Dwiveck Custodio

M.A. Romance Languages with a concentration in Italian & Spanish Literature '12. Currently HR & Talent Coordinator at Mission Montessori in San Francisco, CA.

A memorable international experience at Georgia was participating in classes and events, which brought me in contact with inspiring individuals from around the world. I learned not just about the cultures surrounding the languages and literatures I was studying in my courses, but also about those of the people I was interacting with both within the University and out in the larger community. Together we celebrated our differences for the ways in which they enrich our lives, and shared and strengthened our devotion to the study of how words and people shape one another.

Studying language, literature, and culture at Georgia prepared me for a career in education in internationally diverse settings across various countries. At UGA where I had my first experience as a teacher I started out terrified, but gained skills and confidence thanks to the feedback and extraordinary support given by the other faculty at the Department of Romance Languages. Throughout my journey as an Italian instructor, I learned about curriculum development, how to keep students intrinsically motivated and engaged in their learning with meaningful work and by connecting the topics we explored with the world outside our classrooms, and collaboration. Meanwhile, my literature courses and the colloquia I attended provided me with the opportunity to take my love of reading and writing beyond paper, and use it to expand my understanding of the world and human relationships. One of the authors whose work I immersed myself in most was Luigi Pirandello, whose pieces were deeply psychological in nature. Our class discussions on these and other literary works led me to develop a better understanding of why we humans behave as we do and how we interrelate as a society. Listening to others’ research and talking through ideas widened my perspectives, encouraged me to think more creatively, and pushed me to ask questions. Opening ourselves up to diverse groups of people and books that offer immensely different points of views helps us communicate more effectively, be more compassionate, grow, and adapt. The skills I learned in this program are invaluable to me every time I help children learn about diversity, lead a team in which individuals come from different backgrounds and have different communication styles, or teach—especially in a language immersion setting.

I encourage students at Georgia today to take advantage of all the conferences and colloquia, pursue teaching or research assistant opportunities, and turn to their professors and peers with questions—they are great resources and will give insightful advice. The Department of Romance Languages is brimming with people who are excited to guide those who join them and to learn together.