Student Testimonials

Currently, I am living and working in Austria, so the language skills I gained through my German degree have been invaluable. The skills I gained while conducting my undergraduate research will certainly be beneficial in the future as well, as I will begin my pursuit of a PhD in German next fall at the University of Wisconsin.

It’s very humbling and moving to remember how I first started studying art just as a hobby in high school, and now I can look at those paintings every day if I choose to. I guess it’s just made me realize that I am able to do so much with this ability to speak Russian and to relate to the culture, art, and history of the country.

I enjoy meeting new people and going to new places and communicating ideas. It would be ideal if I could get a job that somehow involved Russian language with journalism. I’ve always wanted to be like Anthony Bourdain. He is career goals.”

You will never have a better time to learn a language than you will while studying at KU. Speaking a second language with those that are native speakers or have full-fluency can feel awkward and demotivating. I encourage you to take advantage of the classroom at KU to make those mistakes and push through the challenges of learning a language.

Because I am a Japanese national with background in Slavic languages, I actually have leverage in networking with Slavs at organizations, such as the U.N. I can also conduct research in these languages and can provide information only written in these languages to others.

At every stage of my professional life, my knowledge of foreign languages has made the difference in my obtaining employment. I am certain that my proficiency in German and Russian is what has given me the edge in today’s extremely competitive job market.