Welcome to the Program in Linguistics at Penn State!

Riley is a member of the Class of 2027 and a Schreyer Honors Scholar, double majoring in Linguistics and Spanish with a minor in TESOL. Last summer, she completed a six-week study abroad program in Ronda, Spain, where she further developed my Spanish language skills. Currently, she is conducting research with Dr. Tran Truong on the discursive production of Catholic identity, and will present that work in January 2027 at the Linguistic Society of America (LSA) conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Riley says "my passion for linguistics stems from the belief that language lies at the heart of everything. The nuances of speech reveal profound insights into people and the societies they shape. I am endlessly curious about what even the smallest utterances can tell us about the world". She hopes to pursue a career in forensic linguistics or within the intelligence sector.

Catherine Kelly is a member of the class of 2026, majoring in Linguistics and Anthropology with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Cat's main interests are in language preservation, cultural communication, and crisis policy. Research she has conducted includes working for the Political Opposition under Authoritarianism Project with Dr. Daniel Tavana and also in the Second Language Acquisition Lab through the Center for Language Science. As a result of this research, she has co-presented poster presentation at the 15th International Symposium on Bilingualism in San Sebastian, Spain (June 2025). Her inspiration for her choice of studies can be sumarized in the Jane Goodall quote "only if we understand can we care". Catherine's ultimate career goal is to work in global policy to support vulnerable populations around the world.