In “I’m So Sorry, English is not my First Language” Robert Zatryb, a PhD Candidate in German Studies and Applied Linguistics shares his strong support of multilingual writers who often find themselves in positions of having to excuse their non-English backgrounds. Quite to the contrary, Zatryb argues, we should all support their expertise:

“I come from a culture where multilingualism is cherished and learning languages holds a very important place in the educational system. This is why I was surprised to find out that, in the US, multilingualism is swept under the rug, avoided and omitted in the professional context. A language skills section, something obligatory in every CV and resume outside of the US, is sometimes absent from the curricula vitae of faculty members at US universities, even those faculty who work in departments that teach languages. The defaultness to a monolingual English-speaking setting is overwhelming. Multilingual abilities, on the other hand, are undervalued and underappreciated. Using languages other than English in public spaces is perceived as unprofessional. At the UConn Writing Center, we decided that it needed to change.”

Read his entire article to see how he has helped to expand the UConn Writing Center’s services to include and support multilinguals!

Congratulations!