Relatives were skeptical. “You’ll never find a job with a degree in Italian!” they warned. I’m proud to say they were wrong. As a high school student in California, my Italian American family encouraged me to study Spanish — seen as the most “practical” option for my future career. But I wanted something different and chose Italian instead. That decision meant showing up for a 7 a.m. class with Signore Bruno. I loved those early morning sessions and learned so much about Italian language and culture spanning opera, the subjective, and cannoli.
At UCLA, I initially enrolled as a math major with the intention of attending law school. However, I continued to study Italian by taking one course per quarter and I immensely enjoyed the smaller group format. I eventually decided to change my major and graduated from UCLA with a degree in Italian. Studying Italian empowered me to pursue a path that brought me joy with career possibilities — although math remains a great choice, too! My degree gave me the flexibility and leadership foundation to excel in roles ranging from restaurant and retail management to academic research at the doctoral level.
As a professor of Italian and dean of arts and humanities, I’ve seen first-hand how studying a language and culture can be truly life-changing for students. Ohio State continues to be committed to centering language and global learning. While many institutions are canceling or reducing language programs, our university continues to grow — offering a range of majors that allow students to specialize in 12 different major pathways, 25 minors and certificates, and 10 graduate programs through nine departments and centers in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Students come to our university seeking an education — and often leave with an entirely new perspective on the world because they have immersed themselves in new environments and broadened their worldviews by traveling to countries like Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, France, Malawi and Spain. Through internships, service learning and hands-on experience, students are also building critical skills and laying the foundation for meaningful, globally informed careers. Graduates have gone on to careers at places such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Amazon, Meta, the Center for Disease Control in Mozambique, Coca Cola and Guy Carpenter. One recent grad works for an artifacts recovery company where they dive to find sunken treasure while another schedules aircraft that operate around the world. Others have been accepted to graduate schools such as Columbia, George Washington University, Northwestern, Princeton, St. Louis University, Stanford and Tulane.
In a recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, foreign languages majors have an unemployment rate of 4%. Studying a language cultivates a broad range of highly transferable and in-demand skills employers want including intercultural competence, strong communication, writing, critical thinking and creativity. I’m grateful every day that I followed my passion for Italian. That decision didn’t limit my future; it presented paths I never knew were possible. If you’re looking for an experience that will challenge you, inspire you, and set you apart, start by learning a new language. It just might change your life — it did for me!
Photos: Gottesman Photography