Putting Your Langagues to Work: 2026 Virtual Alumni Panel

A virtual panel organized by the 2025-26 DCII Research Cluster on Global Literacy and Languages for Specific Purposes and Pathways to Business & Industry.

Panelists:

Nia Kamau (’22) – Nia Kamau graduated in 2022 with BAs in Human Rights and International Studies and minors in Arabic, Public Policy & International Affairs, and Economics. Nia traveled on a World Languages study abroad program to Morocco, Tunisia, and France and also completed a WL Internship at the Texas Muslim Women's Foundation. After graduating from SMU, Nia was a recipient of the State Department Pickering Fellowship, through which she completed a Master of Public Policy at Yale University and is currently working in the Ivory Coast at U.S. Embassy Abidjan as a diplomat.

Madeline Payne ('22) is a PhD candidate in Ecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, advised by Dr. Joel Fodrie. She received a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in World Languages, with concentrations in Chinese and Arabic, from Southern Methodist University. Her current work focuses on the economic and ecological role of coastal foundation species (e.g., seagrasses) and the impacts of climate change on the range of these species. Passionate about bridging the gap between science and local communities, she has participated in Letters to a Pre-Scientist, written for NC Sea Grant's Hook, Line and Science blog, and currently serves on the planning team for the Scientific Research and Education Network (SciREN Coast).

Dominic Lorenzi ('22) – Dominic Lorenzi graduated in 2022 with a B.A. in Biology and a B.S. in Economics with Financial Applications, in addition to a Minor in Italian. Notably, Dominic took his first Italian class during a summer abroad in Italy. He went on to complete a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Columbia University, where he served as the President of Columbia Healthcare Ventures. Dominic has worked as an Operations Manager for Wander Health, a HealthTech startup connecting travelers with trusted and vetted doctors around the world; he currently works as a Biotech Equity Researcher at Piper Sandler based in New York.

Anish Senthilkumar (’25) - Anish Senthilkumar graduated in 2025 with majors in Economics with Financial Applications, French, and Public Policy, along with minors in Data Science and a selective minor in Public Policy and International Affairs through SMU’s NexPoint Tower Scholar program. During his time at SMU, he studied abroad, conducted academic research on French politics, interned at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and was a recipient of the Big Ideas Award and the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship. Anish currently works as an Analyst at Goldman Sachs.

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Aria Z Cabot
Co-hosted with: Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute, Hegi Family Career Development Center, Office of Engaged Learning, Student Academic Engagement & Success , World Languages & Literatures

Contact the organizers