Students in the Spotlight: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Matthew Clark

Graduating Year: 2015

Education: B.S. in Electronic Media Broadcasting and French minor

Career: Actor

"My minor was chosen because of my love of French language and culture. There’s a fair amount of French auditions in LA, most are for commercials for the Quebec market. Additionally, I’ve made a few French friends out here and get to speak it with them occasionally. Learning a language opens a whole new door in your brain! You get access to so much stuff in life because of it."

Kevin Díaz-Ortega

Graduating Year: Sophomore (current student)

Education: Double Major in Global Supply Chain Management & International Business with Minors in Spanish and Business

"I chose to minor in Spanish because I want to fully understand my first language and know everything I can about my culture. I love learning new words and certain patterns of speaking because when I go back home it's easiest to keep everything in Spanish instead of speaking Spanglish with my parents who are from Cuba (dad) and Peru (mom). I think that it is very important to understand another cultures and languages for many reasons. The main reason would be that we all want peace and to help one another when needed. "

Caitlin Harrah

Graduating Year: 2015

Education: French & Sociology Majors, B.A.

Career: Automobile Industry

“The vast majority of my French communications are conducted via email, and I am infinitely grateful for the business French class I took at NKU, as well as the skills I learned as a student that help me navigate not only the business world of another country, but also the local lingo! Earning a double-major in French and Sociology, I love interacting with a diverse group of people and am really enjoying the chance I have to work with clients all over North America. I also have French-speaking coworkers from the US and elsewhere, so it’s a great opportunity to put my French degree to good use!”

What they do: Client Services Supervisor at CDK Global in Cincinnati

Necessary job skills: Knowledge of spoken and written French, communication, project management, ability to work with culturally diverse groups

Career path: After graduation Caitlin worked for a couple of years in retail as a Store Manager at the Sunglass Hut and an Associate Manager at The Limited. Thanks to her French language skills, in 2016 she became a Bilingual Client Technical Analyst at CDK Global in Cincinnati. Since 2020 she has been a Client Services Supervisor at the company.

Megan Hodory

Graduating Year: 2019

Education: Spanish & Integrative Studies (Business, Studio Art, and Honors) Majors

Career: Immigration Law

“At Northern Kentucky University, I developed a variety of skills by means of choosing one traditional major, Spanish, and one uncommon major, Integrative Studies. These majors prepared me for teaching English in Spain, persevering through the global covid pandemic, and ultimately my career. I currently work at McKinney and Namei, where I have the privilege of helping lawyers who represent clients from all over the world.”

What they do: Bilingual Legal Assistant, McKinney & Namei, LPA

Necessary job skills: Communication, critical thinking, ability to work with culturally diverse groups

Career path: After graduating from NKU, Megan moved to Malaga, Spain to teach English. After completing her teaching assignment, she returned to northern Kentucky to work in immigration law.

Austin Mayfield

Graduating Year: 2018

Education: Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with Minors in Japanese, Political Science and Honors

Career: English teacher at a HOPPA Nursery School in Chiba, Japan

"To me, studying a language is intrinsically tied to studying and understanding other cultures, and I think intercultural communication is incredibly important. Being able to understand how people view the world and why they believe things is important, and you need a strong line of communication to be able to make that understanding happen."