Stephen Wood '18
2014-2018
Studying French at NMU has benefited my career as an attorney. My French skills have allowed me to quickly understand legal documents because I can easily translate legal terminology, much of which is derived from French, and arises often in case law. I work at a small private practice law firm in Bozeman.
Having a background in French was definitely of value to me, also in everyday life and in traveling. Having confidence with French was one of the reasons I traveled. French classes opened my eyes to what there is to experience and made travelling seem possible/feasible. While at NMU, in March 2017, I drove from Marquette to Montreal, making a stop in Ottawa along the way. I stayed in hostels, toured both cities, and attended an NHL game in Ottawa. In May 2018, I visited Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges, Belgium, as well as Paris, France. I was able to easily navigate cities, find points of interest, dining, using websites in French, and otherwise exploring.
Additionally, it's always fun to impress friends by translating French words that arise occasionally, such as "arete" in the context of rock climbing. I’m not an avid climber, but an arête is where two planes of rock come together. The term came up in Livingston, MT, north of Yellowstone, when I was climbing outdoors with a few friends.
