2023 Modern Languages Graduates

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My last four years in the Modern Languages department has particularly shaped me and my college experience. My advisor in the department, Professor Rivera Santana, has been an amazing supporter, and his constant dedication to reaching out to his advisees exemplifies the community this program provides.  Every class I have taken in the Hispanic Studies program has been filled with peers who are academically driven but remain compassionate and helpful to fellow classmates. Some of my favorite memories have been from the connections I have formed with these students. 

All professors in the department have been so supportive of both my academic and personal formation, and I am entirely appreciative. Next fall, I will be attending law school at the University of Richmond, and that would not have been possible without the academic rigor that my Hispanic Studies classes proved and the supportive community I found in both the students and faculty.

Being a Chinese major has brought me a close community with students whom I’ve had the joy of getting to know and becoming friends with during my 4 years here at W&M. Freshman year, I came to W&M thinking maybe I would be a Chinese studies minor, but I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t until I had a talk with Professor Hill that I declared a Chinese major my sophomore year, something that I hadn’t even thought about doing before that conversation. However, I will never regret becoming a Chinese major. The support that I’ve received from the faculty has been invaluable and I’ve always felt welcomed and encouraged. Receiving support from everyone in the Chinese department has been wonderful, and I appreciate the time and effort everyone has given me. After I graduate, I plan to take a gap year and become a research technician. Afterward, I will pursue my Ph.D. in biology while also keeping up with my Chinese!

After transferring to William & 玛丽 from the University of Edinburgh my junior year, I always felt very welcomed by the MLL professors and students. Ever since high school, French language and culture have been my passion and I love being in a space where everyone shares this same passion. I have particularly enjoyed taking the French Presidents class with Professor Leruth this semester because this course lets me take a deep dive into my love for French politics. I will be continuing my path with the French language by participating in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). This Fall, I will move to Grenoble, France to work as a teaching assistant in a secondary school. Thank you so much to Professor Pacini for introducing me to this amazing program!

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During my time at William & 玛丽 I greatly enjoyed getting to know and work with my fellow Chinese majors. I also appreciated the wonderful classes I was able to take on topics such as Chinese SciFi and China in the Media. I especially am grateful for my bilingual China and the World capstone class, which I believe has prepared me well to attend the Hopkins-Nanjing center this next fall.

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From studying in Cádiz this past summer, to research this semester, I’m incredibly grateful for all the Hispanic Studies program has to offer. I’m excited to announce that I’ll be starting at the University of Pennsylvania this fall to pursue a Master of Social Work. I hope to use the skills I’ve developed in the Hispanic Studies Program. I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this process and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Majoring in Hispanic Studies was the best decision I made at William & 玛丽. Through the department, I was able to gain research skills through travel opportunities to Spain, Gibraltar, and Argentina. Through these trips, I was able to build meaningful connections with my classmates, professors, and current roommates. My trip to Argentina as an intern for the Comisión Provincial por la Memoria was one of the most memorable experiences provided by the department. The internship allowed me to learn about Argentina's history and culture while helping victims of human rights abuses and gaining experience in the legal field. The connections I made with people in Argentina and the places I visited with my peers made me fall in love with the country. This trip further confirmed my desire to continue my path toward law school. Over the next few years, I hope to make this desire a reality and attend law school to study immigration law.

As a freshman at William & 玛丽, I was uncertain about what I wanted to major in. However, the Hispanic Studies program was a constant in my education. One of the most significant things I gained from the Hispanic Studies program was the community of friends I met through various classes and programs. I met my best friends and roommates in a Hispanic Studies class during my first semester. The environment of community the department fosters allowed these friendships to flourish because it emphasized communication and interaction among one another.

The department’s various study-abroad opportunities allowed me to travel to Gibraltar, Spain, and Argentina, where I was able to explore new cultures. These experiences broadened my horizons and helped me develop cross-cultural skills that have proven valuable in my professional life. Most memorably, I was able to travel along with friends and made new ones along the way, which allowed me to grow connections and broaden my community in the college. Additionally, as a research assistant to one of the professors, I gained hands-on experience that helped me deepen my understanding of Hispanic Studies and refine my research skills. What I am most grateful for is the relationships I was able to build with my professors through these experiences. These relationships made William & 玛丽 feel like a second home, as they understood the traditions of my culture. 

