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Modern Languages and Literatures

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We define culture broadly to include both the academic and the everyday. Guided by creative and enthusiastic faculty committed to language immersion, students explore topics ranging from literature and film to politics to cuisine. 

Language in Chicago

Because of our close ties to Chicago’s cultural institutions, students pursue internships with organizations like the Alliance Française and the Chicago Latino Film Festival. Academic excursions to immigrant neighborhoods like Chinatown and Pilsen, allow students to meet and learn from native speakers.

A Wide Range of Courses

We offer coursework in Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish as well as occasional courses in Italian and Portuguese. Most language majors and minors enhance their linguistic and cultural knowledge by taking advantage of the College’s numerous options to study and complete internships abroad.

Department News

  • Denise Kripper
    Kripper digs deep into translation studies
    Assistant Professor of Spanish and Translation Denise Kripper spent her summer gaining new translation skills and experiences that she expects to incorporate into her classes.
  • The alumni career panel for Modern Languages and Literatures.
    MLL Career Panel
    The MLL department hosted a career panel made up of recent alumni. 
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  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2264-angela-lopez"><img src="/live/image/gid/187/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/376,72,781,477/34875_bell_ringing.rev.1480714906.jpg" alt="Angela Lopez ’11" title="Angela Lopez ’11" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/187/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/376,72,781,477/34875_bell_ringing.rev.1480714906.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="716"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “Lake Forest College prepared me well for a teaching career.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/2264-angela-lopez">Learn more about Angela’s career path.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/612-ashley-gora-13"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,356,355/27643_simultaneous_interpretation_for_the_international_conference_mabi.rev.1440515072.jpg" alt="Ashley Gora ’13" title="Ashley Gora ’13" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="356" data-max-h="355"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “Faculty in the Modern Languages and Literatures department are professional and talented, yet also personable and truly care for their students.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/612-ashley-gora-13">Read more about Ashley Gora ’13</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/582-matt-demaris-12"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,289,355/27200_matt_demaris.rev.1436972894.jpg" alt="Matt DeMaris ’12" title="Matt DeMaris ’12" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="289" data-max-h="355"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> Matt DeMaris ’12 says he wouldn’t be where he is today without his French and International Relations majors. </p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/582-matt-demaris-12">Read more about why Matt chose to major in French.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2604-evelyn-s-bello-17"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,265,400/39868_evelyn-bello.rev.1507820821.jpg" alt="Evelyn S. Bello ’17" title="Evelyn S. Bello ’17" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="265" data-max-h="400"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “My professors at Lake Forest College were very approachable, so they made me comfortable talking to them whenever I wanted to.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/2604-evelyn-s-bello-17">Learn more about Evelyn’s experience at Lake Forest College.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/650-caroline-tibbetts-12"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,200,200/28857_unknown.rev.1445454689.jpeg" alt="Caroline Tibbetts ’12" title="Caroline Tibbetts ’12" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="200" data-max-h="200"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “I think nearly every professor I encountered was strong, inspiring, and impactful upon my life.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/650-caroline-tibbetts-12">Caroline Tibbetts ’12 double majored in French and communication.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/613-justin-lansing-07"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,474/27696_jl_with_banjo.rev.1440704062.jpg" alt="Justin Lansing ’07" title="Justin Lansing ’07" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="640" data-max-h="474"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “My time in Costa Rica was essential to gaining fluency in the language, and helped to open my worldview.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/613-justin-lansing-07">Learn more about Spanish and sociology major Justin Lansing ’07</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2148-lisa-pattavina-15"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1758,1678/34368_lisa_pattavina3.rev.1477320507.jpg" alt="Lisa Pattavina ’15" title="Lisa Pattavina ’15" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1758,1678/34368_lisa_pattavina3.rev.1477320507.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1758,1678/34368_lisa_pattavina3.rev.1477320507.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1758" data-max-h="1678"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p class="p1"> “I cannot emphasize how supportive the Modern Languages and Literatures Department is.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/2148-lisa-pattavina-15">Lisa Pattavina ’15 says that being a multilingual communicator has really helped her in the job market.