Emily Rienks '21
My favorite Grand Valley memories are being down on the sideline for Laker football games cheering the team on for many Grand Valley Victories. Watching football from anywhere but the sideline will never be the same!
Modern Languages and Literatures Career Guide
Explore Options: A Menu of Major-Specific Experiences and Sampling of Related Career Paths
Academic Resources
Explore Modern Languages and Literatures academic resources designed to support your academic goals!
Feeling like you don't know what to do with all of this great information? We highly encourage to make an appointment with your academic advisor and career advisor. Another great starting point is the Self-Guided Career Exploration Tool.
Career Resources
Unlock career potential in Modern Languages and Literatures! Discover resources to maximize your professional trajectory.
Menu of Experiences
Sample Modern Languages and Literatures Internship Sites
Internships provide a way for you to get hands-on, supervised experience in the world of work. You are able to apply the concepts you are learning in the classroom to a work environment.
- Bethany Christian Services
- Roosevelt Park Ministries
- Hispanic Center of Western Michigan
- Affinity Mentoring
- Catholic Charities of West Michigan
- Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP)
- Samaritas
- Degage Ministries
- Booking.com
Join a Student Organization
Get involved with a student organization related to your major. Student orgs are a great way to get connected and explore career options!
- Chinese Club
- Arab Culture Club
- French Club
- German Club
- Japan Club
- Italian Club
Relevant Courses and Certificates for Building Skills
Developing the relevant skills that employers seek is an essential component of a student's education. GVSU students should consider strategic elective courses and certificates to pair with their major in order to gain additional skills.
Community Service Opportunities
Seek volunteer opportunities related to the field you're exploring as a way of testing out future careers.
The Civic Engagement Center keeps a list of current volunteer opportunities updated on their website. There are ongoing opportunities on a continuous basis, as well as on-campus and off-campus opportunities posted as they become available.
Civic Engagement Center
Modern Languages and Literatures Study Abroad Options
Through study abroad you’ll also set yourself apart from other job-seekers and graduate-school applicants in an increasingly competitive market.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Pursuing academic, creative, and research experiences and projects outside the classroom is an excellent way to learn new skills and build a body of work in your field.
Fellowship Opportunities
Fellowships are high-impact, potentially life-changing opportunities for students and alumni, opening doors to careers in public service, advanced academic study, foreign service, international teaching, and other career and service pathways into meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Modern Languages and Literatures Spotlights
Kraig Lee Whitmyer '18
My favorite memory of GVSU is enjoying my first Laker bowl celebration with my Freshmen roommates after our Come Sail Away jam session with T-Haas at the Fieldhouse.
Austin Langlois '13
A huge part of my experience at GVSU was working as a tour guide in Admissions. I started as a Freshman and ended up giving tours until I graduated.
Where Alumni Have Landed
- Medical Interpreter – Voices for Health
- Behavior Therapist – A&C Behavioral Solutions
- Project Coordinator – SalesPad
- AmeriCorps ESL Instructor – Literacy Center of West Michigan
- Intake Specialist/Plan B Coordinator – Health Net of West Michigan
- Talent Acquisition Specialist –SpartanNash
- Training Coordinator – Peterson Farms, Inc.
- Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher – Teach for America
- Account Manager – Olivier-VanDyk Insurance Agency
- Sales Operations Specialist – FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
- Customer Care Executive – Booking.com
- Freelance Translator – Various Organizations
- Buyer – Meijer
- Product Brand Manager –Daymon Worldwide
- Social Media Marketing Manager – Le Bon Macaron
- Dispatcher and Communications Specialist – Grand Valley Police Department
Attend Events
Career Community- Communication & the Arts
GVSU Winter 2026 Career and Internship Fair
February 19, 2026 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The Winter Career & Internship Fair is an excellent place to kick off your job or internship search, or to begin networking with organizations looking to hire Grand Valley students and alumni...
Consider joining the Communication and the Arts Career Community or any other Career Community you are interested in!
Beyond Undergraduate: Graduate or Professional Programs
Students with an MLL degree may continue on to a graduate program. Here are some examples of programs students have pursued:
- Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
- Master of Arts (MA) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) / English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
- Master of Arts in Strategic Communication
- Public Policy/Administration (with an international focus)
- Law
Discover More
Join a Career Community
Check out our podcast!
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Career Center Resources
Looking for other career resources? The Career Center Resources page contains resources related to careers, resumes, internships, job search, interviewing, networking, and more.