Willow Huang

What’ve you enjoyed most about your area of study? Was there a particular discovery, new skill or way of thinking, or insight that you found especially valuable? Please share an example from your favorite class or experience.

Studying German was one of the most valuable things I did at MIT. Learning a new language and experiencing a new culture was incredibly enriching. Having now completed a German minor, done a MISTI internship in Munich, and even taught high schoolers in a small town called Diepholz through GTL, I’ve really grown to know and appreciate Germany.

My teaching experience was especially memorable. I stayed with a host family, whose parents didn’t speak any English! I was able to fluently converse with them in German, and we spent many nights chatting and playing cards over the dinner table. The experience not only improved my fluency but also my confidence. I was really able to immerse myself in local life in an authentic way that wouldn’t have been possible without MIT.

How does the knowledge from this field, or your interest in it, combine with your other major or minor studies at MIT?

As a course 6-9 major, studying German made me more interested in language in the brain. Several classes I’ve taken, such as 9.39 (Language in the Mind and Brain), 9.13 (The Human Brain), and 9.85 (Infant and Early Childhood Cognition), discuss language in depth. My own experience studying a new language tied into what I learned, informing my perspective on things such as language acquisition, how language shapes thought, polyglotism, and more.

An MIT education includes study in the scientific, technical, social science, arts, and humanities fields. How do you think that wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to you – for your career success and for your enjoyment of life?

An MIT education includes study in the scientific, technical, social science, arts, and humanities fields. How do you think that wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to you — for your career success and for your enjoyment of life?


In the same way that studying science helps me understand the natural world, studying the humanities enables me to understand other aspects of our world – from different histories and cultures to politics and current events. Both are essential to a well-rounded education and being truly informed. My worldview has been greatly shaped by the humanities classes I’ve taken at MIT, both in German and in other subjects like history and philosophy.


By learning German and visiting Germany, I experienced new perspectives, cultures, and ways of life. I met and befriended people from a totally different background than myself. As a pre-medical student, I feel better prepared to connect with diverse patients in the future. I’m confident German will always be a part of my life.

What are your plans for the future?

I will be attending medical school and plan to be a physician.