Ross Guthery
Ms. Elliott
EXP 1100.01H
7 December 2016
Informational Interview
Name of Interviewee: Sonya Afanasyeva
Occupation: French Department Advisor
Questions posed to the Interviewee:
The advisor was not comfortable with me recording our conversation, so these answers below are from memories of what we discussed.
In your opinion, what is the biggest concern for students in this major?
The biggest concern for students about declaring the French Major is the employment outlook after graduation. Many students think that, as French is a subject in the humanities, it will be hard for them to find a job using their language skills they learned throughout their time here at Ohio State. However, I believe this to be a misconception. The French language has many applications in anything from business to government work. That does not go to say that students will find a job if they only major in French. It is important for them to have other experiences either in an extracurricular activity or in an internship.
In your opinion, what is one of the best things about this major?
Due to our department’s relatively small size, students have a great opportunity to build relationships with faculty in the department. These relationships can go a long way when it comes to applying for internships and graduate school as these faculty members are a wonderful source for recommendation letters. In fact, each student who declares a French major is paired with a faculty member that serves as an advisor in areas with which an academic advisor might not be as familiar. These topics may include opportunities post-graduation and extracurricular activities.
What kinds of research are students in this major doing?
Research in the French department focuses more on scholarship than it does on research in the typical sense. Some students write literary critiques. Others analyze how a part of francophone culture has changed or how francophone culture differs in one aspect when compared to another culture like that of America for instance. We also have a lot of students who double major, and there is a possibility that you can overlap your interests in French with your interests in the other major.
What kinds of extracurricular experiences are available for students in the department?
There are many study abroad opportunities for our students to take advantage of. They are all over the world: France, Africa, Canada, and many others. Many students also take advantage of the various scholarship opportunities offered by our department, the Office of International Affairs, and outside groups to fund these experiences as they can be rather expensive. On campus, the is an official French Club. They have meetings several times a month that involve anything from conversation groups to a trip to a local French restaurant.
What sorts of graduate programs do graduates of this major enter?
Of course, some of our undergraduate French majors go to graduate school to earn their PhD in French. We have many others though who go to business, law, and even medical school assuming the correct prerequisites are met. The nature of the French degree allows students to enter many different fields.
Synthesis Questions:
How did you find this interviewee, and why did you choose to interview this person?
I found this interviewee on the French department’s website under the “people” tab. I chose to interview Ms. Afanasyeva as I figured she would be a wonderful resource for information given her position as an Academic Coordinator. She was a huge help!
How has this interview influenced your major and/or career exploration?
This interview has confirmed my interest in the French major. In fact, I have since declared the major. I am planning on meeting with the International Studies department to discuss their World Economy and Business Major (this is the other major I am interested in). The International Studies major and the French major are a good pair in that they are both globally focused and would teach me marketable transferable skills that could be applied to many career fields.
Did you learn anything unexpected from the interview? If so, what? If not, which ideas did the interview reinforce?
I was surprised by the amount of research opportunities available to French majors. She made it seem as though any student wanting to do research would be able to do so.
What do you feel you still need to learn about this major/career before being able to make a confident decision?
I don’t think I need to learn any more about the major. She was very helpful and full of information. I feel comfortable declaring the major (something I have already done).
Which major exploration tools/activities/resources that you utilized this semester were most helpful to you and why?
I felt the mandatory advising appointment was most helpful in narrowing down my search while at the same time making me aware of options I had not previously considered. It was great to get one-on-one advice from the advisor that was specific to my personal academic situation. A lot of the Exploration material is understandably general, so the appointment was a nice supplement to the college lectures and overview quizzes.