Modern Languages student appointed to role in Foreign and Commonwealth Office

We’ve recently heard the great news that one of our final year students, Alexia Cowley has been appointed to a role in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

We caught up with Alexia to find out more about her new job and the way she feels Cardiff University contributed to her career.

Congratulations on your new role Alexia! Tell us more!I am going to be a Student Ambassador for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The main purpose of the role is to provide foreign travel advice to British citizens going abroad. I will write articles providing important information and advice as part of their ‘Know before you go’ campaign which has been designed to make sure travellers have researched their destination before they travel abroad.

I will also provide advice for students at Cardiff University, particularly languages students, who will be going on their Year Abroad. I am lucky enough to be taking part in journalism training in September at the Foreign and Commonwealth head office in Whitehall, London. After the training I shall then be writing on their behalf and conducting talks during my final year at Cardiff.

I found out about this fantastic opportunity through my French lecturer Cathy Molinaro at the School of Modern Languages.

You’ve been studying at Cardiff University since 2012. Tell us more about your time at the School of Modern Languages.My course is BA Joint Honours English Language & German. I have just completed my third year, abroad in Berlin, and I will be returning to Cardiff for my final year in September. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Cardiff University studying German. The quality of teaching is very high with great interactive classes I like the fact that modern languages here at Cardiff encompass a vast choice of content- language, literature, history and politics.

Would you say that your studies and experiences at Cardiff University contributed to you being appointed in your new role? If so, how?Definitely! Studying at Cardiff has opened so many doors for me. My degree choice enabled me to study in Berlin which I think has really made me grow as a person. During my Year Abroad, I was given the opportunity to blog for the university. I used this time to write about my experiences in Berlin and I realised how much I love to write. Certainly, I would not have been appointed to my new role without this opportunity as it was a core requirement to already be writing for a student media outlet. Everything fell into place at the right time. I have been given so much academic and social support at Cardiff which has really boosted my self-esteem. I have had so many positive experiences, both inside and outside the classroom. All of these factors combined have contributed to me being appointed into my new role, for which I will always be thankful.