Modern Languages and Literatures

How did you explore your interests and decide on a major/majors?

My interest in Spanish started in high school. I was in a program that allowed for my peers and I to have the same Spanish teacher for all four years. Our teacher’s passion for learning Spanish and practicing cultural humility helped inspire me to pursue my Spanish education in college. By the time I transferred to Lake Forest College and had a couple of semesters of undergraduate study under my belt, I decided I wanted to add Spanish as a major.

Describe a moment or experience you had in college that helped define your career path:

An internship I held during college that helped define my career path was my internship at Vista Medical Center. In my last semester at Lake Forest College, I shadowed the lead crisis worker in the hospital’s ER, whose job was to complete suicide risk assessments for patients presenting to the ER with psychiatric concerns. I shadowed my supervisor as he assessed patients in acute mental health crises. With my interest in psychopathology, this was an invaluable experience and incredibly rewarding. Interning at Vista also grew my interest in intersectional social work, as the hospital serves an underserved population in Northern Lake County.

What steps did you take at Lake Forest College to prepare for your career?

At Lake Forest College, the steps that I took to prepare for my career were trying different internships and taking as many classes as I could that interested me. Being engaged and excited about my coursework helped further my passion and the specifics helped me refine my career goals. 

What role did your internship or research experience (or study abroad) play in shaping your career path?

My internships played major roles in shaping my career path. At the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center, I helped translate comprehensive sex education materials into Spanish for elementary students and I also worked the crisis support line as a call advocate. At Youth & Family counseling (not for academic credit), I learned about the ins-and-outs of a nonprofit mental health agency; charting, clinical documentation, insurance, intake, scheduling, etc. At Vista Medical Center, I was able to shadow a social worker assessing patients in acute crisis. Each experience helped to further strengthen and develop my passion for community and crisis work. Although my main career aspiration is to be a clinical social worker, I know that I will always seek out jobs that allow me to utilize my Spanish skills often.

What would you recommend Lake Forest College students considering a career in your field do to prepare?

I am pursuing a career in the mental health field, more specifically clinical social work. To Lake Forest College students considering a career in counseling or psychology, I would recommend talking to your professors as much as you can. Inquire about labs, and try to go to the department-organized events so you can network. Also, remember that your advisor is there to help you. Tell them about what type of internship experiences you are looking for, and they can be a great support to guide you in the right direction. Professors are also great resources for internship opportunities in their respective fields.

For me, my Spanish education has been an invaluable complement to my developing interest in counseling. Cultural humility is crucial to being an effective and empathetic service provider. Also, there are now more native Spanish speakers in the US than there are in Spain (fact credits to Prof. Everhart). My Spanish education has helped me be more intersectional as an aspiring social worker, and I have developed a passion for working with underserved populations.

How did the Department of Modern Languages, other department, Career Advancement Center and/or the Forester community give you an edge on taking your first steps after graduation?

Every Spanish professor I had at Lake Forest College always encouraged and supported my growth in learning a language I do not speak Spanish at home. Taking classes with peers who are much more fluent in Spanish than I am was incredibly intimidating initially, but the supportive environments the professors encouraged as well as my peers’ non-judgement helped make Lake Forest College a great place to learn a language. I am incredibly grateful for the support I have been privileged to receive in my Spanish education.

What have you found the most rewarding in your career and life after graduation?

At my job currently, I am one of three employees who can speak Spanish. Although I am not as fluent as my latine coworkers, the need for Spanish service delivery means that I have had the opportunity to interpret several counseling sessions for parents of clients who are Spanish- speaking only. Each experience of helping interpret a session, while challenging and difficult, has been incredibly rewarding. As an aspiring bilingual therapist, I feel that interpreting therapy sessions is one of the most engaging ways for me to learn in both of my areas of interest.

The main responsibilities of my job are calling back new referrals and scheduling for the clinical staff, and due to my clinical interest, the intake conversations I have with clients over the phone are also very rewarding for me. I am so excited to go graduate school this Fall for a Masters’ in Social Work so I can start doing the clinical work I have a passion for.