As I move forward in my career working in the United States Congress, I am confident that the cross-cultural experiences and knowledge I gained through the Hispanic Studies program have prepared me to excel in my future career. As employers increasingly look for individuals with cross-cultural competence and experience, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to gain such experience at William & 玛丽.

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As a freshman, I expected to major in Biology and perhaps minor in French. However, once I began taking classes in the French program, I couldn’t stop. Not only were the courses fascinating, but the kindness and enthusiasm of the professors made every class a wonderful experience. Eventually, I decided to double major! Taking French has pushed me to continue trying even when I make mistakes, to analyze material on a deeper level, and to embrace the joy of learning. Serving as an introductory French Teaching Assistant has also been extremely rewarding. I know I will never forget the lessons I learned in the French program. Thank you to every French professor I have had, to my classmates, and to my TA students! Next year, I will be working as a medical assistant as I apply to medical school.

Coming into the Chinese program my freshman year as a part of Chinese 301, I immediately felt welcomed by the other students, many of whom had been in class together for two years already, and by my professors, who have consistently taken extra time to make sure I succeed in and out of the classroom. I am so grateful for all who I have met in this program, especially Professor Hill, Professor Wilcox, Shen Laoshi, and Lin Laoshi for all the time they have invested in helping me grow as a student. I am excited to share that I will be spending the next year in Taiwan on a Fulbright English teaching scholarship, and am so looking forward to utilizing my Chinese language skills and integrating into a new culture during my time there!

My favorite memories in the German program were times spent with the other German studies students, in class and out of class. It is a very small program, so when you’re involved in the program you get to know other people very quickly. My favorite memory from my time at W&M was going to Berlin with the study abroad program. It was really quite fantastic getting to study at a German university for the summer, especially with the cheap 9-euro train ticket. I got to see so much and experience so much, and I made some very good friends abroad. I will always be incredibly grateful to have had that experience in my young adult life. My plans after college are to move away, see the world, and hopefully continue my education with an MBA in the next few years. I don’t know where I will end up, but I am hopeful for a future full of travel, good food, friends, and plenty of learning.

I have been studying Chinese and Chinese studies since elementary school, but I have not learned as much or enjoyed it as much as here at William & 玛丽. All the teachers are great and have done their best to help and support me, and I have never had a class of students more welcoming than my Chinese ones. While I am unsure what my future holds, my time and William & 玛丽 will leave lasting experiences I'll bring to it.

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I treasure my Chinese Studies experience, learning from Professors Wilcox, Hill, and Vierthaler, and meeting diverse students. Excited to explore Chinese public policy research further!

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My time at William & 玛丽 was short but very fruitful and one that I would not change for anything. After arriving my junior year, I was met with open arms from the Hispanic Studies faculty. I am very thankful to Professor Rio and Professor Cate-Arries who guided me and were the ones that helped me fulfill all the requirements to keep Hispanic Studies as my major (along with my International Relations major). I also had the amazing opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and study abroad in Spain! Thank you Professor Buck for helping me through that trip! As I head to Texas A & M, to pursue a Masters in International Affairs, I will take with me all the lessons learned and the insightful conversations that I was able to have both inside and outside the classroom. Thank you to my peers and professors for giving me the space to grow and learn.

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My four years with the German program have been nothing short of incredible. My favorite memories have been participating in the Berlin study abroad program with Professor Gülly, which allowed me to visit Germany for the first time in ten years, and taking Professor Leventhal’s German literature course, whose passion for the subject was infectious. After graduation, I will be participating in Fulbright Austria’s USTA program and spending a year as an English teaching assistant in Baden bei Wien, Austria. 

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My favorite part of MLL/W&M was my study abroad in Cadiz, Spain! After graduation, I will be continuing to work with Valens Global and pursuing a Masters degree in International Security from George Mason University.

Allo~! I am Hablo Tyler. Boring stuff out of the way, I am (soon, was) a part of the Japanese Studies department. Small anecdote: I almost did not major in the MLL department. Learning a language is tough, but what is tougher is allowing yourself to be vulnerable in something as (seemingly) basic as communication. Worry not. Struggling when trying something new is natural; it's human. So please, major or minor, taking a class for fun or for functionality, I ask that you keep the following in mind: Learning anything is having the bravery to show up an idiot and the capacity to head out the slightest bit less so. Good luck.

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