News line: Former Modern Language Students describe their careers

ATTENTION: MODERN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT ALUMNI-- We would like to know where you are and what you are doing, so please send us your current address and update us on your career.


Beth A. Buckmaster (Broad Field Social Studies and German, graduated 2005)

"In 2005 I graduated from the University of Wisconsin River Falls with a dual degree in Broad Field Social Studies and German language. I continued at UWRF and received my Initial Educator’s License and am currently the German teacher at Menomonie High School in Menomonie, Wisconsin. UWRF was an incredible experience and one that I am thankful to have taken part in, and has helped both my professional as well as personal goals. The Modern Language Department helped me to achieve my goals while leading a program that allows students to be creative and challenged.

In 2005 I was selected by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) to partake in a competitive, countrywide, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that consisted of a 1-month full scholarship stay in Leipzig, Germany that concentrated on teachers in the German field. Herr Dr. Johansson worked closely with me to complete my speech, submitted a recommendation and helped me to prepare. I was one of just 20 teachers in the United States to participate on this full scholarship. It would not have been possible for me to travel to Germany without this scholarship. It helped out my language in a way that only being in the country can do for a student learning a foreign language.

In 2006 I applied for and received a scholarship through the Fulbright Program, which is a well-known international program that establishes a mutual agreement between all countries that promotes cultural understanding through language. Once again, with the help and assistance of the German Department at UWRF, I was one of only 36 participants selected to become a teacher’s assistant in Vienna, Austria and it was a highly, competitive pool of applicants. Only because of my degree in German language from the University of Wisconsin River Falls was I selected, and I will forever be indebted to the hard work, genuine caring and dedication that both Frau Dr. Johansson and Herr Dr. Johansson showed me, which helped me to grow from a college student into a successful first-year teacher of German.

In today’s global market, constant communication and need for understanding a degree in German language is essential. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns. The Modern Language Department at UWRF is an essential part of the overall campus as well as showing all students, staff, parents and community members that we need to continue our language programs and allow all students to understand the true meaning behind this international world market that we are living in. It isn’t enough to know English, but also to learn another language and the culture of people from all over the world."

Christine Duellman (French and Broadcast Journalism double major, graduated Spring 2005)

"I started looking for a job that allowed me to use my French and ended up finding that there are a lot of opportunities if you do a little research. Honestly the majority of the opportunities I found were in the fashion/beauty industry since Paris is one of the fashion capitals of the world. If students are interested in this industry then there is no better place in the US to go than New York. This is where all of the headquarters are and the most job opportunities for people interested in using their French.

I do want to point out that with these fashion/beauty industries there are endless jobs that involve the French language. For example, the corporation I work for has several departments for finance, marketing, public relations, creative and technological support. A lot of men work there too so it's not just an industry for women!

During my job hunt I also found job postings for positions at wine/champagne companies in addition to translation companies. Mostly I would type the word "French" into job searches and a ton of different things would pop up. I usually searched for jobs through career builder and craigslist.com. However, I got the job I have now through networking. If anyone wants to learn more about my company they are more than welcome to call/email me at 651-353-0615 or christineduellman@yahoo.com.

In New York a lot of people find jobs through agencies. One agency I went through was EuroMonde Inc. This agency placed people with a second (European) language in temp and permanent jobs. They were very helpful and called me with job opportunity (however I was already employed by then:). Next to networking I think this method of job hunting is the most effective because they usually do the networking for you.

I am currently working at Dior as their Education Development Manager.
I can say without a doubt that the reason I was hired for this job was because I had a French degree."

Kelly Joseph (French and Theatre double major, graduated May 2003) is a Travel Agent at Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Chanhassen. Kelly says: "Keep me in mind if you're planning a trip!"


