Brea is a fourth year Linguistics major with a minor in World Language Studies. She received Queen's University Excellence Scholarship when she entered Queen's and has been placed on Dean's Honour list every year since. Last year, she began working in the Department as a Teaching Assistant for LING 100: Introduction to Linguistics; a job that she will continue in 2015-16. When it comes to her studies, she always knew she wants to learn more about languages:
"I have always gravitated toward the study of language, which in high school meant pursuing the study of a foreign language and English, as those were the only courses made available to students at that level of schooling. Although I enjoyed both, I knew I wanted to explore the intricacies of language from a different perspective. When I stumbled across the description of Linguistics on the Queen’s website, it seemed promising; and since choosing to pursue it as my major, I have come to appreciate the nuances of it more and more with every class I take.
My experience with the study of Linguistics has been incredibly fulfilling thus far. I find the smaller class sizes to be one of the most endearing qualities of the Linguistics program at Queen’s, as they allow for optimal one-on-one instruction between the professor and students. The professors truly become mentors for the students, and eagerly aid them in fostering their own personal relationship with the discipline to discover which aspect of Linguistics they are most interested in and best suited for.
To complement my choice of major, I selected a minor in World Language Studies. Having studied Spanish all the way through elementary, middle, and high school, I wanted to advance my knowledge of the language in university. I opted to minor in World Language Studies rather than Spanish alone as I was intrigued by the idea of an educational environment where one could immerse themselves in various languages and cultures simultaneously. To this day, the diverse selection of language courses that the LLCU department offers continues to amaze me. The smaller class sizes are again beneficial, helping to promote a comfortable environment for learning and exploring a new language, an endeavor that can be intimidating at first.
Furthermore, the LLCU department at Queen’s has also provided me with the opportunities of being a Teaching Assistant for the LING 100 class and a Research Assistant for one of the professor’s personal studies. These positions have not only allowed me the highly rewarding experience of being able to pass on my knowledge and love for Linguistics to students first entering the university, but have also further stimulated my own interest in the domain. As such, I currently plan on obtaining a Master’s degree in Forensic Linguistics, a branch of Applied Linguistics that combines linguistic expertise with the framework of law. I am tremendously grateful to the department for equipping me with such a solid background in my area of interest, and am excited to expand my learning and love of Linguistics!"