Graduating ARHU Triple Major Will Work at Twitter and Microsoft Before Attending Graduate School

Dolapo A. Martins ‘18 majored in classics, linguistics and computer science.

Dolapo A. Martins ‘18 classics, linguistics and computer science

What are you doing after graduation?

I’ll be interning at Twitter over the summer and then beginning a full-time position at Microsoft. In 2019, I’ll be starting an M.Sc. in computing at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My aim is to do research in natural language processing. I would like to do some work on classical languages, maybe by writing computational algorithms to decode things like the scrolls of Herculaneum! Eventually, I would like to do a Ph.D. in Linguistics.

How did your time at ARHU (both in the classroom and outside of it) help you with your post-graduation plans?

My manager at Twitter and I got along so well because he was a German philologist way back when. Many of the technical people I've spoken to like that I have a background outside of tech, especially in linguistics, now that natural language processing a big thing in tech!

What is one of the most memorable experiences you had at the college?

Joining PULSAR, the undergraduate research program for language science students! It gave me an opportunity to tour different labs and see different applications of uses of what we learn.

What is one of the best classes you took?

Linguistics 240: “Language and Mind.” Tonia Bleam was a great professor, and the course really helped me solidify my desire to be linguist.

What is the one thing you think everyone should understand about studying at ARHU?

The humanities are neither easy nor overrated. As someone with two humanities majors and one STEM major, I'd say humanities are just as hard as STEM fields! Having a background in something connected to what makes us human is really important. It keeps you focused on the overall end goal—learning more about humans and the world and trying to effect positive change!

Want to share your plans?  Email Kate Juhl at kjuhl@umd.edu with your information (photo is optional).  Please be sure to fill out the ARHU Grad Survey when you know your plans at gradsurvey.umd.edu.  The survey is open for 6 months after you graduate.