French

Student Voices

Diane Hahn, '14

Meet Diane

"Having a foreign language opens so many doors in jobs today because it gives you a global experience that no one else has. You think differently and know that your education never stops."

Hometown: West Fargo, N. Dak.

Majors: French and Political Science

Minor: Mathematics

Career Goal: "There are too many to choose from at this point. With my typically unrelated fields of study, I generally say my career goal is to do something that helps people, whether it be working in an embassy or doing math research to improve the living conditions in our local communities. If there is not a job out there that suits my needs, I intend to create one."

Diane Hahn happened upon Carthage by chance when looking for information about a different university.

"I felt as though Carthage had really chosen me," Diane said. After a bit more research, she realized that Carthage was perfect for her. The College offered small classes, a strong student-based community, and a good student-to-professor ratio.

Diane surprised herself when she changed her mind during her freshman year and decided to double major in political science and French instead of mathematics and French.

"After receiving the Modern Language Scholarship, my mind was set on including French as my major," she explained. "I love how Carthage not only makes it possible to double major, but they have also worked with me to make it possible to switch my double major after one year and add a minor on top of that."

Diane discovered her interest in political science after coming to Carthage and becoming involved in Student Government as a freshman class senator. She was then elected to continue on as a sophomore senator for her sophomore year. Her role in Student Government extends to the Philanthropy Committee, which she believes is an important way for Carthage students to give back to the Kenosha community.

"We, as students able to attend a prestigious school like Carthage, have been blessed with so much, and I think because of this, it's important to give back to the community," she said.

Diane is also a member of the Carthage Honors Council; Alpha Lambda Delta, the freshman honors fraternity; Intervarsity; the social sorority Chi Omega; and was the vice-president of French Club during the second semester of her freshman year. She also works within the French program as a tutor, which she says has been a rewarding experience for her because she has been able to meet so many people who are studying French. It also gives her the chance to use her language skills outside of the classroom.

Diane's diverse interests set her up for a bright future, but for now her foremost goal is simply to graduate. She hopes to somehow use all of her degrees in her future career. She'd like to become a political analyst or maybe an ambassador abroad. Until then, she is going to enjoy her time at Carthage, studying in the Modern Languages Department.

"The Modern Language Department truly has made my learning experience an enjoyable one, and I can't image going to any other college because I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in this aspect," Diane said.

"I don't just enjoy the subject material that's being taught, but the teachers in this department actively engage their students in the classes," she continued. "The professors are all readily available for help outside of class, and there are also fellow students serving as tutors to ask for help on assignments or just to talk in the target language with."

Favorite professor: "Prof. Rollet. He truly deserves all the recognition he can get. In both French classes I have had with him, he takes full advantage of the small class size to make learning interactive, assigning video projects or plays instead of plain speeches to fulfill the oral portion of the grade. He also is very understanding of the whole college experience, so he never assigns something that students can't handle. My favorite part about my classes with him is his interest in exploring the culture of the French community, as this is something that interests me the most about the French language. He would always show us the best places to find current French media and music. But I didn't just have Rollet for my French courses, I also took my J-Term about West Africa with him. This course once again showed me Rollet's extreme passion for teaching and his desire to make the world a better place."

Favorite class: "My favorite class was the Francophone West Africa course during J-Term. Before taking the class, I thought I already knew quite a bit about Africa, but this class dispelled many stereotypes I had held, so I can say I learned a lot. While J-Term classes usually seem long, Rollet taught the class in a variety of different ways so that we were engaged throughout the entire class."

Toughest class: "My toughest class was a computer science class because it covered material I had never learned anything about before. Before I took the time to seek out help from the tutor, I failed a couple of my assignments. However, once I discovered how helpful the tutor could be, my grades in the class improved and I felt much better about the class."

Favorite moments at Carthage: "My freshman year was filled with so many fun memories. I remember how easy my admission counselors, professors, orientation leaders and new friends made my transition from high school to college life. I also fell in love with the Carthage community. Every time I saw someone I knew on the way to class, I felt more and more at home. Some of my other favorite memories included walking the trek to the lighthouse in Kenosha with friends from Carthage, going sledding on nearby hills, and attending WOW concerts by 30 Seconds to Mars and Jason Derulo. The best part of my freshman year came from Rush Week and getting to know my 50 new best friends and sorority sisters. Painting the rock for Chi Omega will always be one of my favorites, too. After becoming a Chi Omega, I truly felt at home at Carthage."

Favorite spot on campus: "My favorite spot to study at Carthage is actually Starbucks because it is a location much like its more popular counterpart, Einsteins, but it is actually much quieter because no one wants to walk the few extra steps it takes to get there. During my leisure time, my favorite spot is anywhere along the lake shore. I love running along the beach and just taking in the refreshing scenery. It's the perfect break from any stressful day I might be having."

Biggest surprise so far: "I never in a million years thought I was going to change my major. I was dead set on mathematics, as I am the type of person who likes to plan things way in advance. But my involvement in organizations on campus opened my eyes to different opportunities out there, and I still can put my love of math into my math minor. It was a difficult decision, but I definitely had help along the way from many different people including family, friends and teachers."

Advice for students considering her majors: "Having a foreign language major is more than just becoming a teacher. While I have nothing against teaching, I always laughed in the back of my mind when people asked if I was going to be a math teacher in France after hearing I was studying French and mathematics. Having a foreign language opens so many doors in jobs today because it gives you a global experience that no one else has. You think differently and know that your education never stops. Carthage is also the perfect place to consider doing a double major with another field of study to broaden your experiences because of the overlap in required classes for graduation. Whatever you do, do it with all your heart because your passion will take you places you haven't even dreamed of."

— Elizabeth Reinhardt, '12

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Emily Kolesar, '12

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Diane Hahn, '14

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Karin Wirth, '13

Karin Wirth was raised with a rich German Heritage, which led to her love of the language. She is also a DAAD scholarship winner and a tutor for the Modern Languages department.
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David Rosenberg, '12

"The openness of the professors and their willingness to help struggling students" are among the Modern Language Department's biggest strengths.
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Ronald Harris, '12

Ronald is pursuing a minor in German, after studying the language since kindergarten.
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Read student voices from graduated students.