“I love the process of learning a language. One word or grammatical structure unlocks a whole array of thoughts and feelings that can be expressed,” he said.��

An aspiring physician, Amirneni believes an understanding of multiple languages and cultures will help him connect with a diverse range of patients, whether they speak Spanish, Hindi or his native language, Telugu, spoken in southern India.

Amirneni’s desire to provide compassionate medical care for people from different cultures drove him to complete his Bachelor of Arts in both Biology and Spanish from��.��

Originally from Aldie, VA, Amirneni solidified the language skills he studied at UofL through study abroad programs in Mexico and India, as well as a medical Spanish immersion program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His experience in a Spanish-speaking hospital environment while in Buenos Aires provided him with practical knowledge that will particularly apply to the medical field.

“Being in a hospital where people spoke only Spanish was crucial for understanding how words are used in real life.��Shadowing in another language would only be possible while abroad,”��Amirneni said.��

The real-life application of his language skills in a medical setting allowed him to grasp medical terms and colloquial language that are essential for effective patient care. The chance to observe firsthand the benefits of public health initiatives in Buenos Aires also inspired Amirneni to pursue public health as well as medicine.��

“Being part of Argentina’s public health care system cemented my desire to work on health policy,”��he said.��

As a result, Amirneni plans to earn a dual medical doctor and master of public health degree (MD/MPH) at the University of Miami. In fact, part of the reason he chose Miami was because of the city’s large and diverse population, which will offer additional immersive experience with multiple languages and cultures.

While at UofL, Amirneni shared his expertise in study abroad programs with other UofL students by working as a peer adviser in the��. He also provided academic support for students in biology and chemistry as a structured learning assistant at��.��

“It’s great to connect with younger students and converting complicated topics into an understandable form,” he said.��

He also worked as a substitute teacher for JCPS, where his favorite classes to teach were English as a Second Language. He said the Spanish-speaking students were always excited to chat with him in their own language.

In recognition of his academic excellence, campus activities and community service, Amirneni was one of two seniors who received the 2025 Cardinal Award from the Student Activities Board.��

.��

That decision sparked��an even bigger��passion for travel that would��take��Berry��beyond UofL’s campus and��shape her academic career. It led her to��study abroad twice��(first in San Sebastián, Spain and again in��Puntarenas, Costa Rica),��and��graduate��in 2018��with��two bachelor’s degrees��and��a��minor��–��all during her undergraduate career.��

Now,��Berry��has earned��a��master of arts��in political science��and plans to��continue��her��journey��as a Cardinal this fall at the Brandeis School of Law on an almost��full–tuition scholarship.��

All of her travel opportunities and��academic��experiences stemmed from a decision to attend��the��School of Music.��

“I knew in high school that I wanted part of my college education to involve music, and UofL’s��School of��Music is the best in the state,”��Berry said.��“I attended the Governor’s School for the Arts in high school, so UofL offered me the Trustee’s Scholarship.��And when I toured UofL, I fell in love with the close-knit feeling of campus and I could see myself growing as a student and community member here.”��

Berry��did indeed grow as a student at UofL and��earned��a��bachelor of��arts��in��music,��a��bachelor of��arts��in��psychology��and��a��minor in Spanish,��in addition to��her participation in two study abroad programs.��She decided to first study abroad in San Sebastián, Spain during her sophomore year in 2016 to immerse herself in a Spanish-speaking country and help her earn her degree’s language requirement.����

“Because that specific program in Spain offered an intensive Spanish language track that allowed me to take 14 credit hours of Spanish in one semester, I thought that would be the best way for me to effectively learn the language and finish my language requirement for my BA in psychology all at once,” Berry said.��

While in Spain, Berry also took a Psychology of Religion and Spirituality class and taught English in two local schools. Her experience in Spain helped her fall in love with the Spanish language and encouraged her to continue��honing her Spanish skills��when she returned home,��eventually��leading to her second study abroad adventure, this time as a senior in 2018.��

“I studied abroad in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, because I wanted to continue my Spanish language education, but I wanted a different cultural experience from what I had in Spain,” Berry said. “This program had a really interesting Central American Literature class that was taught entirely in Spanish. I wanted a Spanish class that would challenge my language abilities and wasn’t just focused on grammar.”��

When she returned��to UofL��from��her first study abroad in��Spain, Berry decided she wanted to work as a peer ambassador within the Office of Study Abroad and International Travel to help others achieve their study abroad goals and continued her work with the office as a graduate assistant while earning her master’s degree.��

“Working for the study abroad office as a��peer ambassador��and graduate assistant gave me the chance to share my story and helped to grow my leadership, presentation and communication skills,” Berry said.��“The staff at the office became more like mentors to me, and I’ll always be grateful for my time there.”��

Berry credits early planning and the help of the study abroad office and��her��advisors for helping her achieve her academic goals.����

“It definitely was difficult to fit everything��in, but��studying abroad as a sophomore allowed me to have the time to study abroad one more time,” Berry said.��“I expressed interest in studying abroad to all of my academic advisors and kept them in the loop with all my plans. It takes effort and careful planning, but UofL has tons of resources to make it easier for you.”��

While fitting in two degrees��and��a minor, along with two study abroad semesters, earning a master’s degree and��gaining��entrance into law school are all��great��feats��to accomplish, Berry��is��proudest of the connections she��made across the globe and the resiliency she learned through her travels.��

“I am��so��proud of the relationships I have built and grown throughout everything I have experienced,” Berry said.��“My family has been nothing but supportive, and I now have people from all over the country and the world that I can call my friends.

“Studying abroad changes your life in so many ways. It helps you learn how to navigate difficult situations where you might not know what to do and improves your resilience.��You learn about cultures unlike your own and you honestly just learn that this world is a much smaller place than we think it is.” ��

KRM is a nonprofit organization in Louisville dedicated to providing resettlement services to refugees through faith-and agency-based co-sponsorship in order to promote self-sufficiency and successful integration into the community.

As part of that internship, Werner worked as a Spanish ESL instructor for Cuban refugees and also did some interpretation work for her students. In the spring, when the pandemic accelerated, Werner had to leave the classroom and the face-to-face work she was doing with students, switching to other tasks that do not require direct contact.����

“I primarily conducted practice interviews for the citizenship test with refugees via telephone. I also utilized Spanish interpreting skills during the interviews. I worked remotely from my back porch. It was definitely an adjustment. I am grateful, however, that I was able to continue my work remotely, despite the crisis,” Werner said.

Werner, who is an honors student studying communication with a minor in Spanish, says the internship with Kentucky Refugee Ministries has greatly benefited her as she prepares for life after her May 2021 graduation.

“My Spanish speaking skills have improved and my interpersonal communication skills have been refined. As a Communications major and Spanish minor, I believe this internship has also aided me in seriously considering my career path,” she said. “I plan on entering the public relations and sales field, while also utilizing my Spanish speaking abilities. I am hoping medical interpreting, alongside medical sales will provide me with both aspects.”

It was UofL’s strong communication and foreign language departments that drew Werner to campus in the first place. As for this internship, beyond helping her developing a stronger professional skillset, it has also helped Werner develop soft skills and find a purpose.

“Every day I entered my ESL classroom or picked up the telephone to conduct an interview, I have been overwhelmed with joy. It has been a fulfilling opportunity to contribute to the needs of refugees,” she said. “My cultural awareness and overall perspective have been enhanced by my hardworking, humorous and resilient students.”

Story written by Stuart Esrock, associate professor in the Department of Communications. Contributions from Alicia Kelso, OCM.��