Arabic, a language spoken by about 420 million people in the world, was not even a thought in Evan Cummiskey’s head when he first started thinking about college. A native of Warwick, RI, Cummiskey chose URI in part, like many before him, because of the price tag. With a tuition limit that kept him from pursuing options out of state, he narrowed down his options to two schools: URI and Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. “I originally wanted to be a criminal justice major,” Cummiskey states, “But at the same time I learned that URI had a really good political science program. I was really into both, and then I figured out that nothing at RWU appealed to me besides criminology.” It was the combination of the price tag and the political science major that eventually sent Cummiskey to Kingston.

True to his word, Cummiskey went on to study Political Science at URI, though a second major in History soon followed, his aptitude for the subject a gift he inherited from his mother. It also helped that he had credits that transferred over from high school, allowing him to fill half of the major’s requirements before his college career had even begun. To those who discredit majoring in History, Cummiskey states, “The skills learned in History are easily applicable to the career field. You study semantics and analyze primary sources.” Then along came the language requirement. As part of his completion of the liberal arts degree offered by the College of Arts and Sciences, Cummiskey perused the twelve language options in the URI Modern and Classical Languages department, deciding that Arabic was right for him. “I thought it sounded cool, and I wanted to change things up,” Cummiskey states, “I tried it and got really good at it.” He developed such an affinity for the language that he chose to minor in Arabic. He adds that, “It’s become the driving force of my college career. I have my majors, but my minor is behind it all.”

With Arabic under his belt, Cummiskey pursued his language studies in the world abroad. He was awarded the Critical Language Scholarship, allowing for his participation in an eight week language and culture immersion program in Oman. “I got to take my language skills and apply it to Omani values,” Cummiskey explains, “I came back for a week or two before I flew off to Jordan on a Boren Scholarship. I spent eight or nine months at the University of Jordan for language immersion, and I learned to have high-level discussions about sensitive topics.” When asked what inspired him most about studying in each of the three departments, Cummiskey couldn’t pinpoint just one thing. “It’s the culmination of everything,” he expounds, “How the classes come together and build off each other. The skill sets learned in liberal arts majors aren’t just particular to that major, it influences how you think and is the driving force beyond the major. It drives you to take in as much information as you can and output it as understandable information for others.”

After his 2019 graduation with two B.A.’s in History and Political Science and a minor in Arabic, Cummiskey hopes to serve in the military before finding work in the public sector. As for advice, Cummiskey has this to say: “Don’t underestimate the skills Arts and Sciences students have. The ability to read, write, and communicate effectively, those are three skills that don’t appear outwardly on a resume, but your bosses and coworkers will notice. It represents who you are and how you communicate verbally and in written form.”

– Written by Chase Hoffman, Writing & Rhetoric and Anthropology Double Major, Class of 2021