Gained in translation

​For Patrick Peczerski, who triple majored in International Studies, Spanish and Polish, mastering another language has proven to be a competitive advantage in business.

How has studying Spanish enriched your life?

Without a doubt, I could not work in my current capacity in sales/marketing for the Latin American region at Mueller Sports Medicine, a leading sport medicine accessory company. Spanish language studies have provided me a level of comfort and mastery to conduct business in Latin America. This not only means speaking fluently but also understanding regional and local histories, customs and culture. Thanks to this, I am able to travel extensively through Latin America. Spanish studies have allowed me to realistically peruse my goals.

What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took? 

The professors maintain a high standard, which pays off with better language skills in the end. It also helped me appreciate the value of studying literature for the development of analytical and writing skills — both fundamental skills in my profession.

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