Global, Cultural and Language Studies

Global, Language, and Cultural Studies Students

 
Mark Tomshack

Major: Biochemistry
Minors: Russian, Math
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota

Why did you choose St. Scholastica?
After touring several large universities I realized that I want to go to a small college where my professors would know my name.  St. Scholastica was close by, a small beautiful campus that I was familiar with and some of my closest friends were also going here.

Why did you choose the GCL major and/or language?
I have always been fascinated by Russia and after traveling there I knew I had to learn the language.

What languages are you studying?
I currently study Russian.  I have also studied Latin.

What are you extracurricular interests?
I volunteer at the Duluth Zoo and the Russian club events.

What do you like about your GCL and/or language classes?
The classes are small and you really get to know your professor.  There are many opportunities to practice the language outside of class.

What study abroad programs have you participated in and how have they impacted you?
I participated in the summer Russian program and this was the whole reason why I decided to learn the Russian language.

How does the Catholic Benedictine identity of St. Scholastica have meaning for you?
It has given a true love of learning.

Any advice for prospective students?
Take Russian!  Everyone takes Spanish, so take one of the languages that is not main stream, which can give you an edge after graduation.  While taking the language make sure to attend as many events as possible that the class offers for extra help.  These events help so much in learning and are usually very fun. 

What are your post-graduation plans or goals?
Hopefully, I will be in the navy as an officer.  If I don't make it into the navy program I'm looking to join, then I'll probably attend graduate school.

 

Laura Vavrosky
Major:  Global, Cultural, and Language Studies -and- Humanities
Minors: Russian
Hometown: Carlton, Minnesota

Why did you choose St. Scholastica?
I chose St. Scholastica for several reasons.  I love the sense of community here, both within the school itself and in the relationships the college has with the rest of the city and the world.  It's in a good location - I wanted to stay near home, and I love being near Lake Superior.  St. Scholastica is affordable given the scholarships I receive and the campus is beautiful.

Why did you choose the GCL major and/or language?
I've always been interested in learning about other people and other cultures, so the GCL major made a lot of sense.  I started studying Russian because I needed a foreign language; all my friends were studying Spanish and I wanted to do something different.  Then I loved it so much I decided to keep going and get a minor. 

What languages are you studying?
Russian

What are your extracurricular interests?
I love to read (just about anything except murder mysteries), write (letters as well as more "creative" work), and travel (to absolutely anywhere). 

What do you like about your GCL and/or language classes?
Regarding my GCL classes - I like the interdisciplinary nature of the classes I've taken.  Instead of focusing on a single perspective - history, for example, or politics - the material looks at many of the factors that come together to affect a given topic or region.  I think this is an important way of looking at the world, especially given the modern tendency toward specialization. 

Regarding my Russian classes - I love playing with language (word games, rhymes, finding the precise word to convey my exact meaning rather than using a more generic term, etc.), and I think it's so much fun to be able to do that in a language other than English (my native language).  The structure of language in general appeals to me, with all the rules for grammar and spelling making it neat and organized, but then there are all the exceptions, which make everything more interesting.  Reading Russian material and communicating with Russian speakers encourages me to challenge my beliefs while I'm learning new things. 

What study abroad programs have you participated in and how have they impacted you?
In the summer of 2010 I participated in the Russian Summer Language Camp in Petrozavodsk, Russia, and I really enjoyed the chance to practice my Russian with native speakers.  I experienced a lot of cultural differences, things I wouldn't ever have thought about because they seemed perfectly natural until I went someplace where they're done differently.  It sounds trite, but I really did start looking at my own life with a fresh eye once I returned, noticing behaviors and traditions that I had previously engaged in without even thinking about. 

How does the Catholic Benedictine identity of St. Scholastica have meaning for you?
I agree with the tenets of the Benedictines; I think ideals like Stewardship and Love of Learning are important not just for college students but throughout life.  I'm not a Catholic but I respect many of the Benedictine ideas and I feel they are wise principles to live by. 

What are your post-graduation plans or goals?
I'm considering teaching English in Russia or Eastern Europe; I would love the opportunity to experience life in that part of the world while sharing my love of languages.