While at Pitt, I gained experience in language education and language awareness. During my sophomore year, I had an internship at Brashear High School in the World Language Department. While I worked predominantly in the French classroom, I also supported the Italian, Spanish and Russian classes. My time in the classroom included supervising students during activities, helping the teacher prepare lesson plans, and grading French papers and exams. Through this experience, I learned some of the nuances of teaching a foreign language. I learned to be patient with students and to be understanding of their different progressions. I also learned how to adapt explanations of concepts to each student so they could make the easiest connections.

These concepts came in handy during my time as an Arabic Teaching Assistant. I used these skills daily, but I also had more of a collaborative experience with the instructor. As a teaching assistant, I helped to oversee class activites, and afterward I would consult with the professor to evaluate the needs of students and to adapt coursework and lesson plans accordingly. We also discussed support for specific students so I could better help them during the weekly office hours I held. Being a teaching assistant allowed me to develop collaboration skills and it helped me to learn how to accomplish a goal alongside others. It also allowed me the opportunity to take part in foreign language education – something about which I care deeply.

Lastly, I finished my career at Pitt as a Global Studies Student Ambassador (GSSA) in the Global Studies Center. This was one of the most challenging roles I filled, and it was very different from my other roles in language education. My tasks and duties varied daily, ranging from scheduling class visits with professors to hosting Q&A sessions with alumni to even cutting and sewing a hundred miniature t-shirts for a sweat shop simulation. My position as a GSSA has taught me to be flexible and open and encourages me to take on tasks I have never done before. I have learned the “ins and outs” of an academic office at a top research institution, and I have also learned professional communication skills in an environment where they matter. While my other experiences have given me skills for a specific field, being a GSSA has helped me develop profesionally and gain administrative skills that can be used in any position.