Former Hilltoppers gathered in the Mabee Ballrooms last Wednesday to talk to current students about how fluency in a foreign language helped get them ahead in life after St. Edward’s.

The panel consisted of Bailey Garrett and Eliza Nash’17, Elsi Hernandez and Karoline Meador’18 and honorary Hilltopper Sergeant Tim Hutchinson. These alumni hold jobs in a wide variety of sectors: Apple, Amazon, military secret services, International Studies Abroad (ISA) and nonprofits. All of the panelists studied a foreign language, including French, Spanish or Arabic, and said that becoming multilingual benefits both future jobs and one’s personal life because the ability to communicate in multiple languages opens up the world. 

When asked how language helped them stand out over a large pool of applicants, all responded with the resounding fact that being bilingual put them at the top.

Garrett’s interview for her position at Apple was held entirely in French, proving her competency to the company above other applicants. She also talked about how being able to speak in another language allows you to communicate with millions of people that you wouldn’t have been able to meet otherwise. Through this she made connections with people all over the world which resulted with her finding a position at Amazon. She also stressed the importance of cultivating these relationships because they increase possibilities for finding work.

Likewise, Meador encouraged students to feel confident in reaching out to other people and making connections with them to spread your name around. You never know which connection will be the one to put you where you need to be. Closer to St Edward’s, Nash mentioned how being involved on campus and taking advantage of the Career Center and other resources also helped her stand out when she was seeking a job after graduation. 

One aspect to studying a language includes learning about the culture the language originates from, and all panelists found the more they became immersed in the culture, the more they understood the language.

Sgt. Hutchinson said “language is culture, so they go hand in hand. You cannot master a language without knowing the culture.”

Meador emphasized the importance of studying abroad; she traveled to France during her time at St Edward’s and found the experience unparalleled.

Garrett, who is an Apple’s sales chat specialist based in Canada, said that it is important for her to know the French culture because “Francophone people spend money differently than Anglophone people, so these are things you need to know when you are trying to sell them a product.”

Nash, a regional manager for Wholefoods’ Prime Now, observed that “cultural understanding can help to eliminate cultural bias and to connect with people on a deeper level.” For them, this understanding creates greater trust with their employees, as they speak their language and know its nuances, so they can build more meaningful relationships that ultimately increase productivity and success.

With his experience in Arabic, Sgt Hutchinson asserted that “Arabic [or any other language] doesn’t care. You have to adapt to it, not it to you.” 

Along with other suggestions to become fluent in various languages, the panelists encouraged students to gain experience and confidence with different languages