MEDIA, Pa. — Ben Bass, a third-year business major and member of Penn State Brandywine’s basketball team, remains dedicated to perfecting his performance on the court while also sharpening his academic skills off the court — most notably, his ability to understand three languages.
Bass’ exposure to multiple languages began at an early age.
“I grew up speaking Portuguese because my family is from Brazil,” Bass said. “I started speaking English around age 2 in preschool and began learning Hebrew in first grade after enrolling in a Jewish day school.”
This ability to communicate in multiple languages has helped Bass connect with people from diverse backgrounds, while also allowing him to maintain strong ties with his family in Brazil.
“I always get to talk to my cousins, aunts and uncles without any stuttering, and I think it’s super cool,” Bass said.
He further detailed that his multilingual abilities have opened new doors to many opportunities, including a recent trip to Israel that allowed him to combine his language skills with his passion for sports.
“This past summer, I had the opportunity to train in Israel for my offseason workouts,” Bass said. “The training sessions were conducted mostly in Hebrew, and I was able to understand and communicate throughout each session.”
While in Israel, Bass also completed an internship with Maccabi Tel Aviv Volleyball, working fully in Hebrew. He expressed, “it was a super incredible moment for me.”
Moments like these fuel Bass’ continued dedication and hard work both on and off the court. He added that learning languages is “a pathway to many more opportunities than you would imagine.”
In his case, Bass has been able to apply this unique skill to his love for sports, successfully combining his two passions.
He noted a prominent similarity between learning a new language and learning the game of basketball: practice.
“You have to practice to keep your skills sharp, or else you could lose them,” Bass said.
His advice to others looking to pick up a new language is simple: “Just go after it!” This is something Bass personally lives by, constantly finding new ways to challenge himself and push through new experiences.