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2105-"><img src="/live/image/gid/20/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/105,5,1172,1075/32706_bridgetkies.rev.1469475494.jpg" alt="Bridget Kies" title="Bridget Kies" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/20/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/105,5,1172,1075/32706_bridgetkies.rev.1469475494.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/20/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/105,5,1172,1075/32706_bridgetkies.rev.1469475494.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1210" data-max-h="1430"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “Don’t be afraid to let the experience profoundly change you.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/2105-">Bridget Kies ’02 is pursuing her PhD in Media, Cinema and Digital Studies after majoring in French.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/581-jonas-mikolich-11"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,335,335/27199_edited_jonas.rev.1436971926.jpg" alt="Jonas Mikolich ’11" title="Jonas Mikolich ’11" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="335" data-max-h="399"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> Jonas Mikolich uses his bachelor’s degree in Spanish and economics to work with the Mexico operations team at Coyote Logistics in Chicago.</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/581-jonas-mikolich-11">Read more about why he chose to double major in Spanish and economics.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/641-edward-yonkers-16"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1536/27957_edward_yonkers.rev.1442508159.jpg" alt="Edward Yonkers ’16" title="Edward Yonkers ’16" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1536/27957_edward_yonkers.rev.1442508159.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1536/27957_edward_yonkers.rev.1442508159.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1536"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> After studying French in high school, Edward Yonkers ’16 really wanted to learn Chinese, so he studied in China for a year!</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/641-edward-yonkers-16">In addition to Chinese, Edward also studies economics and environmental studies.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2399-tuyen-tran11"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,688,2048/36651_tuyentran.rev.1490806495.jpg" alt="Tuyen Tran’11" title="Tuyen Tran’11" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,688,2048/36651_tuyentran.rev.1490806495.jpg 2x" data-max-w="688" data-max-h="2048"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “Not sure where I would be without my connections to the Forester community. Use the Career Advancement Center – I think I’ve actually contacted them more times after I graduated than while I was a student…”</p><p>  </p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/2399-tuyen-tran11">Tuyen studied International Relations, French, and Business at Lake Forest College. </a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1510-benedetta-borri-15"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,897,1261/31844_sstory_rome.benedetta2.rev.1461699247.jpg" alt="Benedetta Borri ’15" title="Benedetta Borri ’15" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,897,1261/31844_sstory_rome.benedetta2.rev.1461699247.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,897,1261/31844_sstory_rome.benedetta2.rev.1461699247.jpg 3x" data-max-w="897" data-max-h="1261"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “The College gave me not only a place to <em>cultivate my interests</em>, but the unique opportunity to <strong>travel abroad</strong>, to build n<strong>etworks of friendship overseas</strong>, and to <strong>develop a strong cultural sensitivity</strong>.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/1510-benedetta-borri-15">Benedetta works at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs after studying Chinese. </a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1508-matthew-spehlmann-16"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,1203/31831_spanishstudent.rev.1461595258.jpg" alt="Matthew Spehlmann ’16" title="Matthew Spehlmann ’16" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,1203/31831_spanishstudent.rev.1461595258.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,1203/31831_spanishstudent.rev.1461595258.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1200" data-max-h="1600"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “The Spanish professors imparted the friendliness and encouraging spirit that is so characteristic of Spanish-speaking people.” </p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/1508-matthew-spehlmann-16">Matthew Spehlmann ’16 studied economics, Spanish, and computer science.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/601-alli-chase-11"><img src="/live/image/gid/64/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,377,392/8007_alli_chase_cropped.rev.1386278780.jpg" alt="Alli Chase ’11" title="Alli Chase ’11" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="377" data-max-h="392"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> “Because of the support I had from my professors and advisors I was able to flourish to my absolute potential.”</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/601-alli-chase-11">Today, Alli Chase ’11 uses her Spanish skills as an emergency room nurse at a top hospital.</a>
  • <span class="lw_profiles_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/604-camille-lemieux-17"><img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/242/height/242/crop/1/src_region/0,0,163,163/37758_c_lemieux_graduation_photo-crop2.rev.1496674797.png" alt="Camille Lemieux ’17" title="Camille Lemieux ’17" class="lw_image" width="242" height="242" data-max-w="163" data-max-h="163"/></a></span></span><div class="quote"><p> Camille Lemieux ’17 is making big strides in her career goal of becoming a language education professor at a research university.</p></div><a class="recruit-link" href="/live/profiles/604-camille-lemieux-17">Read more about what Camille is doing now</a>

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