“These last 4 years at Laurier have been the best of my life. I have met so many
wonderful students that have become my close friends and teachers who have become my mentors. I
try to give back as much as I can to this wonderful program that has opened my eyes to so many issues
and so many languages. It has given me a confidence that I never thought possible, and a belief that I
never thought I could have in myself. I am upset to be parting with Laurier in 2014, but the opportunities
that is has given me are amazing. Since my second year at Laurier I have been an IA for Italian and a lab
monitor for Spanish, French and Italian since my third year at Laurier. My advice to all is to get involved
in what you can because the language program for me has opened doors that I never thought I could
unlock. Gracias, Grazie et Merci.”
-Patricia Sofroniuc,
Graduation Date: May 2014
“My name is Amanda Stavropoulos. I graduated with an Honours BA in Spanish in
June 2013. I couldn't have asked for a better program or department to spend my time in during my four
years at Laurier. Not only did I learn Spanish and become more comfortable using it, but I got to explore
amazing cultures and literature from around the Spanish-speaking world. The professors in the
department make an already exciting experience even better because of their passion for the topics and
their students. I am currently working on getting my B.Ed at the Ontario Institute for Studies in
Education at the University of Toronto.”
Amanda Stravopoulos,
OISE, Teachers College,
University of Toronto
Honours BA in Spanish,
Class of 2013
“I graduated WLU in 2011 with Honours BA in Spanish and was fortunate enough
to also take several French courses as electives. The Languages department provided me with the
opportunity to experience Spanish culture through fun program activities, the ability to practice the
language with peers outside of the classroom, and lasting memories from the Language Lab! Thanks to
my degree in languages, many doors were opened for me and I can now use French almost daily in my
position as a Bilingual Reimbursement Specialist. I am so happy to have had the journey alongside
amazing professors and wonderful friends!” Class of 2011
Andrea Adamic,
Innomar-Strategies an
AmerisourceBergen Canada Company
Bilingual Citizen Services Officer at
Service Canada
BA Honours Spanish/French,
Class of 2008
“I remember classes at UW and WLU: Outstanding professors and fascinating
movies. My career objective was to work for the Government of Canada and as soon as I obtained my
Honours BA, I applied for a position with the Federal Government. Then, after many tests, exams, and
interviews, I achieved my goal!”
Suyen Casanova,
Federal Government, Canada
Honours BA Spanish and French,
Class of 2008
“The Languages program at Laurier taught me not only how to
communicate in other languages: it taught me world history, culture, and politics through first-hand
sources. It kindled in me a love for the diversity and complexity of societies, and an urge to explore and
learn new things. The skills and international experience I gained through my BA led directly to
internships at the Canadian Embassy in Spain and the U.S. Consulate in Toronto while pursuing my
Masters. And they remain invaluable in my current position as an International Policy Analyst with the
Government of Ontario where I report on foreign policies and interact with international delegations.”
-Steven Parker,
International Policy Analyst
Office of International Relations and
Protocol
Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs
Government of Ontario
Honours BA in Languages, 2011
“I graduated from BA Languages at Laurier in 2008. Since then, I worked as
an English language assistant at a lycée in Nancy, France, and completed my MSc in English Language at
the University of Edinburgh last year. Currently, I am working as the bilingual Resources Coordinator at
CATIE (Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange), a national HIV and hepatitis C organization
based in Toronto. I get to use my French skills everyday as an essential part of my job! I loved my time at
Laurier and miss it and the languages department very much! Taking languages as a degree was the
most valuable thing I did - it has opened up so many opportunities for me!
-Brittany Howlett,
Bilingual Resources Coordinator CATIE
(Canadian AIDS Treatment Information
Exchange
Honours BA in Languages, 2008
MSc English Language 2012
”I Graduated Spring 2011, with an Honours BA in Languages- French Spanish and
Italian. I am currently a French Immersion Teacher on a long term occasional assignment with the
Waterloo Region District School Board. I teach in the primary division. Within one year of graduating
from Teachers College because of my French, I was hired onto 4 school boards for supply and have had 2
long term occasional assignments and supplying almost every day in between.
