Madeline Williams '23
Major and minor: French major, English minor
In the US, it is uncommon to learn a second language, with French even less common. Therefore, French major has been valuable to me on the job market. After graduating from NMU in December 2023, Ford Motor Company offered me a job, and I gladly accepted. I work in administration and I liaison with Ford partners from French-speaking Quebéc.
Employers were very interested in skills such as excellent communication, understanding diversity, ease of gauging different perspectives, and experience in navigating in an environment with varying opinions. Employers know that in addition to the valuable commodity of speaking French, those skills are learned uniquely in a second language classroom. In addition, studying French at NMU has allowed for new friendships, career advancement, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.
French has been my passion from a very young age. After spending most of my childhood pining over the dream of living abroad and taking any opportunity I could to speak and study French, I finally made the decision to live in France. While attending Grand Rapids Community College, I spent one month studying abroad in France, following which, I was accepted as an au pair, giving me another 8 months living in France. Studying in France, while working for a French family, taught me cultural empathy, and that many opportunities in this world suddenly open up when we venture outside of our comfort zone. I transferred to NMU in August 2022, and completed my French major in December 2023. I enjoy working for Ford at this time, but I plan to return to France to further broaden my horizons. I am applying to an internship, through the French embassy, for the Teacher Assistant Program in France.
