Careers
Brian Keehn
Brian Keehn ’15 (Spanish major, French minor) works as a language and culture assistant in Salamanca, Spain.
Rita Hess
Rita Hess ’14, M.A. ’16 (Spanish), manages the language programs for IOR, an employee relocation services company with clients including the NBA and Google. Learn more about Rita: news.illinoisstate.edu/2016/11/spanish-alum-helps-relocat...
Jeremy Bachelor
Jeremy Bachelor, M.A. ’12 (Spanish), went on to earn his Ph.D. He’s now coordinator of Modern Languages/Spanish professor at Heartland Community College in Normal. He’ll be visiting professor of Spanish for the Master's in the Teaching of Spanish program at Southern Oregon University's summer campus in Guanajuato, Mexico, starting in 2017.
Sarah Brock,
Sarah Brock ’13 (French and English double major) works for Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She is working on her master's in English literature. Learn more about Sarah: news.illinoisstate.edu/2016/11/french-alum-puts-problem-s...
George Norris
George Norris ’15 (French Teacher Education major) got his first job through the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). He now works for the financial payments company Square, dealing primarily with French Canadian customers. Learn more about George: news.illinoisstate.edu/2016/11/after-teaching-french-alum...
Chris Brandon
Chris Brandon ’06 (French and comparative literature) later earned his M.A., MPhil, and Ph.D and other institutions. He teaches French at North Cross School in Roanoke, Virginia.
Daily Spangler
Daily Spangler ’14 (East Asian Studies minor) studied abroad in Asahikawa, Japan, and decided to move to Japan upon graduation. She found a great job teaching English to children: news.illinoisstate.edu/2011/05/alum-falls-in-love-with-ja...
Joe Wojowski
Joe Wojowski, M.A. ’09 (dual language), also B.A. in French and Spanish. Joe is a leader in translation technology, specifically in relation to internet security. He presents around the country and is vice president of the Midwest Association of Translators and Interpreters.
Kelsey Kuzniewski
Kelsey Kuzniewski ’12, M.A. ’14 (Spanish), previously taught at colleges in the Chicagoland area. She’s now an associate at SIRVA Worldwide Relocation in Oak Brook, which moves people from or to the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America.
Laura Morris
Laura Morris ’05 later earned her French teaching license and moved to France to work as an English language assistant. She then taught English in South Korea. Today she works at a Montessori school in Chicago, in a 6-9 classroom.
Matthew Reeder
Matthew Reeder ’04 (French major) taught English in France from 2007-2008, working in a small town in the south of France. He currently teaches French at Portland Community College in Oregon.
Nicki Lindenmier
Nicki Lindenmier ’14, M.A. ’16 (Spanish), is a Spanish credit by exam scorer/processer at University of Texas at Austin High School (with occasional translation projects).
Nikkie Schaeffer
Illinois State alumna Nikkie Schaeffer works at a German union.
Alicia Edwards
Alicia (Andreani) Edwards, M.A. ’11 (French), is the student academic affairs coordinator for the College of Science at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She’s worked as an adjunct French instructor and the assistant for activities at the Center for Global Education at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Learn more about Alicia.
Many students majoring in foreign languages plan to teach at the kindergarten through secondary level. While you can pursue this route through the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures' Teacher Education sequence, there are many career options available for those who don't want to teach.
Knowing more than one language is a very marketable skill. Employers in the U.S. and internationally are always looking for people who can help them reach diverse clients, customers, and partners around the world. Many businesses acknowledge that given two otherwise equal candidates, they will hire the one with foreign language capability over the one without.
A language major brings an invaluable set of skills, including bilingual or multilingual abilities, as well as the analytical thinking, writing, and critical skills so essential to building a career in any field. A recent study conducted among more than 318 employers showed that these skills were relevant to employability, and that a liberal arts degree "instill(s) in students ... a set of core skills that allow them to navigate the professional world with a deftness that is required in today’s work environment" (Hart study, 2013).
A degree in a language prepares students for the following jobs:
Government/Nonprofits
- Court interpreter
- Cultural attaché
- Cultural officer
- Translator
- Customs/immigration officer
- UNESCO official
- FBI agent
- Foreign diplomat
- Foreign service officer or peacekeeper
- Social worker
- Peace Corps volunteer
Business
- Bilingual officer/teller/clerk
- Editor
- Journalist
- Interpreter
- Guide
- Foreign correspondent
- Human resources director
- International trade specialist
- Scientific translator/interpreter
- Sports agent
- Lawyer
- Linguist
- Overseas plant manager
- Pharmaceutical rep
Travel
- Travel agent
- Tour organizer
- Travel writer
- International hotel administrator
Education
- Teacher
Career Industry Liaison
| Name | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megan Ruffin | 223 Bone Student Center | mhruffi@ilstu.edu | (309) 438-2200 |
Internship Coordinator
| Name | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Thomas | 233E Stevenson Hall | rkthoma@ilstu.edu | (309) 438-7982 |