Categories
Graduates 2015-2016

Karen Alvarez ’16 Senior Profile: French and Francophone Studies

alvarezOne of the best experiences of my life was studying abroad. I was fortunate enough to study at Science Po Lille where they were so welcoming. Lille became my home away from home. While I have studied French since the 7th grade my French exponentially improved during the six months as I took French classes in France. Through study abroad I was able to travel to make friends and connections from a myriad of countries. I now have a better view on the world and other cultures that will serve me well as I hope to work in diverse school environments.

Two of my favorite classes at William and Mary were taught by Magali Compan. She challenged me to work hard and I can honestly say my writing improved thanks to her class. I loved learning about the problems faced by francophone areas all around the world. Another amazing class opportunity I had was to do an independent study. This semester I was able to work on French graphic novels. Graphic novels have always been my favorite medium so when Michael Leruth suggested I look at Raid Sattouf I was excited to channel my love for graphic novels and further my knowledge on the French and Francophone world.

As far as post graduate plans go, I plan to move to Boston, Massachusetts and attend Northeastern University in the fall. I am going to be pursing a masters in science for Applied Educational Psychology and a certification in school psychology. I am excited to use what I learned at William and Mary as well as my language skills to be able to reach out to people of different cultures and backgrounds.