My first year in college, I was the only freshman in my advanced Spanish literature class.  My professor asked me how I had such a high level of proficiency; I told her about Glastonbury 's wonderful language program and how I had studied Spanish since second grade.  Not only was I fortunate to have such a great background in Spanish, but I also had the opportunity to study Russian for six years, as well as Latin for one year.  To me, studying languages was something I grew up with and therefore I expected it would be a continuing part of my life.  During college I chose to major in Spanish after studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.  Being able to use the language in a real-life context solidified my commitment to mastering it and using it in my future career.  After graduation I returned to Madrid to work for the same study abroad program for one year.  Through using Spanish in the workplace every day and living with Spanish speakers, I attained my goal of becoming fluent.  I believe that knowing other languages can open doors to other worlds you never knew existed.  As our world becomes increasingly smaller through globalization, I cannot think of a better skill to have than that of being able to communicate with others. 

Karen King, Class of 1999
Spanish, Russian, Latin
Duke University - BA, Economics and Spanish