In Russian we do more than just teach you a language. We offer undergraduate programs and courses in German literature, culture and language, German for business and commerce, and Russian literature, language and culture. We also offer excellent opportunities to sharpen your language skills and experience their cultures first hand with programs delivered in Heidelberg, St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod. The knowledge of two or three languages is vital in today's global environment. Training in German and Russian helps prepare students for careers in international business, the foreign service, the publishing industry, as translators, and in international law to name just a few.
Dawn Corbett was born and raised in St. John’s, NL and apart from a brief 14-month stint living in Saskatchewan, she has lived in Newfoundland her entire life. She graduated from Memorial in October 2012 with a major in Russian and a sociology minor and continues to take courses for personal interest. She is currently employed as a delivery services coordinator at DELTS (Memorial’s Distance, Education, Learning & Teaching Support unit). In this position she oversees the coordination of all exams for students registered in online courses.
What would your undergraduate self think of your current job?I think that my undergrad self would be proud that now I am helping students on their path to completing their undergrad degree. I also think that my undergrad self would be surprised that I work in an office setting and I’m not travelling around the world for a living.
What was your biggest challenge when arriving at university and how did you address this?My biggest challenge when I first arrived at university was feeling like a very tiny fish in a huge pond. I grew up in St. John’s and went through K-12 with the same classmates. When I came to university and hardly saw any recognizable faces, it was very overwhelming and I questioned my presence here. Thankfully once I settled in that feeling passed.
What resources did you use while at Memorial?While attending Memorial, individuals at CDEL helped me polish my resume and offered career advice while I was debating the path I wanted to take while I was here. The team at the Registrar’s Office were only too happy to help when I had course questions. Student Affairs and Services offered an introductory non-credit course to help students ease the transition from high school to university that I found very helpful as well!
Did you ever meet with advisors, faculty or staff while a student?I met with a career advisor in CDEL when I was questioning the path I should take in my degree program. I questioned what I could do with an Arts degree, because at the time it wasn’t clear to me. I mean when you graduate with an engineering degree you are an engineer, when you graduate with a nursing degree, you are a nurse, but what are you with an Arts degree? The answer I received has stuck with me for 15 years. I was told that completing an Arts degree gives you versatility because there is a multitude of jobs and career paths one can follow with an Arts degree, I will never be confined to just one career path or one career, I can move around and try new things and explore areas of interest. It is perhaps the most versatile degree you can get! I also met with faculty members who were instructing the courses I was enrolled in as well as people from the Registrar’s Office when I had registration questions.
How did your extracurricular activities (on and off campus) influence your success?In 2001 I was an orientation leader for new students starting at Memorial for the fall semester. It was very rewarding to be able to ease the concerns of some of the students who had the same overwhelmed look on their faces that I had when I first started university. It was nice to be able to “show them the ropes” and provide useful knowledge to them that I may not have known when I first started university.
Was there an experience you had during your university years that influenced or put you on a path to your current career?I think that all of my experiences big and small, positive and negative put me on the path to my current career. I believe that all experiences help shape us to the current version of ourselves. I currently work with Distance Education, Learning & Teaching Support in the delivery services coordinator role. On a daily basis I have the opportunity to interact with students in some way shape or form and I always try to remember the lessons I have learned from my positive and negative experiences as a student so that I can ensure the students I help have a positive experience.
Did you participate in a study abroad program?I took part in a study abroad program with the Russian department. I spent four weeks during the summer of 2000 living with a Russian family in Pushkin, Russia. We were a short distance from St. Petersburg and we spent a lot of time there, we even got to go on the museum ship Aurora. The gun of this ship fired a blank shot to indicate the attack of the Winter Palace that began the October Revolution of 1917. We also visited Moscow, Valaam and Veliky Novgorod. It was amazing to see so many of the sites we discussed in our Russian history classes. To visit Red Square and the Lenin mausoleum was an experience I will never forget. It was incredible to see someone who played such a major role in Russian history.
What advice do you have for undergraduate students?Just breathe and try not to be overwhelmed. Each semester gets better and there is a huge Memorial community who is here to help you. Make sure that when you have a question or concern you ask for help. Memorial is a great place to attend university and I am so proud that I am an alumna of this institution. I loved it so much that I came back to work here ☺
Make sure that you are preparing for your future but do it in a way that you get to study things that genuinely interest you.