I transferred to UMass specifically for the Spanish program. However, there are many things that I wish I had known prior to transferring that I want to make a post in order to help as many people as possible.
Continue readingWhat is Fulbright?
I am graduating very soon, and while I am very excited for what is to come, I am also nervous to start a new chapter since UMASS has been such a great place to call home for the past couple of years. UMASS has also prepared me very well for post-grad life and has supported me greatly in making post-graduation plans. There are many options after graduation, it can become very stressful. Should I go straight to grad school? Should I get a job right away? What jobs should I look for? I went through these questions in my mind. I always knew I wanted to travel and live abroad for a while, but also wanting to add to my teaching resume. I discovered Fulbright, which is a highly competitive government based scholarship award. Recent graduates can either do research in another country or be an ETA or English Teaching Assistant. I applied to be an ETA in Spain which is a great fit with my Spanish major and education minor. The process of applying is pretty lengthy and time-consuming so I highly recommend giving yourself plenty of time to apply. I cannot recommend enough applying through UMASS, you can apply at large with the rest of the nation, but ONSA, the Office of National Scholarship Advisement will support every step of the way. They read your essays and will answer any questions or doubts you have. They are located right here on campus, in the honors college. Continue reading
As a transfer student, I didn’t feel like I had enough time to spend an entire semester studying abroad during my time at UMass. I would have had to start figuring out all the logistics during my first semester on campus and then leave for my second semester. I potentially could have studied abroad during my senior year, but I also had to think about completing my Honors College thesis. While I don’t regret my decision to stay at UMass instead of spending a semester abroad, I am determined to find another way to go abroad after graduating. Continue reading
Since I was a little girl I have always loved to travel, the excitement of a new place and new culture always excited me. I have always had a connection with my culture and passion for the language of Portuguese. I realized this at a very young age. Till this day I remember looking at my dad while we were watching Brazilian novellas and telling him that with or without him I was going to end up in Brazil at some point in my life. Even though I didn’t speak it well, I always tried. It is honestly an unexplainable feeling because I didn’t know why I was so interested, but simply being able to communicate with other people in a different language and create a bond, made me feel as if I was a part of another group. For example, the point of realization for me was when I went to the director of the Portuguese department Luis Amaral, to speak about taking another Portuguese class since the class I was in was too easy. After the conversation with him, I felt relieved and excited to see where this would take me. The following semester I took two Portuguese classes, a morphology course and junior year writing course in Portuguese, where we learned more about the culture. Never in my life did I enjoy a class as much as I did these, not only did I have an interest, but I was more invested and motivated to do my work. I was also able to relate what I was learning back to my own culture and present a project on the similarities and differences. It was simply fascinating to me to realize how similar they are. Continue reading
Studying abroad in Spain has been a dream of mine for many years now. I have always envisioned myself studying abroad, however, I was not quite sure what the process of getting there would entail. Now that I am a Spanish major here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I have chosen to study abroad next semester in Madrid. Choosing a city, completing the applications, and meeting deadlines was a very overwhelming and stressful time period for me this past semester. I would like to share my process with anyone who is considering studying abroad, in hopes that my advice may help to ease and simplify their process.
Fran Burns graduated from our program in 2015. We are happy that he has contacted us to let us know about his UMass experience, his last two years in Mexico, and his future plans.
“So you wanna study Spanish, huh?” This moment will forever stay in my mind. I was at my grandmother’s funeral my senior year of high school, and one of my grandmother’s friend, who I didn’t know, was baffled that I wanted to study Spanish. She repeatedly said “Spanish, huh?” and was completely perplexed by the idea of me studying Spanish. It started making me second guess myself since she was so concerned. I think that was one of my first times I started questioning my major. Since then I’ve gotten asked multiple times “Well, what can you do with Spanish?” and luckily there isn’t a clear answer. As a Spanish and Italian major I’ve been able to explore and consider many job opportunities. Maybe if I were a nursing, an engineering, or accounting student I wouldn’t have considered these opportunities as being realistic or making sense for me. I’m sure that for many of you Spanish is one of your passions and I can easily say it’s one of mine. There were times when I felt guilty or maybe lost about studying Spanish, thinking I should study something more practical or with a clear career goal in mind. However, I am so happy that I was spent four years studying something that I love. If it’s something you are really passionate about, you’ll find a way to incorporate it into your work or daily life Continue reading
This page lists several scholarships offered by the CHFA. A couple of them are specifically for foreign language majors.
I just got an email announcing a couple of scholarship opportunities. They do not apply to Spanish or Portuguese majors specifically, but do apply to those of you who have a secondary major with SBS: Continue reading
The Maureen Flanagan Scholarship seems to be specifically designed for students in our Integrative Experience. I urge you to consider applying.
The purpose of this scholarship is to provide support for undergraduate students, with a preference for women, who have financial need as demonstrated in the content of their Financial Aid Application. The scholarship will offer students opportunities above and beyond the standard college experience such as, but not limited to, research, summer internships, alternative spring breaks, community service, or other initiatives that complement and enhance the chosen course of study of the students selected.