Alumni
2023
Siyan Kabir, B.A./B.S
French and Human Biology
Currently, I'm working as a medical assistant at a local clinic in SoCal, where I get to apply my knowledge of human biology in a practical setting. Additionally, I'm tutoring French online, sharing my passion for the language and culture with others. It's a fulfilling balance of both my majors and allows me to contribute to healthcare while also spreading the joy of learning French.
2022
Cole Bacon, B.A.
French and Political Science
I’m currently participating in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) for the 2023-24 school year, so I’m living in a small town in southeast France (Tournon-sur-Rhône) teaching English at the collège and lycée level. I use French as my dominant, day-to-day language in everything from conversing with my new colleagues/friends and questioning the vendors at the weekly marchés to opening a bank account and navigating the French administration. Because of my French coursework at UC Davis, I am able to more wholly integrate myself into the local culture and benefit from it as a result. Even in the classrooms here (where I teach in English), my French coursework has prepared me for the tasks and challenges of working in a school environment: oral/written competency, attention to cultural differences, problem solving, and much more.
Keely Loh, B.A./B.S.
French and Cognitive Science
I studied French in high school and initially took French classes at UC Davis as a way to fulfill the language requirement to receive a B.A. However, I fell in love with the major through great learning experiences with the faculty and making connections with my peers! The courses captured my interest and the professors are all so engaging that I really enjoyed taking French classes each quarter! I would suggest that students who are new to UC Davis take a wide variety of classes to fulfill their GE requirements — it is a great time to explore different subjects and find new passions. For example, the French major introduced me to the subject of linguistics, which I never would have considered studying before, but it was one of my favorite things to learn about! The French major taught me a lot about how people communicate and pushed me to think critically about our increasingly globalized world. This is incredibly useful to me in my current work in education.
Studying literature, linguistics, and culture through the French major helped me practice many transferable skills (such as speaking, presenting, and analysis) and opened my eyes to many topics that inform my worldview. Classes on decolonization are especially relevant to me as an educator who is interested in culturally and historically responsive pedagogy! I absolutely recommend pursuing a major in French because it is so rewarding to study another language and it is so friendly to add as a double major. The faculty are amazing and the major makes up a very close-knit community that helps you feel more connected on a large campus like UC Davis! I made lifelong friends and really rounded out my education by completing the French major.
2021
Brenna Gallagher, B.A.
French and Anthropology
I was a double major in French and Anthropology. I have always loved the French language and culture and the diversity of people. The classes are fun and motivating, I recommend going to office hours. I’m currently finishing my Master's in Art and Cultural Management at ICART in Bordeaux, France. I’m working as a luxury travel manager in Bordeaux.
2020
Aliyah Romero, B.A.
French and International Relations
French was my favorite subject throughout high school, so I knew I wanted to continue studying it in college. I took the French placement test at the beginning of my first-year of college and was able to skip the introductory series. Once I started taking classes, I just couldn’t stop. The French courses I took at UC Davis were some of the best, most memorable courses I took during undergrad. In addition, given my interest in working in global health, I knew that strengthening my French skills via the French major would be an asset given the high-demand for French speakers in the sector.
Don’t compare your college experience to others. Yes, make the most out of your experience while you’re at UC Davis because it truly does go by so quickly, but don’t feel discouraged if it doesn’t end up feeling like “the best time of your life.” College has its ups and downs, so it’s important to have a support system, whatever that may look like for you (friends, professors, student organizations, etc.). Get involved if you can, but don’t feel like you need to over extend yourself either. Use this time to explore your interests, but also know that it’s okay if you realize halfway through your first semester that you’re in the wrong major. It happened to me, and I ended up finding majors that were more aligned with my interests: International Relations and French.
I studied abroad at the University of Bordeaux for one semester as a Gilman scholar. It was a great experience given that I wanted to go abroad to strengthen my French skills and finally put them to the test. Being fully immersed in the language can be daunting at first, but over time your skills will strengthen dramatically. I also took a course in French with French students, which was a challenging, yet rewarding experience as it further cemented my French skills. I also made lifelong friends (both UCEAP and international) while living in Bordeaux and made tons of incredible memories.
After college, I worked as an English Language Assistant through TAPIF where I lived in a small town outside of Lille helping middle school English teachers with their language instruction. Even though I was teaching English, I was utilizing French in all other contexts, including when I would help the teachers I worked with with the creation of lesson plans. Moreover, I currently intern for the Yale Global Health Leadership Initiative (GHLI) where I work on multiple Francophone programs related to health systems strengthening. My internship requires a significant amount of French-English and English-French translation, which I would not have had the skills to perform had I not taken French at UC Davis, studied abroad in France, and later lived in France again to work as an English Language Assistant. I will also add that the courses I took with Professor Warner exploring France’s colonial history and the lasting impact that it has had on their former colonies has also been useful as a MPH candidate at Yale concentrating in Global Health and throughout my internship at GHLI.