-Alana Vanderhoek,
Elementary School Teacher
Honours BA in Languages, 2011
“In June of 2012 I graduated with an Honours Spanish and French, and have never
looked back since. In April, two days after my last undergraduate exam, I moved to Peru to teach
English. Speaking French & Spanish has opened many doors for me, both in my career as a teacher, and
as a human being to many amazing relationships. My next move will be to NY or Venezuela to teach
French & English. And after that, who knows? As an L&L student, your options are limitless and nothing
is impossible.”
-Janalee Ferreira,
English Teacher, Talara, Perú
Honours Bachelor in Arts,
Spanish and French, 2012
“A degree in Spanish at Laurier will send you soaring! I am proud to be
amongst several WLU graduates employed as flight attendants. In a career that continues to be highly
competitive, it is no wonder that airline recruiters are narrowing their search, favoring educated
applicants with college or university degrees. Graduates of Languages and Literatures are at an
advantage, since most airlines will only consider those who can offer a second language, for full time
employment. For over six years now, I have been flying alongside highly educated cabin crew who share
a passion to explore and learn from a world that is so diverse in culture and beauty.”
-Brenda Díez de Bonilla,
Air Canada Flight Attendant
Honours Bachelor in Arts Spanish and
Psychology, 2007
MA Latin American Literature,
University of Toronto, 2009
“My time in the Languages and Literatures department at Laurier have proved
invaluable in my current role as a graduate student and teaching assistant. Their commitment to
innovative pedagogy inspired me to pursue graduate studies. Thanks to my Spanish degree I have been
able to develop an area of research that includes fieldwork in Latin America.”
-Marcos Moldes,
PhD Student, Simon Fraser University
(ABD)
Honours Bachelor in Arts, Spanish and
Communication Studies, 2005
MA in Communication and Culture,
York University, 2008
“I graduated from Wilfrid Laurier in April 2006 with an Honours French degree. The following academic
year, I obtained my Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario, qualifying me to
teach French (as well as History) at the Intermediate/Senior division. I am currently employed by 'le
Ministère de l'Education nationale' in France and working in a collège in the Lille Academy as an English
Language Assistant. I obtained this position through the C.I.E.P program. The excellent professors that
make up Laurier's French department were without any doubt a contributing factor to my current career
success. The four-year program at Laurier consisted of presenting me with the opportunity to improve
my written and oral skills in the French language, as well as to learn about francophone culture, both in
the past and presently.”
-Crystal Voisin,
Honours French, Class of 2006
“My name is Connor Donaldson and I am currently an MBA student at the University of Calgary. I am
one of the only B.A.'s in the course and that is partly due to my interdisciplinary studies that included
work in the Languages and Literatures Department, Spanish Program. My current program’s
specialization is Global Energy Management and I believe my experience at Laurier will continue to be a
strong asset for my personal and educational growth.”
-Connor Donaldson,
HBA in Spanish, Class of 2006
“The Spanish and Arts programs' vast curriculum offered a variety of courses that I have been able to
use in my current position. I am currently working with international expatriates. The Spanish business
courses have helped me with day to day business etiquette while the culture, literature and other Arts
courses have broadened my understanding of cultural differences that has in turn aided me in relating
to my clients.”
-Gabriela Indacochea,
Honours BA in Spanish,
Global Services Coordinator,
Global Services, Class of 2007
“I graduated from Wilfrid Laurier in 2007 with an Honours B.A. in Spanish and Political Science. I will be
starting an MA in International Relations on Fall 2008. I realized early on that in Languages and
Literatures there is a sense of closeness, where everybody knows each other and there is truly a sense of
community. The resources available in the Department are absolutely impressive, starting from the
computer lab and the lounge, which is the perfect place to study and practice with your classmates. I
enjoyed each and every minute as a student, as a volunteer and member of the SOS program. Even after
finishing, every time I go to Waterloo, I drop to say hi to my friends at the Department.”
-Humberto Quiroga,
Honours BA in Spanish and Political
Science, Class of 2007
“After completing my Honours BA in French with a minor in German, I decided to pursue graduate
studies, but was uncertain what field I wanted to specialize in. Upon reflection, I chose to apply to an
MA in Humanities Computing at the University of Alberta and an MA in International Relations at
Université Laval. Upon completion, I was fortunate enough to obtain an internship at the United Nations
Secretariat in New York City in the Executive Office of the Secretary General, and then secure
permanent employment with the Government of Ontario in the Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs.
