Georgia Tech Student Learns Three Languages at Tech, now FLAS Fellow for Russian in New MS Program

Posted October 21, 2019

Campbell Beadles came to Georgia Tech from Thomasville, GA, planning only to complete a business degree and work in one of Atlanta's most historic industries: logistics and supply chain. Then he took a Spanish class in the School of Modern Languages.

Three years later, with Spanish in tow, he had also learned German and Russian. By senior year, he had completed a Minor in Spanish and a Minor in German, and was about to go to Latvia and Russia on the Spring Intensive Track study abroad program after one semester of Russian.

“I never planned to take language at Georgia Tech, but it was so accessible that I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. The summer study abroad programs made it easy to immerse myself and very quickly become conversational in the language.”

Campbell’s story is a testament to the power of cultural immersion. "When I arrived in Latvia, I could only comfortably say my name, where I'm from, and 'I eat everything.'" Eight weeks later, he was having hour-long conversations with his host family about Russian culture and history. Having started Russian 18 months ago, Campbell is now a grad student the M.S. in Global Media and Cultures, one of Georgia Tech's newest degree programs. He received a prestigious FLAS Fellowship to study advanced Russian, contemporary Russian culture and politics, and global media.

Campbell's business training is also transforming the School of Modern Languages. As a coordinator of operations for the graduate program, he has worked on market research, recruitment logistics, and communications. "Campbell brings a business perspective to the team," says Jenny Strakovsky, Assistant Director of Graduate Studies and Career Education. "It's not how the humanities normally operate, and that's a really good thing. There's a lot that the humanities and the business world can learn from each other."

International Education is a hallmark of the Georgia Tech experience. Despite there being no language requirement at the Institute, over 50% of students take a foreign language during their undergraduate studies and nearly 60% have an international experience such as an internship, exchange, or study abroad.

"Many of our students want to apply their education in a global context," said Strakovsky; "studying a language gives them lifelong tools to work internationally, like adaptability, communication, and creative problem-solving."

The M.S. in Global Media and Cultures, along with its sister degree, the M.S. in Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, is in its inaugural year. These are the first degrees in the humanities to prepare students for customized careers that apply language study to another field. These programs respond to a rising interest in culture, communication, and social good in the corporate, science, and technology sectors.

The School of Modern Languages' new graduate program has been featured at the Association for Departments of Foreign Languages and Modern Language Association, as well as in the New York Times.

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