Foreign Languages Program: Student Spotlights

Daghan Hart

International Business with a Minor in Arabic Major

Favorite Quote: "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." ~ John C. Maxwell

Class of 2017
Hometown: Babylon, NY
How will foreign language impact your future? Knowing Spanish will expand my business ventures and could open new opportunities. 

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Heather Wimmer

Psychology with a Minor in Spanish

Favorite Quote: "Everyday is a new beginning; take a deep breath and start again."

Class of 2015
Hometown: Brackney, PA 
How will foreign language impact your future? It will help me reach a broader audience in my clinical psychology practice. 

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Irene Torresani

Advertising & Public Relations with Spanish for Professionals Minor Major

Class of 2017
How will foreign language impact your future? Studying Spanish will help me become the global citizen that I wish to become. It will broaden my horizons and opportunities, while enriching my cultural knowledge.

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Jimmy Prieto

Not only did I immediately find employment, but my paycheck reflects the recognition of my superior skills.

Jimmy Prieto, a 2009 Marywood graduate, found employment with the Social Security Service immediately upon graduating. Proud to be able to assist a wider range of senior citizens requiring help when applying for benefits, Jimmy feels that the comfort he gives people in overcoming language barriers is worth much more than any paycheck.

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Keira Logue

Nutrition & Dietetics with Minor in Spanish Major

"Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." ~ Ginny Weasley (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

Class of 2015
Hometown: Vernon, PA 
How will foreign language impact your future? As a dietician, being able to communicate with my clients and patients in their native language will be extremely helpful. Speaking Spanish with my future clients will allow me to make them feel more comfortable and more willing to listen or understand my suggestions for their treatment, therefore bettering their health. It is an invaluable skill to have in any medical profession. 

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Kelby Cole

Nutrition and Dietetics & Spanish with a Minor in Science Major

Favorite Quote: "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." ~ Winnie the Pooh

Class of 2018
Hometown: Nichols, NY
How will foreign language impact your future? There is a growing number of Hispanics in the U.S. and knowing how to communicate with them and understanding their culture will help a lot in giving medical advice that will be applicable to their lifestyle. 

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Kelly Lynn

International Business & Spanish

Favorite Quote: "If the world's at large, why should I remain?" ~ Modest Mouse

Class of 2016
How will foreign language impact your future? I plan to use my language skills to work closely with Hispanic/Latin Americans throughout my life. I would like to spend time abroad working with language, education and immigration after graduation in the spring. 

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Kelly Sandone

Spanish

Favorite Quote: "Be kind, work hard, have fun. This is what I say to my children every day as I drop them off at school." 

How will foreign language impact your future? I hope to teach young children and have an immersion program for toddlers. I am also interested in teaching in a school and helping Spanish speaking people adjust to English speaking life. 

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Kenia Sedano

Dual Major with Criminal Justice and Spanish

Favorite Quote: "Always try your hardest in everything you do!"

Class of 2015
Hometown: Kennett Square, PA 
Activities at Marywood: World Language Club, Bible Study, Diversity United Club
Marywood Memory: New York City trip, Immersion Day, and La Tertulia with Spanish-speaking students.

I am currently double majoring in Criminal Justice and Spanish because I am particularly interested in both fields of study. I am also considering a minor in Forensics. At first, I was only interested in minoring in Spanish but then I realized how Marywood University's Spanish professors are an amazing help and inspiration to their students. I was encouraged by them to pursue a major in Spanish. I am sure that with any Criminal Justice career that I may choose it will never hurt to know another language and I believe this will give me a greater opportunity to find a job in the real world.

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Kristin Kelly

Psychology & Minors in Spanish and Illustration

Class of 2015
How will foreign language impact your future? Learning Spanish will help me communicate with people that I may come across in my field of study. Plus, living in a heavily Spanish-speaking city, I will be able to communicate with those living around me. 
Marywood Memory: One of my favorite memories at Marywood comes from my freshman year during the spring semester. It was about 80 degrees out and my Introduction to World Literature class convinced the professor to let us go outside and read Othello under a giant tree

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Larissa Pettinato

International Business & Spanish with a Minor in Dance Major

Favorite Quote: "Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real. So just…Do." ~ Shonda Rhimes

Class of 2015
Hometown: Carbondale, PA 
How will foreign language impact your future? I feel more well-rounded and worldly. I feel more prepared for the world ahead of me having learned about another language and culture. 

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Lauren Smith

Business Management & Minor in French

Class of 2017
Hometown: Lansdale, PA
How will foreign language impact your future? I want to be able to work in sports management around the world, and with a background in French, I feel like I will be able to succeed in doing so.
Marywood Memory: My favorite memory so far is starting my first lacrosse game during the Fall Ball tournament at Misericordia.

