Joe studying abroad in France.Joe, Alumnus (B.A., Spring 2007)

Meet Joe. He’s the kind of guy who makes friends easily, and now he has friends at Western, in France and in Spain.

In summer 2006, Joe packed a suitcase and headed overseas on a study abroad trip to experience first-hand what he has been studying and what he will be teaching – French and Spanish.

“I LOVE traveling and experiencing life,” he said. "I felt so comfortable there. It changed my life, and it is definately something everyone should do."

How did you decide on your double major in French and Spanish?

“I selected my first major because I got tendonitis my senior year of high school and was incapable of playing music, which I had wanted to major in. So another subject I was involved in, and loved, was French. I have always had a love of teaching, and have always wanted to teach; all that changed was what I was going to teach. My second major was chosen to make me more marketable to schools.”

Joe sitting at a desk during a French class.Why did you choose Western?

“To be honest, Western was last on my list. It was too far away and not many of my friends were planning to come here. My parents and I visited several schools. I didn’t want to go to Western, but out of respect for my father I took a trip to the school. After not saying much the whole day, I got in the car to go home and told my parents, ‘I’m going here.’

“I loved Western. Everything, the town and the campus, was just so beautiful that I had to be a part of it. Almost five years later, I am still in love with the school and the surroundings. It was definitely the best decision I have ever made.”

Did anything surprise you about Western?

Even though Western is in such a small town there are a lot of students from the Chicagoland area.

What extracurricular activities do you participate in?

Joe hamming it up in the hallway of Morgan Hall.I have been a member of College Democrats and the CAS (College of Arts & Sciences) Student Council. I have been active in campus ministry, and I portrayed Rocky at women’s volleyball games. I am currently involved in the American Association of Teachers of French, The Knights of Columbus and Alpha Mu Gamma. I have been known to attend football games from time to time, as well. I believe extracurricular activities are part of the American college experience. I think students should support their school and get active.

What's next for you, and what are your career goals?

It's still up in the air. It looks like I may stay in Macomb and do graduate work through universities in Thailand and/or France. The eventual plan is to acquire my Ph.D. and become a university professor in French, Spanish and computer-assisted learning.