Melanie (Meyer) Anderson (Spanish Education, graduated December 2003)

"I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish. However, I decided to go ahead and take the extra classes to get certified to teach middle school Spanish. The following fall I received a job as a middle and high school Spanish teacher under emergency licensure. I have just completed my major in Spanish and am officially certified to continue to teach high school Spanish. I was able to visit my family in Costa Rica to take the final courses I needed to graduate. I recommend a study abroad experience for anyone majoring or minoring in a foreign language. It is the best way to learn/master a language. Aside from teaching there are plenty of opportunities here in Wisconsin to get a job as a translator; either for local businesses who employ Spanish speakers or for hospitals or government establishments that provide services to Spanish speakers."


Melanie Anderson in Costa Rica


Amanda Jentink (French major, graduated December 2005) is currently serving in the Peace Corps in Senegal.

Angela (Gleason) Thoen (Spanish and TESOL Education, graduated January 2004)

"I double majored in Spanish and TESOL education and did my student teaching in St. Paul. After graduating, I applied for several jobs and had several interviews. The Spanish and TESOL combination made me very marketable. I now have been teaching for the Stanley-Boyd Area School District as their middle and high school Spanish teacher since August 2004. I teach a middle school exploratory and all of the high school level Spanish classes (I-IV). I absolutely love my job and working with my students. I have felt very prepared for my job by the Spanish program at UW-River Falls. The Spanish faculty are wonderful to work with, and I have gained insight into the many aspects of learning Spanish from that program that have helped me in planning for and teaching the various level courses that I have. I definitely recommend majoring in Spanish to get more exposures to the language. I also recommend traveling to Spanish-speaking countries. The J-term Cultural Experience Trip to Mexico is a blast! I had so much fun on that trip in 2003 that I knew I had to go back some day. So I went back to Mexico on my honeymoon in November 2006 with my husband Adam. There are no words to describe what it feels like to experience the culture of the language that you are learning!"

Angela at the Bodega in Zihuatanejo, Mexico

Megan Banick (Spanish major, graduated December 2005)

"Having a degree in Spanish from UWRF has been essential in my current position as GED Program Coordinator at Neighborhood House. I am spending a year volunteering for the AmeriCorps Vista program at a non-profit that works with immigrants and refugees. During this time, I am creating an Adult Basic Education program for advanced English Language Learners. Obviously, many of our new students cannot speak English. It is quite difficult to enroll in an English class if you don’t speak English, unless there are resources and people to help you in your native language. I often use my Spanish to help these new learners. In addition, when issues such as immigration rights, housing problems or legal troubles arise, it is very useful to have someone to consult with who can speak your language. Many limited English speakers are very excited that they can fully express their concerns and successes with someone at their “school” in their native language.

My studies with the UWRF Spanish program also gave me the ability to work with a very diverse group of people. I learned so much about Hispanic culture. Going on the Mexico J-Term Study Tour was one of the most useful experiences of my college career. I work with the largest population of Mexican immigrants in St. Paul and knowing about their culture and way of life allows me to be a better teacher for them. I also gained a better understand of United States culture by studying other cultures. I am able to step back from a situation and use that knowledge to see where it is difficult for immigrants or refugees from around the world to be confused by our culture. Because of this, our program is better able to work with students to create a learning environment that makes individuals from many cultures feel welcome and comfortable together.

The Modern Language department also made it easy for me to transfer Spanish credits from my study abroad in Santiago, Chile. The combination of my Spanish language studies, trip to Mexico, and study abroad in South America have made me a more dynamic candidate for jobs, and employers have commented on my ability to adapt when working in a multi-cultural situation. The Spanish department at UWRF made it easy for me to finish my degree and gain these experiences, thus paving the way for my future career!"


Megan Banick at Real Coliseo, El Escorial Spain


Jamie Wise (Spanish major, graduated May 2005)

Originally from Farmington, MN, Jamie is a graduate of UWRF with Bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Marketing Communications. She currently works as an Assistant Retail Media Print Specialist at Carmichael Lynch, an advertising agency located in Downtown Minneapolis and lives in Uptown (Minneapolis). In addition, she works part-time as an Event Specialist for AM1500 KSTP and is one of the girls’ varsity lacrosse coaches at Breck High School.

