Tyler Bembenek ’15 Senior Profile: German Studies

As someone interested in working in foreign policy, studying language has formed a key part of my college curriculum. However, the utility of modern language studies is greater than just providing language proficiency. My courses in the German Studies department, as well as my one summer learning Farsi, have given me valuable insights into foreign societies. By studying the historical, cultural, and political contexts of these nations, I’ve gained a much broader perspective on current events and a greater comprehension of what life is like across the globe. This, in turn, has provided me with a more realistic and compassionate mindset, an asset which will pay dividends not only in my future career, but in the fundamental search for human connection. Although I still have much learning to do—we are, I hope, never truly done—my time spent studying language at William and Mary has been a valuable step in the right direction.