Bonnie Callahan
After graduating in December of 2008, I moved to Orvieto, where I studied abroad as an undergrad. My B.A. in Italian and minor in classics opened the door to several research and teaching opportunities, which I enjoyed for the four years I lived there.
Upon returning to Tucson, I really began to appreciate the skill set that a background in the humanities provides, especially when that focus is in a second language: critical and creative thinking, clear and conscious communication, a sense of intellectual and social curiosity, and a general ability to open yourself to other cultures.
During the pandemic, I turned to writing, and the ability to work with texts in different languages provided a wide breadth of source material that otherwise wouldn’t have been available to me. I am currently working on a culinary and cultural guide to the Italian South, and I am constantly aware not only of what a gift the in-depth language learning of the Italian program has been to me but also of the amazingly well-integrated cultural aspect. From medieval poets to comedic plays to 1980s radio programs, the ways in which this knowledge has allowed me to connect with people and places cannot be overstated.