"Since graduating in the Spring of 2005 I have used my Spanish major in both careers. My first job out of college was a sales position. I used my Spanish language skills often and was a resource for the rest of the office. I had several clients who only spoke Spanish or were looking to place Spanish ads. There were also other clients who wanted to place ads in Spanish and needed someone to translate the ad for them. This also applies to my current job at Carmichael Lynch, an ad agency in downtown Minneapolis. There have been instances when ads needed to be translated either from Spanish to English or vice versa and I was the go-to person for this. I have also worked part-time for AM1500, a talk radio station in the Twin Cities for the last five years and have used my speaking and comprehension skills many times at events when conversing with a Spanish-speaking listener."


Jamie Wise



John M. LaVelle (Psychology & Spanish Double Major, Graduated June 2002)

John LaVelle is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Evaluation and Applied Research Methods. He currently lives in Pomona, California and is attending Claremont Graduate University (www.cgu.edu/sbos).

"Studying Spanish at UWRF has been a valuable part of my career path. It helped me realize the importance of being precise with the words I use and the potential difficulties of communicating between languages. In my current line of study I do a lot of data interpretation/translation, and I think back to my Spanish training and think 'how can I make this information accessible to people that don't have my background and training? How can I best translate the data without losing the essence of what I'm trying to convey?' Additionally, my experiences at UWRF lead me to believe that a strong foundation in languages is an excellent launching point for any number of career paths because languages are a discipline that can be used in its own right (i.e. translation) or may be used as a tool in another substantive area of training."


John LaVelle

Matthew Fischer (Fine Arts Major, Spanish and French Minor)

"When I was a student at UWRF I majored in Fine Arts and minored in both Spanish and French. My two modern language minors allowed me to broaden my world view beyond just that of art making and America, and quite literally opened the doors of Europe to me during and after college. I was able to travel to Europe several times while at UWRF, exploring Western Europe both on my own and in more structured formats like Semester Abroad for which I spent two months in the southwest of France studying Paleolithic cave art. After graduating from UWRF, I was accepted to spend an academic year teaching English in a public high school in central France, mainly due to the guidance and support of the modern language faculty at UWRF. Knowing Spanish and French, even with trepidation and mistakes, was like having a key to Spanish and French culture. Not only could I internally understand the effects of language on culture, and cultural constructions represented or enforced through language, I could, more importantly, engage in conversation with local people of different opinions and voices in a way that would have been impossible only speaking English. My time abroad and the improvement of my language skills during those trips have made me the adult I am today. I am confident and sure of what I can do. The little things don’t seem so scary or difficult when you’ve had to overcome them in a foreign language. I can also more easily discuss topics of international and global concern with people of diverse backgrounds and histories. Nowadays, while working at a non-profit studio art center in Colorado, my French is not by any means used in a quotidian way (except in my own head). But I do often notice that my knowledge of French greatly enhances my understanding of English, and that of Western Civilization in general. On the other hand, my daily life in Colorado does involve Spanish to a certain extent, as it is now a second language in many parts of Colorado. In short, my experience with foreign languages, that is to say the travels and encounters they have enabled, has been paramount to my development as a whole person."


Matthew Fischer


Kelly Conroy (Spanish and French Major)

Kelly Conroy received her Bachelors Degree in Modern Languages with emphases in Spanish and French at UWRF where she also conducted research in Catalonia, Spain during her Semester Abroad Europe experience. She went on to earn an M.A. in Hispanic Literature from the University of Minnesota where she taught for three years. Currently, she has is employed at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as a Spanish Lecturer and enjoys teaching beginning and intermediate Spanish language and culture. Her research interests include second language acquisition and language pedagogy. Kelly is looking forward to pursuing her doctorate in Foreign Language Education at the University of Texas at Austin beginning Fall 2008.

