Kiley Kost wins GSD’s Graduate Teaching Award

Kiley Kost has won GSD’s Graduate Teaching Award for excellence in teaching in the 2014-15 academic year.

Language Department Alumni Reunion 2015

On Saturday morning, April 25, 174 alumni from the Departments of German, Scandinavian & Dutch, French & Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese came to the beautifully remodeled Folwell Hall to enjoy the company of faculty, staff, and new or old friends. They gathered on the fourth floor for coffee and pastries, voted for the best student photographs from the past year's study abroad experiences, and donned "conversation pins" to facilitate discussions of how their language studies have enriched and informed their lives. Everyone then went to the first floor to participate in three mini-class sessions, choosing from the following seventeen mini-classes, taught by a mix of faculty, students, and alumni:

Session A

• Teaching Abroad - the Benefits and Challenges
• Regions of France
• Language Learning Outside the Classroom
• Finnish Origins: Linguistics & Genetics
• Danger in Francophone Africa
• Convivencia in Medieval Iberia

Daniel Karvonen's Mini-Class "Finnish Origins: Linguistics & Genetics"

Session B

• Saints and Soldiers in Medieval France
• The Historic Cultural Phenomenon of the Cuban Rumba
• Language Leaning Assumptions
• Growing Anti-Semitism in Europe
• Divine Decadance: Berlin in the Roaring '20s
• U.S. Latino Theater

Rick McCormick's Mini-Class "Divine Decadence: Berlin in the Roaring ‘20s"

Session C

• 25 Years After the Wall
• Only in Italy: Events not to be Missed
• Food, Energy & Politics in Germany
• World Cafe: Contemporary Language Evolution & Impact of New Technologies
• Latino Immigration

Post-It Notes from the Mini-Class "World Cafe:
Contemporary Language Evolution & Impact of New Technologies"

Here is what some of the alumni have said about their experience at the reunion:

“The Alumni Reunion held on April 25th was fantastic! It was a great opportunity to reunite with old friends and meet new ones with a common interest in European languages. It was also nice to meet students in an environment where alumni could share their experience and application of language skills outside of academia to assure students that there are opportunities in the business world for language grads. In addition, the workshops provided a great way for alumni to get a taste of the classroom experience after so many years away from school."

- Blaine Bos
B.A. 1976, History and Dutch
Vice President, Health Care Modernization at Optum

“The Language Reunion was an excellent way to return to campus, learn what current students are doing, connect with friends, and network with like-minded language grads. I particularly enjoyed the thoughtfully planned mini-sessions that covered everything from culture, food and travel, to current events and politics. And, for an early Saturday morning start, the coffee was extra black and strong – fitting for the euro-minded crowd! I hope there are other similar events in the future.”

- Eric Brotten
B.A. 2003, German and Economics
Vice President, Global Health Products & Solutions at Optum International

"The reunion was a great opportunity to come back to campus and revisit our classrooms and professors. I felt like I was in college again! I look forward to attending this event again in years to come."

- Hannah Guenveur
B.A. 2010, German and Global Studies
Associate Business Systems Analyst - HR at Ecolab

"It was truly a joy to return to the halls of Folwell, bond with fellow alumni, and best of all, listen to language department professors share their expertise without having to worry about taking a test at the end!"

- John Vaughan
B.A. 2011, German
B.S. 2011, Finance and International Business
Consultant at Deloitte Consulting

“The Language Alumni Reunion was fantastic. Returning to Folwell Hall after two decades really opened my eyes to how far I had come since graduating. As a senior about to graduate in 1994, the question I heard most often was: "A degree in Scandinavian Languages? What are you going to do with that?" At that time, I honestly didn't know and was quite nervous about my prospects, as well. The worry proved to be needless. Twenty years later, I am a successful language professional and the reunion brought together nearly two hundred other language alumni who have succeeded in many industries and professions with their language degrees.

“The format of the reunion made it easy to connect with other attendees. Sitting in the newly renovated classrooms for the mini-courses was a thrill. There was definitely a nostalgic quality about taking a seat in Folwell Hall for a course with the some of the same instructors I had twenty years ago. At the same time, it was fresh and fun. I hope the reunion can become a regular event for language alumni in the future, perhaps even in an expanded format.”

- Kyle Vraa
B.A. 1994, Scandinavian Languages
Owner, Vraa Translation

Photos from the event
Event program