Major in Economics with Specialization in Business Economics, minor in Italian; Student Ambassador for the Study Abroad office

Why did you take Italian?

I originally took Italian because I had studied Latin in high school and wanted to learn a spoken language for a change.  During my first year, I applied for and received the Foreign Language Acquisition Grant (FLAG), but due to COVID I deferred it to the summer after my second year. I kept taking Italian classes to prepare and I haven’t stopped since!

What is your favorite part of taking Italian with us?

My favorite part of taking Italian is how energetic and encouraging my professors are. Every one of my professors has been enthusiastic, and that enthusiasm both makes class more fun and makes practicing with the language easier.

What skills did you learn in our Italian courses that are useful in your personal and professional life?

The grammatical constructions, figures of speech, and variability of meaning found in other languages tell you a lot about the cultures they come from. Understanding some of those nuances in Italian will show you facets of Italian life that are hard to teach otherwise, and being able to detect those nuances is a valuable skill you can’t learn from reading translations.

Why would you recommend our program to other students?

I would recommend UChicago’s Italian department to any student interested in learning an accessible Romance language from some of the most engaging and enthusiastic professors on campus. Italy is a beautiful country with a beautiful language and a beautiful culture, and there are few more pleasant subjects to study and fewer more pleasant professors.

Major in Romance Languages and Literatures

Why did you take Italian?

I originally took Italian because I was looking for a fun class to take, and I love learning languages. The Italian for Romance Languages Speakers class looked especially fun for me because I already spoke Spanish, and I was excited to be able to learn so much so quickly. I loved it so much that now I’ve been taking an Italian class every quarter since, even though when I came to UChicago, I had no idea I would take Italian at all!

What is your favorite part of taking Italian with us?

My favorite thing about the Italian program is definitely the faculty. They could make anyone want to major in Italian.

What skills did you learn in our Italian courses that are useful in your personal and professional life?

Studying Italian with this department has really improved my confidence in group discussions in general and in developing my own voice, whether in English or in any other language. I feel more confident speaking up and sharing my ideas even when I might make mistakes, and I feel like I can express my ideas in my own unique voice even when it’s another language.

Why would you recommend our program to other students?

The classes are all extremely well structured and have a great balance of formal language study and studying Italian society and culture. Every day when I walk into an Italian class, I know what to expect, and I always come out feeling better about my skills than I did before. All the faculty do a wonderful job of structuring the curriculums and creating a welcoming environment in class where I feel completely comfortable expressing my ideas and being able to make mistakes.

Major in Environmental Studies

Why did you take Italian?

I started taking Italian to fulfill the University’s language requirement for the Core. I studied Latin in high school, so I wanted to go with a Romance language, my mom works with Italians for her bedding company, and I love Italian food— there were a few different things leading me to Italian! My expectation was to stop taking the courses after I completed my requirement, but I really enjoyed the professors and the language at large, so I stuck around.

What is your favorite part of taking Italian with us?

The professors that I’ve had for my Italian classes have been some of the most enthusiastic instructors I’ve engaged with at university, which is common for all of the great language programs across UChicago. I’ve only ever spoken English, so it’s also amazing to learn such a new kind of skill and get some exposure to Italian cultural and political issues in class.

What skills did you learn in our Italian courses that are useful in your personal and professional life?

We discuss a lot of social, cultural, and political topics in our readings and class conversations, so I’ve learned quite a bit about immigration in the EU, gained an appreciation for the level of the linguistic and geographic diversity of Italy, and encountered some new authors and actors. Italian classes are held entirely in Italian starting in 101, which (though initially intimidating) is a great exercise in being adaptable and finding ways to use context in situations that aren’t familiar to you.

Why would you recommend our program to other students?

I have found that all of the language programs at UChicago are amazing, so I would recommend taking a language sequence of some sort during your time here to everyone. Italian in particular is such a fantastic program because the instructors I’ve encountered in the department are simultaneously some of the best/most helpful teachers I’ve had at university and some of the most enthusiastic and engaging. There are also so many elements of Italian culture and products of Italy that we engage with on a daily basis—from White Lotus to Elena Ferrante to Nutella, pasta, and so much more. Given how much Italy and Italian culture is a part of contemporary social life, I see Italian as a great language to learn!