“IFLI gave me the resources and support to speak confidently in a language I had never previously studied. IFLI not only made my language goals a reality, the program did it much faster than I ever expected.”
-IFLI 2020 Student
IFLI Alumni: Where Are They Now?
Name: Michael Verrier (He/His)
Year of program: 2018
Were you a Boren Scholar or Fellow? Fellow
What was your major/field of study? Geology/Homeland Security dual masters
(*survey completed in October 2021*)
Where are you now? Describe your career/study path since completing the RFLI program. Emergency Management Specialist, Individual and Community Preparedness Division, National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA
How did your education and experience in the RFLI program enhance or change your career path?
The service benefit from the Boren directly led to my current career with the Federal Government. I applied for my position through the NSEP platform following my return to the US.
What advice would you give to prospective RFLI participants?
Spend as much time as possible ‘in the language’ and always push your vocabulary to it’s limits. It’s much better to try and miss the mark and learn than to not speak at all. Make small talk, read, do hobbies, think, and dream in your Boren language!
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Name:
Camille Bismonte
Year of program:
2019
Were you a Boren Scholar or Fellow?
Scholar
What was your major/field of study?
Economics
(*survey completed in January 2021*)
Where are you now? Describe your career/study path since completing the RFLI program.
I am currently interning at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Southeast Asia Program in Washington, D.C. while finishing my final year at Georgetown University. For this program in particular, proficiency in a Southeast Asian language is preferred, so my Indonesian is a tremendous help for my daily research and tasks.
How did your education and experience in the RFLI program enhance or change your career path?
While I was in the IFLI program, I was able to become ACTFL Advanced/ILR 2+, which gave me the confidence to speak Indonesian at a professional level. Instead of taking more Indonesian language and cultural classes as my focus for the following semester, I interned at the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), a think tank in Jakarta that focused on internationalism and foreign policy. Although I had applied for IFLI with the intention of focusing on environmental sustainability, I later found that geopolitics and high-level intellectual discourse about diplomacy and economic statecraft was something I wanted to explore more! I loved my experience in IFLI, especially since it empowered me to work in Indonesian in the workplace.
What advice would you give to prospective RFLI participants?
Go out of your comfort zone! I had to make a conscious effort to reach out to friends and organizations in the university so I can practice my formal and colloquial Indonesian. Even though I felt like I had done a lot of work in the classroom, going to the workplace also made me realize how much slang or pop culture references I did not know. It’s easy to spend a lot of time with your cohort, but I encourage you to spend more time with your host families and language partners if you can make it a priority.
2018 IFLI Boren Scholar
On a Boren Scholarship, Betty Nen studied Indonesian at IFLI in 2018. Check out her short film below that highlights her experiences at IFLI!
2019 IFLI Boren Scholar
IFLI alumni, Lisey (Elisebeth) Doty, participated in the Indonesian language competitions, sponsored by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Washington DC and the Consortium for the Teaching of Indonesian (COTI), on December 10 & 12, 2020.
She decidedly won four awards!!
1. First place in the Academic Paper competition
2. First place in the Poetry Writing and Reading competition
3. Winner of the Audience Favorite Award for both categories above
Watch Lisey’s interview on the SEA Morning Show highlighting Bahasa Indonesia, discussing her time with IFLI, and stating why she believes it’s important to learn this critical language!
Important Links
Comments from IFLI Alumni
“I loved my IFLI class and cohort. My Language Partner allowed me to learn how to converse with individuals my age about relevant topics.”
“Though no one expected these circumstances, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my last 8 weeks of virtual-IFLI. I really enjoyed forming new friendships and observing my rapid language improvement thanks to help from our patient, kind instructors and my awesome language partner. ”
“Bagus sekali.”
“[I] don’t know where else I’d have learned so much so quickly.”
“IFLI: Jauh di mata, dekat di hati.”
“IFLI is a great opportunity for truly delving into the languages and cultures of Indonesia.”
“This program was one of the best things I’ve done. I feel that my instructors and language partners pushed me out of my comfort zone to truly learn the basics of the language and improve my skills. I feel that the immersive experience next year will be even better, especially since the remote version was still very enjoyable. I am very excited to continue my Indonesian studies, as I really love how beautiful this language is, along with the culture. I met some great people who are just as interested and passionate, which has really encouraged me to keep studying. I feel that this program has helped me realize that my efforts in language learning are worth it, due to the progress I’ve made.”
“[IFLI] is a whirlwind but you will really grow in your language abilities.”
Want to share your experience with IFLI and be featured on our ‘Student Voices’ page? Email us at: ifli@lpo.wisc.edu