Paterno Fellow
Major: Comparative Literature (B.A./M.A.), Women’s Studies (B.A.)
Minor: French, English, Gender & Sexuality Studies
Hometown: Spring Mills, PA

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I learned about this opportunity through the global programs website.

Tell us a little bit about your experience.

I stayed on campus and studied at Laval University for five and a half weeks and had three different French teachers for class every morning. This gave students the evenings to work on homework and participate in the events that the animateurs (French-speaking mentors/leaders) organized, such as canoeing or a high ropes course. The set up was good for different types of learners since we had traditional classes, then more informal activities with the animateurs, and then daily conversation with random Québécois for on-the-spot interaction. People were very friendly and the city was absolutely beautiful. Though it was my first Canadian trip, I am ecstatic that I had the opportunity to experience Québec in particular. The ten day music festival was also an experience that I will never forget.

"Studying abroad is the best thing that I could have done for my language skills."

How did this experience impact you academically?

Studying abroad is the best thing that I could have done for my language skills. I’m usually very shy in my French courses at Penn State because I don’t always have the speaking ability and diction necessary for explaining my complicated thoughts. Going abroad helped me to gain the confidence to say things out loud and not worry so much about saying them incorrectly.

What are your career goals and plans?  How did this experience impact them?

In the future, I want to be a professional educator, either in a university or in a resource center, so I will need to continue to develop my skills for interacting with others. Although French doesn’t have a direct application of use for central Pennsylvania, it is now a better possibility that I could work in places that are more bi-lingual.

Would you recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students?

I absolutely would recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students. So many people go to France to study French, but I had such a good experience in Québec that if I was given the chance to do it over again, I would pick Québec over a place in France. My only regret is that the program didn’t last long enough! The locals, as a whole, were very patient and friendly towards us learning the language, and campus was gorgeous.