Where are they Wednesdays:
Stories of UNCW Spanish Alumni

Bernadette Naro
Class of 2010, English BA with Teaching Licensure & Spanish Minor

Why did you study Spanish?

In today's world being multi lingual feels like a critical component of being a global citizen. Speaking Spanish opens me up to engage with more people authentically and to form cross cultural relationships. It is also a marketable skill in a competitive job market.

How do you use Spanish now?

When I was looking for a job I was struggling to find openings in my field. Ultimately, my ability to read, write, and speak Spanish, is what opened the door to me being hired and getting my foot in the door at a local high school. Currently my day to day work does not require me to speak Spanish, but being bilingual has served me in many informal capacities including in many volunteer positions. One real world application is using my Spanish to speak with immigrants and asylum seekers in detention at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. I also ran an after school program in which the parents only spoke Spanish. Ultimately, speaking Spanish allows me to form connections across cultures wherever I may be. It's also very helpful when traveling!