French
Undergraduate Success Stories
Christie Bodnar
B.B.A. Marketing, French 2002
Pi Delta Phi. M.A. French, Bryn Mawr College
When I began my studies at Notre Dame, I learned that I was not required to study a foreign language because I was a business student. After testing out of a semester of French, I decided to give college-level French a try. I am very thankful that I did!
I decided to study in Angers for a semester my junior year. That experience helped me to develop self-confidence. If I could travel in Europe with a few friends and a backpack, I could do anything!
As graduation approached, I was encouraged by two professors to apply to an M.A. program. At the time, I was unsure of my French proficiency. I was not the top student, but I worked diligently. To my delight, I was accepted to Bryn Mawr College outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I began my studies in the fall, 2002. I spent the summer 2003 studying in Avignon, France. In the fall 2003, I completed my M.A. thesis on the involvement of intellectuals in the Dreyfus Affair. I passed my oral and written exams, and I earned my M.A. in French in December, 2003.
In the fall 2003, I began law school at Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis. The law school has study abroad as well as internship opportunities in France and Francophone countries. I hope to use my French skills in practicing international law when I graduate.
Looking back, I never would have imagined that I could learn a new language or live abroad. I am so thankful that I continued to study French in college, especially since it was not a requirement for business majors. I encourage every Notre Dame student to study a language. You never know how far around the world that knowledge will take you!
