Minoring in Italian Studies has been one of the most enriching parts of my academic experience at the University of Florida. What began as a love for the Italian language quickly evolved into a deeper appreciation for the country’s literature, culture, and global influence.

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In 2024, I was honored to be named Italian Student of the Year by Professor Gianfranco Balestriere. This recognition reflected not only my academic dedication but also the genuine passion I’ve developed for Italian Studies. Through this program, I’ve gained more than language skills- I’ve developed a more global, humanistic perspective that shapes how I approach storytelling, communication, and cultural analysis. These courses encouraged me to look beyond surface-level interpretations and think more critically about perspective, culture, and representation.

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In ITA3420: Grammar and Composition, I strengthened my Italian writing through a range of literary and analytical assignments. From personal reflections to structured essays, the course helped me develop clarity, nuance, and confidence in a second language. This linguistic foundation now complements my coursework in marketing and international business, where tone, precision, and cultural awareness are essential.​

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In my final semester at UF, I am taking Italian Conversation in order to build confidence while speaking and sharing my opinions in a foreign language. This will help me greatly on my journey to working in international marketing because I am learning how to communicate with people from different cultures, which is especially important when it comes to creating global campaigns that connect with audiences in different countries.

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What makes this minor especially meaningful is its connection to my broader academic and professional goals. As someone pursuing a career in international fashion marketing, the cultural fluency and analytical skills I’ve gained through Italian Studies are incredibly valuable. Close reading, research, and cross-cultural interpretation directly inform how I approach branding, consumer behavior, and storytelling, particularly when working with globally rooted or culturally expressive brands.

 

Ultimately, my Italian Studies minor has added depth to both my academic and personal journey. It has given me the tools to communicate thoughtfully, think globally, and engage with the world through a more empathetic and artistic lens. What I’ve learned in the classroom continues to influence how I navigate international experiences, creative work, and cross-cultural environments beyond UF.

Over the summer of 2024, I studied abroad through the Warrington College of Business in Spain. The name of my program was UF in Madrid- Business, Language, and Culture, and it truly opened my mind and changed the trajectory of my career. Before going on this program, I knew I wanted to work in marketing but I never even considered that working in international marketing was a possibility. But after 3 months in Madrid, I knew I couldn't picture myself working in one country forever. I wanted to continue exploring the world and immersing myself in different cultures.

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While abroad, I took 3 different courses at Universidad de Antonio Nebrija- Spanish Language, Spanish Culture, and International Business. I was placed in B2 Spanish after not practicing the language for a few years and was surprised by the difference between learning Spanish in Spain and learning Spanish in the U.S. Back home, you were taught to memorize conjugations and hundreds of vocab words, but in Spain I got to explore the true nuances of the language, which was both challenging and very rewarding. I truly enjoyed my Spanish Culture class as well. I have always liked history and being able to learn more about Spain's history made my time there even more meaningful. When we would go on trips to Salamanca, Toledo, and Segovia with our class, I got to be truly immersed in Spain's history, where stories and traditions became more than just words on a page, but something I could experience.

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Taking International Business in a foreign country was also a very interesting, as I got to learn about the cultural nuances of Spain's business environment and do immersive projects to build on the in-class lectures. One of my favorite projects we did was we had to go to a local business, do some research, and compare that business to one in the U.S. My group chose a pharmacy and it was so interesting to see how pharmacies in Spain are purely personal health and hygiene-focused, while pharmacies in the U.S. have hundreds of products like snacks, drinks, office supplies, etc. 

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Being abroad also helped me grow a lot as a person. Before going to Spain, I refused to speak Spanish with people because I didn't want to be anything less than perfect and was worried I would be judged for even the tiniest mistake. But, being in Madrid gave me the confidence I needed to push past my fear of criticism to improve my speaking ability. Whether it was chatting with locals, conducting street interviews for my culture class, or ordering food, every day I was forced to step outside of my comfort zone and practice, practice, practice until I wasn't afraid anymore. The confidence I gained in my speaking abilities helped me become more comfortable using Spanish in my everyday life back in the U.S., whether at work or with friends.

During my time at UF, I took a course called Global Immersion Experience through the business school, where we got to go on a week-long trip to Berlin to deliver strategic recommendations to a German company. I was drawn to this course because after completing my study abroad program in Madrid, I knew I wanted to travel again, and being able to combine my going abroad again with working on a project that would help me build my portfolio as a marketing student seemed like a very exciting chance to grow both professionally and personally.

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This course expanded my worldview because as part of our assignments we had to do a research project on the German startup ecosystem and the factors affecting companies there. I was able to learn a lot more about the political, legal, and economic systems Germany has, while also discovering their strong commitment to sustainability. This research project made me a lot more knowledgeable about German business culture and helped open up to door to potentially working in Germany one day.

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This class connects to my international marketing class, where we had to take a U.S. business and deliver a comprehensive marketing plan to launch that firm in another country. Both courses involved internationally-related, consulting-style team projects. However, while my international marketing class was more theory based, the GIE class allowed me to apply the skills I have been building throughout my time as student at the Warrington College of Business in a real-world-context to help solve challenges faced by an international company.

 

The global immersion course relates to my career goals because I have always known I want to work internationally, so being able to help bring new marketing solutions to companies on a global scale has been very challenging and fulfilling, as well as helped me learn how to operate in the context of a different culture. It has also helped me apply the adaptability I learned while studying abroad in Spain to a new country and reinforced the importance of being mindful and respectful of different cultural nuances.

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The project I am most proud of that I completed in this course was our final presentation of our strategic recommendations. It was very exciting to be able to share the ideas we had been working on all semester to PlantClub (the company we were working for) in their home city of Berlin. It was a great experience to watch my team come together and deliver insightful and impactful strategies to help PlantClub capitalize on growth opportunities. Knowing that we made a real impact on an international firm was one of the most memorable moments of my academic career.

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