Senior Circuit: Valentina Brega
Valentina Brega didn’t know much about South Carolina growing up. The Palmetto State just isn’t a popular topic of conversation in the Republic of Moldova, a small Eastern European country located between Romania and Ukraine. But when she moved to Raleigh, NC as an exchange student, Wofford became a hot subject in her English class.
“I had a wonderful English teacher who was a proud alumna of Wofford,” she says. “She knew somehow that I would fit in at Wofford and that this place would become my home away from home. She has been absolutely right. I fell in love with Wofford and I’m proud to be a Terrier. I can’t believe that I’m graduating this year. I will miss it.”
Wofford will miss Brega, too. She has been a Bonner scholar and has been busy both on campus and in Spartanburg. She has volunteered for four years now at Fairforest Elementary, tutoring Russian-speaking students and translating/interpreting for their parents. Brega is also president of the German Honor Society, Delta Phi Alpha, at Wofford.
She is majoring in both Finance and German.
“I really enjoy my finance AND foreign language classes,” says Valentina. “I think Wofford has a wonderful staff. They are always helpful, supportive and encouraging! Wofford has definitely prepared me for the future.”
That future could be here in the United States or it could be in Europe. Brega has applied for internships in Europe after graduation and is also considering applying to graduate schools here Stateside.
“Maybe I will get a job after graduation, who knows?” she says. “I will be happy with any of these options and I am sure that they will help me grow personally and professionally.”
She has already conquered one thing to some extent, the southern dialect.
“Some of my funniest memories of Wofford are of friends trying to teach me American slang and the Southern accent,” says Brega. “Imagine a person whose native language isn’t even English to begin with trying to say ‘y’all’ or ‘Carolina.’”
It’s certain to be a hot topic of conversation the next time she’s in Moldova.