Leslie De Leon
Why did you decide to become an Italian major?
At first it was a convenient path; I was an art history major focusing on the Italian Renaissance, thus double-majoring in Italian seemed like an organic combination. After a few classes, I realized that double-majoring in Italian Cultural Students did more than advanced my understanding of the historical and socio-political undertones of the art I spent hours researching—it also helped me build a global mindset and perspective that has helped me beyond my years at Wellesley.
How did it shape your time at Wellesley?
Academics aside for a moment, the Italian department became a true source of support for me. I was a first-generation college student, and while I loved Wellesley, I often felt like I was navigating uncharted territory. The Italian Department became a haven for me—the Professors and fellow students always provided me with encouragement and went the extra mile to make sure I could learn and experience all that Wellesley had to offer. I made life-long friends during experiential learning trips to Bologna and Rome—I even reunited with Bologna friends 9 years after the ECCO program. Jessica Rossi, the Italian exchange student-teacher assistant during my senior, is still one of my best friends (in picture, catching an aperitvo in Washington, DC, years later). Academically, as an Italian major, I had the opportunity to become a substantive expert on an uncommon topic, and it allowed me to develop a distinctive professional identity as I planned to pursuit a doctorate in art history. The small classes were the best—no slackers allowed because it was pretty noticeable if you didn’t do your readings in a four-person class, but those were some of the best discussions I’ve had--can I go back?!
How has it influenced your life after Wellesley?
Almost 10 years after graduation, and even though I ended up in a career not related to art history or Italian, I can point to specific skills that were cultivated in my Italian courses that continue to help me grow in my profession. Sure, business school, for example, would have been a little easier had I squeezed in a couple of econ and stats courses, but nothing was more helpful than the skills I learned in Italian class—being an active listener, open-minded, intellectually curious about the world around me, and not being afraid of writing more than a paragraph (even in another language!). In most MBA programs, one of the last big projects involves working pro bono as a student consultant for an international organization. As fate would have it, my teamand I were given a project based out of Milan and Bologna—LLG, two beauty retailers undergoing a merger. I immediately recognized the companies—Limoni and La Gardenia--from my time in Bologna. It was the first time the firms had worked with an American student consulting group, and the firm’s employees were impressed (ok, more like surprised) by my fluency and knowledge of the Italian market. Plus, I even got to take my classmates on a personalized, not-your-tourist tour of Bologna—thank you, ECCO!
From striking up conversations with Uber drivers in Italian, to engaging in debates about Italian consumers and European politics with friends and colleagues, I owe my unique professional and personal identity to the transformative experiences the Italian department so meticulously--and lovingly--curated for Wellesley students like you and me.