Word-Class Internship
Ohio Wesleyan Senior Translates Play from Spanish to English, Works with Theatrical Production
Name: Madison Cartnal '24
Hometown: Newark, Ohio
High School: Newark High School
Majors: Spanish and Pre-Medicine
Minor: Chemistry
OWU Connection Experience: Siglo Latinx internship
Cartnal and Elizabeth Sumoza '25 of Chicago, Illinois, spent fall semester working with Glenda Nieto-Cuebas, Ph.D., Ohio Wesleyan associate professor of Spanish, and Erin Alice Cowling, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish at MacEwan University in Canada, on their Siglo Latinx project.
The project is being supported by Ohio Wesleyan Small Program and Theory-to-Practice grants and by a grant from the Government of Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Siglo Latinx seeks to "theoretically and practically define a new line of research … focusing on 21st-century adaptations of early modern Spanish theatre being created in North America (Canada, the United States, and Mexico)."
The Internship
"As part of my internship, I translated the play 'Que de noche lo mataron' ('By night they killed him'), written by Julieta Soria, from Spanish to English; helped to coordinate the visit of Soria, the theatre director Aihnoa Amestoy, and the actor Juan Cañas to OWU to perform their play for the OWU community.
"I also had the opportunity to travel to New York City with fellow OWU student Elizabeth Sumoza and with University of Calgary doctoral student and Siglo Latinx research assistant Natalia Soracipa. There we worked with Dr. Israel Franco-Muller, professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus, and technical director of Teatro Círculo, during the rehearsals for their show, 'La monja alférez' ('The ensign nun')."
Favorite Moments
"My favorite part of the experience was when the artists from 'Que de noche lo mataron' came to OWU, and Professor Nieto-Cuebas and I went for coffee with them. I got to talk to them about the questions I had regarding my translation and their motivations behind their work, and they gave me a signed copy of the script to show their gratitude for my translation."
This internship gave me both real-world experience in a humanities field as well as a more global perspective through all of the people that I got to connect with.
Lessons Learned
"Previous to this experience, I had very minimal experience with any professional work or research in the humanities, but this experience showed me that this type of work is something that I really enjoy and could see myself pursuing further. I also had the opportunity to test my capabilities with quite a lot of translating, which is something that I would like to use in my career in one form or another.
"Furthermore, this experience connected me to people from all over the world, and I got to hear many different perspectives on the importance of their work and what led them all to their current careers, which aided me a lot in thinking through what types of things I should consider when deciding the path that I choose in my own career.
"This internship gave me both real-world experience in a humanities field as well as a more global perspective through all of the people that I got to connect with, which has overall made me a more well-rounded professional and gave me the chance to develop my skills and knowledge in a field that I had not previously had any experience with."
Campus Involvements
"I am the current moderator of the Service Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) SLU, I am on the OWU Women's Rugby Team, and I am a part of Cru."
Why Ohio Wesleyan?
"I chose to attend OWU because there was just such a wide range of opportunities available to me to explore many different fields of study, have global experiences like studying abroad, and participate in many different extracurricular activities. Also, during my visits to OWU, it seemed like a very welcoming community that felt like home from the moment I stepped on campus."
Plans After Graduation
"I plan on attending the Methodist Theological School in Ohio to earn a Master of Divinity."