"Having a strong grasp of the French language has helped me stand out from the crowd, but more importantly, it has made me a better journalist."
“It sounds odd, but learning French and coaching boxing have had a huge effect on my career” says journalist Damian Ali. “Becoming bilingual is opening doors for me, while boxing has taught me discipline, focus, and personal responsibility.”
After earning an undergraduate degree in Criminology, Damian decided to pursue a career in journalism. “I knew speaking French would be a huge asset as a journalist, and I remembered very little from high school” he says. “So I turned to SCS to help me grow my French abilities.”
Damian earned his Conversational French Certificate, and is now taking advanced level French courses. In February 2019, after completing a postgraduate program in journalism, he landed his first role at a rapidly growing digital news and media outlet called QuickBite News. “Having a strong grasp of the French language has helped me stand out from the crowd, but more importantly, it has made me a better journalist” he says. “Now I can potentially work in Quebec one day, and I have a greater capacity to report on Canadian current affairs.”
The classroom setting was an ideal learning environment for Damian. “I loved being able to communicate with other learners, face to face. It was a very comfortable vibe; I never felt rushed and was encouraged to learn at my own pace” he says. “My instructor, Andrew Furegato, encouraged us not to be afraid to make mistakes.” In fact, on a recent trip to Montreal, Damian committed to speaking French the entire time. “Without Andrew’s wisdom, I would have given up and just resorted to using English. But he taught me it’s OK to fall, so long as you get back up. That’s a message I live by in my career and in the boxing ring.”
Working with an experienced instructor also provided Damian with real-world context. “Andrew didn’t just teach a language, he taught us how to communicate in French, using conversational techniques and relevant slang. He used media, such as music videos, movie clips, and YouTube videos to teach us real, modern French” he says. “I appreciated that.”
Damian has a strong vision for his future in journalism. “First, I want to become fully bilingual. In five years, I aim to continue building my portfolio while reporting the news. In ten, I want to report news on-air, perhaps through an anchor position” he says. “Further down the line, I would like to mentor young journalists as a way of giving back.”