Alexandria M’s Story

Alexandria Malfitano
Class of 2015
Major: Linguistics
Minors: Korean Studies and Education

I decided on my career path after incorporating what I had a passion for doing with the things I loved learning.  A love for learning languages and about new cultures paired with a drive to work with students led me to pursue a path that would allow me to share my love of languages by teaching English in another country.

I overcame most obstacles thrown my way by networking and talking to people.  If I was stuck, there were always people around who were happy to give advice and help get me on the right path.

If you as a student are struggling, branch out.  Go and talk to different professors, students, and other university workers.  The more people I told my story to, the more I found outlets and support to help me get through tough and trying times.  Talking to people is more helpful than you might think.

Getting involved with student life helped open up a lot of doors academically and socially which are both important.  Going to different UAlbany events helped me connect with other students and some staff members in a constructive environment.  Being able to make connections while also having a good time took off a lot of pressure that comes with being in a new place, and definitely got me kick started with involvement.

All incoming students should know that they are not alone, and that just because you’re new to the school does not mean that there are less open doors.  There are so many different resources and groups at this school, finding your niche is just a matter of putting yourself out there and daring to try something new.