020 and, COVID permitting, plan to travel to Russia in September of this year to conduct research on Russian remembrance of the Great Patriotic War. Currently, I work as an intern at Verge Scientific Communications, doing public relations work for emerging biotech companies. In my free time, I enjoy weightlifting, playing Scrabble, and dreaming of all the things I will do post COVID.

The Chinese program has provided me with countless memories during my time at W&M. I did not begin college with any experience learning Chinese and originally only decided to take Chinese to fulfill the foreign language requirement. However, after taking the 101 language course and a freshman seminar course in the Chinese department, I was hooked. I give all the credit for keeping me inspired and interested in studying Chinese to my amazing professors. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every single Chinese class that I have taken. Every language course greatly increased my confidence and fluency. Every culture course was filled with intriguing content and gave me a deeper understanding of China. Going forward, I want to apply my Chinese language skills in whatever career I pursue. Thanks to the great education I have received in W&M’s Chinese program, I am confident that I have all the tools I need to succeed.  

I am thankful to have been able to pursue my French & Francophone Studies major alongside my major in Economics. I never could have expected how classes in Francophone literature would motivate my interest in pursuing economic research here at W&M and hopefully into the future. I credit my experience in the French & Francophone studies program for not only allowing me to grow academically, but also personally. Spending two months in Montpellier in Spring 2020 allowed me to push my language skills and make lasting connections with a diverse group of people I would never have been able to meet otherwise. I know I will always look back on my time in French & Francophone studies with happy memories of wonderful professors as well as classmates and friends who made my W&M experience so special. I am looking forward to doing public sector consulting at Grant Thornton in Washington, D.C. next year, and start working on getting transferred to their Montpellier office one day! 

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Before I came to William and 玛丽, I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with myself. After bouncing around a bit, I realized I was getting the most enjoyment out of the East Asian and Japanese history / culture classes I was taking. Fast forward a few short years, and here we are! The Japanese Studies program has been an extremely rewarding experience for me, and being able to grow my passion for languages as well as history and film & media studies through so many fascinating courses has been wonderful. While I wasn't able to pursue a semester of study abroad for obvious reasons, I'm hopeful about being able to visit Japan soon, whether it be scholastically or professionally. To Professors Cronin, Sasaki, Kato, Kitamura, Suzuki, as well as the guest speakers, fellow students, and everyone else in the department, thank you very much, and I wish you all the best! 

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Looking forward, I am planning on taking part in a teaching abroad program (Northern American Language and Cultural Ambassadors Program) in Spain, and I hope to then pursue a legal career in the future working with Latin American immigrants or a related position where I am able to aid Latinx immigrants/ Hispanic families and provide services, resources and access to safe and healthy living situations.  

 

Coming to William and 玛丽, I already fulfilled the language requirement but I wanted to study another language. I finally decided on Mandarin because my siblings were also taking some classes and I was impressed with the difficulty and beauty of the language. Through the Chinese department, I was able to spend the 2019 summer in Beijing practicing the language and learning more about the culture. I would like to give special thanks to my major advisor, Professor Su, and Professor Lin for their guidance during my time here.