Careers

What kind of career can you get with language skills? As the alumni profiles below demonstrate, language study can take you just about anywhere!

Technical Outbound Sourcer, Uber

Madeline Galiani

Madeline Galiani, '16

Majored in: Spanish, Business
Languages: Spanish

Madeline's dual degree in Spanish and Business prepared her to work as a study abroad ambassador after college at Global Education Oregon. Part of her work there involved revamping the company's website, which eventually led her to her next position in IT as a recruiter at Uber and then to her current job there as a technical outbound sourcer. Her work at Uber combines her education from UO, early professional skills gained as an event planning intern while at UO, and subsequent jobs in both recruiting and IT. Madeline credits her Spanish skills for broadening her education, personal life and job opportunities throughout her career.

Research Assistant, Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas

Katalin Plummer

Katalin Plummer, ’16

Majored in: Marine Biology, Spanish  Minored in: Theatre Arts
Language: Spanish

As a double major in Marine Biology and Spanish, Katalin honed both scientific research and language skills—and both have proven essential in her current job, conducting laboratory and field work as a research assistant at the coastal marine station for the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. As a UO student, she was also a member of Mind the Gap, an a cappella singing group.

Cardiovascular Intensive Care Registered Nurse, Providence Health Services

Riley Clingman

Riley Clingman, '11

Majored in: Spanish, International Studies  Minored in: Business Administration 
Language: Spanish

With an unusual combination of degrees in Spanish, International Studies and Business, Riley started working immediately after graduation at Oregon Health and Science University. While there, he was an office assistant in the surgery department and a patient resource specialist. This inspired him to go back to school to become a registered nurse (R.N.). He now works at Providence, a major hospital in Portland, as a cardiovascular intensive care registered nurse. Riley's draws motivation for working in the healthcare industry from the compassionate care his father received when suffering from multiple myeloma in 2015, and he now delivers critical life-saving support and treatment to cardiac patients.

Policy Director, ACLU of Idaho

Kathy Griesmyer

Kathy Griesmyer, '10

Majored in: Spanish, International Studies 
Language: Spanish 

Kathy got a jumpstart on her career before she even left UO. While here, she was a human rights intern, and immediately after graduation worked as a civic engagement intern. She later developed her leadership skills at the Western Institute for Leadership Development, and eventually made her way to ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) Idaho. Eight years ago, she started as an office manager and program coordinator, and is now the policy director, which means she develops and implements the organization's legislative and public policy agenda. Kathy's Spanish skills have helped her to provide bilingual services on immigration reform and communicate to Latinx community members about voting rights and labor issues.

Assistant Director, Centro Latino Americano

Trevor Whitbread

Trevor Whitbread ’09

Majored in: Spanish, Humanities  Minored in: Latin American Studies
Language: Spanish

For Centro Latino Americano, a Eugene non-profit serving the local Latino community, Trevor manages several of the agency’s services: mental health, alcohol and addictions, youth mentoring, and translation. He has both a BA and MA in Spanish literature and, as a graduate student, was program assistant for the UO’s Spanish Heritage Program.