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Loretta and Lorraine Kulaga

We have traveled the world because of our languages!

Almost 30 years after receiving the Dr. Wanda Persichetti medal for excellence in foreign language study, Loretta and Lorraine Kulaga credit their Marywood degrees in Spanish and French for securing them a rewarding lifetime full of opportunities to travel abroad for international companies. Loretta recently opted for a career change and is now teaching Spanish in Virginia.

A DEGREE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE NOT ONLY AFFORDS YOU THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, BUT ALSO THE VERSATILITY FOR CAREER CHANGE.

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Megan McDonnell

Spanish & Biology with Minor in English

Favorite Quote: “The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” ~ Jack Kerouac

Class of 2015
Hometown: Honesdale
Activities at Marywood: Honors Program, World Language Club / Watch my favorite Marywood Memory!

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Meghan Seprosky

Early Childhood Education & Dual Minor in Spanish and Psychology Major

Favorite Quote: "Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it and make something at the moment you're in right now."

Class of 2016
Hometown: Archbald, PA 
How will foreign language impact your future? I hope that it helps me both with communicating with my future students and initiating their own understanding of a foreign language. 

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Melanie Kobela

Spanish/French Secondary Education

Favorite Quote: "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart." ~ Nelson Mandela

Class of 2017
Hometown: Mountain Top, PA
How will foreign language impact your future? Foreign language is my future. I am so excited to be able to spread my love of languages to other students. After I master Spanish and French, I am sure I will begin learning even another language.

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Melissa Keisling

Physician Assistant with Spanish Minor

Favorite Quote: "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone." ~ Audrey Hepburn

Class of 2018
How will foreign language impact your future? I will be working with people every day as a future Physician Assistant and not just people that speak English, but people that come from all different cultural backgrounds. Having Spanish as a minor will be incredibly helpful for communicating to those in the hospital/doctor's office who need medical attention, but Spanish is their only spoken language. I also can further use Spanish if I wanted to travel and work internationally or in third world countries where Spanish is the primary language providing medical aid.  

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Melissa Kowalski

International Business and Spanish Major

Favorite Quote: "One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way." ~ Frank Smith

Class of 2017
Hometown: Landing, NJ 
How will foreign language impact your future? Being able to effectively communicate with people of a difference culture with respect is beyond valuable. 

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Michael Magistro

Spanish & Asian Studies Dual Major with Minor in English Major

¡Hola estudiantes, me llamo Miguel! 你好！我叫梅正！ If you're reading this, then you've shown interest in joining the Marywood family. Allow me to regale you about the fabulous opportunities that are before you if you choose to study a foreign language at Marywood University.

Class of 2015
Hometown: Childs, PA
How will foreign language impact your future? Foreign language will play a crucial role in my future. In fact, it will BE my future. As I work toward becoming a translator/interpreter, foreign language will be the catalyst with which I carve my career. 
Favorite Marywood Memory: 1.) Fall 2014 semester spent in Beijing, China. 2.) Dora, Diego y Boots en Machu Picchu.  

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Nadine Davitt

Spanish Major

Favorite Quote: "No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness." ~ Aristotle

Class of 2017
Hometown: Dickson City, PA 
How will foreign language impact your future? I hope to obtain a job with the federal government where I can communicate effectively with Spanish speakers. 

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Paige Morrison

History & Minors in Spanish and Peace & Justice Studies

Favorite Quote: "We all smile in the same language."

Class of 2015
Hometown: Athens, PA
How will foreign language impact your future? The ability to communicate and personally connect with Spanish-speaking persons, whether it be in this country or areas that I travel to, will be hugely beneficial in my future. Also, I am hoping to enter the education field after graduation, and knowing a second language is a great advantage when job-seeking. 

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Sydney Kishbaugh

Communication Sciences and Disorders & Minor in Spanish

Favorite Quote: "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Class of 2015
Hometown: Nescopeck, PA
How will foreign language impact your future? As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I will be working with individuals to improve their speech and communication skills. Through this practice, it is possible that I will encounter clients whose primary language is Spanish and are learning to speak English. The knowledge that I have gained and the experiences that I have had with the Spanish language will aid me in working with these clients. I believe that knowing a foreign language will lead to opportunities in my future that I would have otherwise been unlikely to experience.

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Thomas Christopher

Pre-PA & Minor in Spanish

Favorite Quote: "If you're going through hell, keep going." ~ Winston Churchill

Class of 2017
Hometown: South Canaan, PA
How will foreign language impact your future? The number of Spanish-speaking people in the U.S. is rapidly increasing. It is important to have Spanish-speaking medical professionals who can understand and speak to them and provide them with the correct medical attention.