The French program at Wilfrid Laurier University directly benefited me in a number of ways. First, it
allowed me to pursue graduate studies in my second language in disciplines that I had never studied
before in English. The program at WLU equipped me with the skills I needed to write highly technical
reports and present information in a clear and concise tone. As part of my current role, I am frequently
required to produce information products using French media clippings, translate documents from
French to English, and interact with French-speaking counterparts from other jurisdictions. This requires
flexibility to unknown situations and circumstances, and to provide quality work in my second language
under tight deadlines. It is undoubtedly a credit to my exceptional professors that I was able to develop
and retain these skills nearly four years after graduation, given that I currently have limited
opportunities to use my French outside of the workplace.”
-Steven Haddad
Honours BA in French, Class of 2004
“In April 2003, I made the uncertain decision to study Languages at Laurier. Five years later, I could not
be more certain that I made the right decision. I graduated from Laurier in June 2007 with a double
major in French and Spanish, and I am now at the half-way-mark of a one-year Master’s program in
French at Queen’s University. I am looking to start my PhD in the fall, and am thrilled to have chosen a
career that will allow me to teach without ever having to limit learning to my past. I now hope to be a
university professor, which is something I never would have dared to strive for without encouragement
from the faculty in the Department of Languages and Literatures at Laurier. I have always felt fairly
confident about my level of French – particularly after an exchange to France in my third year – but I
often worried that my Spanish was just not good enough. I seriously considered abandoning the
language, but the head of the department was there – on more than one occasion – with encouraging
words to make sure that I never gave up for the wrong reasons. So today, although the prospect of
taking on a PhD program still seems daunting, I am confident; I was told that success at the graduate
level is mostly based on motivation and critical thinking, I believe I have both.
-Sarah Witmer,
Honours French and Spanish, Class of 2007
Winner of the Gold Medal for Spanish
Winner of the The W. D. Evans Award
“During my time in the Department of Languages and Literatures I was able to find ways which helped
me develop my critical and thinking skills to a new level. The environment there was intellectually
challenging as well as culturally stimulating. I gained the necessary skills and experience to continue
further my study of Spanish.”
-Monica Nicte-ha Codina, BA Spanish,
Honours BA in Spanish, Class of 2005
PhD Candidate, Hispanic Studies, Linguistics
University of Western Ontario
“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in the Department of Languages and Literatures at Wilfrid Laurier
University. I found the professors extremely encouraging and personable and was very impressed with
the quality of teaching. I also benefited greatly by the year I spent in Lyon, France as a WLU exchange
student. I am currently pursuing a Master's of French Literature, with the backing of SSHRC, at the
University of Toronto. I am set to begin doctoral studies at Toronto in September.
-Anna (Friesen) Kleinschmidt
Honours BA in French, Class of 2007
University of Toronto, French, MA
“Graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University with a double major Honours degree in Spanish and Global
Studies has opened up many opportunities for me. I am going to law school at Osgoode Hall in
September, with hopes to specialize in international law. Studying a second language has helped expand
my resume and make me a more interesting candidate for law school. I had the opportunity to study at
the University of Havana in the winter semester of my third year, which vastly improved my Spanish. I
have hopes to work with development agencies after becoming a lawyer, which will put to use all three
areas from my studies. Applying to law school required higher marks, and studying something you love,
as I love Spanish, makes it much easier and enjoyable to reach your goals.”
-Sarah Stackhouse,
Honours BA Spanish and Global Studies,
Class of 2008
“I had very positive experiences studying French at Laurier. The professors were passionate about their
subjects and went out of their way to help students with any concerns or issues that arose. I feel that
the French program helped me develop excellent analytical, communication, editing and time
management skills. The class sizes were small, which was great because it allowed professors to really
get to know all the students. My only regret is that there weren’t more oral classes.
I spent the year after graduation (2006-2007) teaching English at l’Université de Haute Alsace in
Mulhouse, France. My experiences with French lectrices at Laurier really prepared me to take on the
same role in France and gave me lots of great teaching ideas. I’m currently in the Human Resources
Management Graduate Certificate Program at Sheridan College. I’ll be finished classes in April and will
then start a co-op position as Recruitment Coordinator at Siemens.”
-Jennifer Waschkowski
Honours BA in French, Class of 2006