Madeline Ruid

Address:
Hampton, VA

Majors and certificates

Physical Geography Major, Cartography/GIS Major, Languages and Cultures of Asia Major

Graduation year

2015

After graduation

I am currently participating in the NASA Develop National Program's summer term where I will be part of a team that conducts research using satellite data to solve an ecological problem. My plans for after completing this 10-week program are very open, but I hope to continue to work in a job related to environmental research.

Motivation

I took French my freshman year as a continuation from high school, and I really enjoyed jumping into the language at a college level! My motivation for studying Turkish was very sudden. I decided that I really wanted to take a language that wasn't commonly taught, and after researching Istanbul while watching the 2010 Basketball World Cup, I decided to take Turkish! Azeri was an added bonus that I was able to learn during 5th and 6th semester Turkish classes!

How language enriched

These languages have greatly enriched my life! Not only did they allow me to learn about many different cultures in multiple regions of the world, but I was also able to particpate in the U.S. Department of State's 2014 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). I intensively studied Turkish in Ankara, Turkey for 10 weeks with CLS, and it was a great experience that allowed me to greatly improve my language skills! After completing the program, I became an alumni ambassador and I help advertise the program and help both applicants and finalists! Learning the language both at UW-Madison and abroad helped me grow as a person, and I truly believe that my dedication to learning languages has helped me get opportunities both related to language learning and in seemingly non-related fields like environmental research!

Favorite memory

My language classes were some of my favorite classes at UW-Madison! They were very different from my other classes because there was a very small class size so you were really able to ask questions and really get to know your professors! Valued experiences

How language was maintained

I use Twitter and Facebook to keep up-to-date with Turkish news stories and speak Turkish with my friends. I am also currently starting to read Harry Potter in Turkish, so that is a fun challenge!

Advice for others

Try to get the most out of your language courses by connecting with your professors and looking for opportunities outside of class to read and speak your languages that you are studying. In addition, look for opportunities that will allow you to study abroad either through UW-Madison or another program! Being immersed in the language is incredibly valuable and fun!

Favorite word or phrase

Görüşürüz ("See you later." It's a fun word to pronounce!)