I graduated in Spring 2023 with an Honors double major in French and Francophone Studies and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and a minor in History. I then attended The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, graduating in 2026. I now work in collegiate athletics compliance.
I never initially planned to study French. I studied Latin in high school and tested out of the foreign language requirement, so I had no intention of studying any language. This changed during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was on pace to graduate early, but as a student-athlete (Swimming 2019-2023), I was required to maintain full-time student status if I wanted to swim all four years. I needed to find more courses to take so I could remain academically eligible.
My long-time girlfriend is a native French speaker, so I figured I could take a couple of classes in French to earn some brownie points and maybe come away with a couple of basic conversational skills I could use in the future. After I took my first class, I was hooked. I soon added a French and Francophone Studies major and took as many French classes as I could.
My French courses were a nice change of pace from athletics and my other major. The classes were based on conversation, so I learned about my classmates and learned how to express myself in new ways. These courses also gave me an appreciation for French art and culture, which exposed me to new ideas that I never would have heard otherwise.
Most of all, studying French has allowed me to form connections with other people. I have travelled to France with my girlfriend and seen French culture first-hand. I can carry conversations with her family and share experiences with them. I’ve also been able to meet other French speakers outside of her family and form friendships with them.
Learning French at Ohio State was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It has enabled me to explore a new culture in which I can learn new ideas, experience art, and form lifelong connections.