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Recent W&L Graduate Receives Teaching Assistantship to Austria

Nico Gioioso of Baltimore, Md., a 2012 graduate of Washington and Lee University, recently received a U.S. English language teaching assistantship to Austria for the 2012-2013 academic year.

While at W&L, Gioioso was a Johnson Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was president of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He was also a member of English for Speakers of Other Languages, was a member of Kathekon, was a DJ for WLUR and acted for Generalprobe (German Department theater productions). Gioioso was a double major in economics and Spanish.

“During my academic career at W&L, I tried to expand my focus beyond the U.S. borders,” said Gioioso. “I got a taste of the German and Austrian cultures when I went abroad my freshman spring term, and had a very different experience when I spent two summers down in Argentina.

“It’s the type of experience for which only W&L could have prepared me, and hopefully I can inspire other young people to take advantage of the type of opportunities that put you out of your comfort zone.”

According to the website about the U.S. English language teaching assistantships to Austria, “U.S. teaching assistants not only enhance the instruction of English from a linguistic perspective; they are also valuable resources for first-hand information about the ‘American way of life’ and representatives of the United States.”