Student Profile--Bailey Mack

Bailey Mack, an International Affairs and Spanish double major, has studied in Taiwan, volunteered in Peru, and plans to study abroad in China in 2013.

 

What interested you about Flagship?

I didn't join the Flagship program my freshman year, but had friends who did. As an outsider, it was really amazing to me how quickly they progressed and how different the program was from a normal language class. I like a challenge, and Flagship has that in spades.

What is your favorite thing about Flagship?

Flagship is hard, but it really is so rewarding. If you had told me a few years ago that not only would I be learning Chinese in college, but also testing at the high intermediate level after one year I would have thought you were crazy.

What keeps you motivated?

I like to learn, and I like to learn languages. Learning languages isn't just about language, but about culture and people. It's actually really interdisciplinary, which means it's always interesting.

What are your current career goals, and how do you plan on incorporating Chinese into those goals?

I would like to work in the international field, probably in government. China is becoming increasingly more important in the international community both politically and economically, and knowing Chinese makes me more prepared for any job I may go into.

What are the most rewarding things about Flagship?

How quickly you progress, and how many doors it opens for you as a student. While it's getting more popular as a language, it's still pretty rare to find students studying Chinese at the level we do.