"I came to UW-River Falls knowing that I loved other languages and cultures but my college studies brought it all to life for me. Semester Abroad Europe was truly a defining moment as I learned to travel, communicate, and research while immersed in cultures other than my own. The instruction, advising, and mentorship I had received at UWRF came together during this experience and stays with me today.

From my first days on campus at UWRF, I was surrounded by thoughtful, wise and caring faculty, staff, and advisors. The Modern Language Department at UWRF transformed my favorite academic subject into a career as well as an approach to life. Years after my graduation, I’m still in contact with my former professors and I love to share my UWRF study abroad experience with my current students."


Kelly Conroy in Bordeaux (photo by Austin Lundeby)

Sharon Meilahn Bartlett (French Major, International Studies Minor, Graduated 1999)

Sharon (Ebersberger) Meilahn Bartlett received her Bachelors Degree in Modern Languages with an emphasis in French and a minor in International Studies at UWRF. She participated in Semester Abroad and completed a project on the human geography of immigrants in France. She worked as an English instructor in a French high school and then earned an M.A. in French Literature and Culture from the University of Northern Iowa with an emphasis on francophone literature. She is in her fourth year of doctoral studies in French at the University of Iowa. She is currently working on a dissertation comparing gender identity at moments of historical trauma in Haitian and Algerian francophone literature. Although her current research focuses on gender, trauma, Haiti and Algeria, she is also interested in identity issues in Caribbean and African cinema and literature. She has published articles (under Sharon Meilahn-Swett) on Lebanese literature and French colonial cinema as well as presented on Maghrébin literature and French New Wave cinema.

"My Semester Abroad experience has profoundly affected both my personal life and my career path. It showed me that I had the skills to negotiate all kinds of unfamiliar situations, seemingly insurmountable challenges, and people from vastly different backgrounds than my own.

I have been able to work with students of French at all levels as both instructor and school trip leader. I encourage them to pursue the study abroad opportunities available to them but I always wish I could offer them a truly unique experience like that of Semester Abroad at UWRF. Many college students will study in a foreign country but how many will do so in a program that allows them to formulate their own independent research project and sustain it at every level on their own? I am always sharing my Semester Abroad experiences with my amazed (and perhaps envious?) students, professors, and friends."


Sharon Meilahn Bartlett

Terra Pietila (German Major, International Studies Minor, Graduated May 2007)

"Ever since my first day of seventh grade, I have been in love with the German language, culture and history. Being introduced to a culture so extremely unknown was exhilarating and I loved learning new words, phrases and ideas. Six years later I started my college career at UWRF--as a Journalism major. That changed quickly when I walked into my German 202 class and was once again immersed in the culture I adored.
Although I was thousands of miles away from Germany, the things I learned as a German student can not be counted. Not only was I able to acquire skills in German, but I also gained a greater understanding and appreciation for the English language. Even though I was at a desk most of the time, the German program at UWRF opened my eyes to the world and gave me wonderful skills for life--skills such as appreciation for cultural differences, the courage to face the unknown, and the enthusiasm to try new things.
I completed my undergraduate degree in six short semesters which made traveling abroad hard. However, I got a trip to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, as a graduation gift. That trip was the best week of my life and I can not wait to return to Germany to travel, observe, learn, and possibly live! I am proud to have studied something I love so much and I cannot wait to see where my degree takes me. I strongly encourage taking German classes at UWRF because you'll emerge with more life skills than you would have ever expected!"



Terra Pietila

Brett Hoven (German and History Double Major, graduated May 2007)

"Graduating with a degree in German helped compliment my History major. I was able to take classes on German history (in German), providing a broader understanding of the culture and a wider scope of German history. Being able to study a country's history in its native language helps bring it alive. I would definitely recommend taking German to anyone who's interested in German culture or history, or even if they're just looking for a challenge."