Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 9 No. 2 | October 2016

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14 Inside Hokie Sports
Abigail Motley is a distance runner on the women’s track and field and
cross country teams and will graduate next May with a degree in international
studies. She is leaning toward getting a master’s degree in English and then maybe
teaching English as a second language.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue international studies at Tech?
AM: “I chose to attend Virginia Tech for the distance program. My sister ran and
coached here, and I really trusted the program and the athletics department, which
was big for me when I was applying to schools.
“When I came here, I really didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do career-wise, but I
eventually decided to major in international studies because I found it really engaging,
and I figured as long as I had no idea what I wanted to do, I might as well enjoy what
I was studying in the meantime. I considered English and design, but international
studies won out. The major requires studying a language, and I’ve found that I really
enjoy learning Spanish.”
Q: Have you done any internships related to international studies? If so,
what were they?
AM: “I haven’t done any internships, but I have volunteered in positions related
to my major. Last semester, I worked with the Language and Culture Institute and
practiced English with a foreign exchange student from Saudi Arabia. Her English was
excellent, so we had lots of great conversations.
“I also worked with a middle school student from Honduras. I’ve enjoyed working
with him, but it’s been hard to see how difficult life can be if you don’t speak the
nation’s official language.”
Q: Did working in those volunteer positions re-affirm your decision to major
in international studies?
AM: “Working with this student [from Honduras] has pointed me toward becoming
an ESL [English as a Second Language] instructor, or helping the Spanish-speaking
population in some capacity. I’ve realized that I really need to improve my Spanish
before I can be truly useful, so I plan to spend a few years abroad, probably teaching
English, while becoming fluent.”
Q: So is that your plan after graduation?
AM: “I have another year of track eligibility (she redshirted this past outdoor season,
so she’ll be able to participate during the outdoor seasons in 2017 and 2018), and with
my last year of eligibility, I’ll start a master’s in English, where I can work as a GTA
[graduate teaching assistant] and see if I have any knack for teaching.
“I feel like I’m slowly uncovering my niche and have a lot of plans up my sleeves,
but I definitely have a long way to go and realize that lots of things can change in
the meantime.”
2016
ABIGAIL
MOTLEY
TRACK AND FIELD
AND CROSS COUNTRY
Virginia Beach, Virginia
by Jimmy Robertson
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