We had an opportunity to catch up with FRIT alumna Rachel Licina, who graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in French and History. Licina has taken full advantage of her undergraduate education, especially her French skills. Before returning to school for a Master’s in Public and International Affairs, she travelled in several French-speaking countries, and volunteered and worked in a number of settings where French was needed. Licina’s list of experiences is quite impressive!
When Licina started her studies at Ohio State, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to focus on. She picked the subject that she had enjoyed in high school: history. She had also always wanted to learn a second language: so she added French. Licina really enjoyed her French courses and the instructors she met along the way. She loved her courses with Beth Bishop and Garret Heysel. “They were fun and energetic,” Licina says. She also mentioned Professor Cheikh Thiam’s course on Senegalese culture and literature, which took on a whole new meaning when Licina became a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal a few years later.
Some of her favorite OSU memories come from a study abroad program on WWII led by Professor Jennifer Willging. Students prepared for the program through spring semester classes, and in May spent three weeks in Europe, with 10 days in Normandy and Paris. Another of Licina’s best OSU memories is being a part of College mentors for Kids. This OSU program pairs an elementary student with a college student buddy, who helps the child connect to opportunities and achieve their potential. Licina’s mentee was a resettled Somali refugee.
After graduation Licina continued to seek out opportunities to engage with the French language and culture. She felt that she could read and write in French very well, but she wanted to improve her speaking skills. Per Willging’s suggestion, Licina joined the TAPIF Program (Teaching Assistant Program in France) and spent a year teaching English in Aix-en-Provence. At the end of her term she was not ready to come home, so she applied to teach in Caen and worked there for another year. When she returned, she spent some time in Cleveland, where she worked at a refugee resettlement agency and translated and interpreted French for Congolese and Central African clients.
In 2018 Licina was ready for the next big thing, and she joined the Peace Corps. Inspired by her course with Professor Thiam, Licina had a vision of volunteering in a French-speaking African country. During her first full day in Senegal, Licina went through a series of intensive interviews and an oral exam in French. Her advanced level of French allowed her to be placed in the city rather than the country, where Licina was able to participate in more opportunities and projects.
Licina’s role in the Peace Corps was as a Community Health Volunteer. She worked with the Ministry of Health and community health volunteers to build the capacity of health services. She focused mainly on maternal and childhood health and common diseases in kids under the age of five. Licina reminisces that in Senegal speaking two languages as she did was not that impressive, since there are 36 languages in the country and 15 were spoken in her city alone. Many people speak 4-8 languages.
Her service in Senegal left some time to relax too. Whenever free time came up, Licina went back to the literature that had so inspired her to travel to this country. “I read an insane amount while there,” she says, “I would sit under the mango tree, drink tea, and read a book.” Unfortunately, Licina had to leave Senegal a month early when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in April, but she served out most of her term.
Licina’s next step? She has just completed her first semester as a master’s student at the University of Pittsburgh, where she studies Public and International Affairs with a focus on human rights of refugees and migrants. She is still trying to decide whether her work would be most effective at an NGO, non-profit, or the government, but she will have internships in graduate school that will help her figure it out.
Licina’s trajectory is an inspiring one. What started as a youthful “let’s try History and French” approach is now turning into a passionate and thoughtful career. Licina has taken the time to try on different hats and has devoted herself fully to each opportunity. These opportunities will undoubtedly serve as a rich foundation as she begins her graduate studies and career.
