Almost every time I tell people that I am a double major in applied mathematics and Spanish, I am met with surprise. Most remark on how math and Spanish are two very different fields and ask me why I chose them. While my first response is always that I simply enjoy learning both of these courses of study, I have found that these two majors may come to complement each other well in the career I hope to get in the future.

At first when I came to UMass, I was solely a Spanish major because I thought that it did not make sense to take a math major alongside it; however, my mind was changed with the influence of UMass’ Air Force ROTC program. Upon joining AFROTC, I began to learn about a lot of the careers in the military that were available to me; and I knew that most of them would require a STEM degree. With this information, and a goal for my future set in my mind, I decided to take a double major in applied mathematics and Spanish, and I truly believe it is the best academic decision I have made to date. While applied mathematics may give me the technical skills I require to achieve my goal career and complete its day-to-day tasks, I have no doubts that my Spanish major with be equally as invaluable in different ways.

In any career based in the United States where Spanish is such a prominently spoken language, I think being able to communicate with such a large number of people can give way to many new opportunities. I do think as well though, that the Spanish major will aid my future career far beyond being able to speak the language itself. Throughout my time at UMASS so far, the Spanish major’s focus has not been just to teach the technicalities of how to speak it properly but to understand the cultures of those who speak it. In the military career I hope to achieve (or in any career in the US for that matter), I know that better understanding the Spanish language and cultures of those in Spanish-speaking communities will allow me to connect with those I work with on a deeper level and give me the people skills I need to be successful.

To anyone who might be thinking about taking a double major in Spanish and a STEM field, here are a couple of things that have helped me that you might find useful:

• Spend time researching careers that use both of your majors in some way or another. There are many jobs out there that might be overlooked because they are a bit out of the ordinary.
• Always make sure to check in with both of your major advisors regularly. To stay on track to graduate, it is important to confirm that you are meeting all of your requirements.
• Plan out all the courses you want to take and what semesters you want to take them. This one is undeniably tedious, but it might be the most important thing I have done for long-term academic planning. By knowing exactly what classes you want to take and when, you do not have to worry about making small adjustments later. It also keeps you from taking too few classes at the beginning of college and trying to make them all up at the end (or vice versa).

Sincerely I can say that the Spanish major has been so important in teaching me about the world and making me a more well-rounded person. I am truly grateful to be part of this program and cannot wait to see what the next few years have in store!