Paterno Fellow blends Spanish and global learning on her path to law

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When Gianna Martinelli began her Penn State journey, she didn’t expect that studying Spanish and international politics would lead her to the frontlines of seeking justice for victims of domestic violence.

“I actually had no idea what I wanted to major in when I first came to Penn State,” said Martinelli, a fourth-year Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar from Wilmington, Delaware. “But my incredible professors inspired me.”

During her first year, she said, her initial interest in minoring in Spanish quickly grew into a passion. Encouraged by faculty, she applied to a six-week-long summer language immersion program in Ronda, Spain, where she lived with a host family and earned nine credits of Spanish through the College of the Liberal Arts’ Spanish Language and Culture faculty-led course. Susana García-Prudencio, associate teaching professor of Spanish, has overseen the Ronda program since 2015.

“Having the privilege to immerse myself in the Spanish language and culture with astounding faculty support made all the difference,” she said. “It pushed me to pursue the major.”

That summer abroad changed everything. Martinelli returned to Penn State determined to deepen her understanding of culture, communication and global politics, she said. Later on, she spent a semester studying in Granada, Spain, further expanding her worldview.

“I’ve had such incredible professors in the Spanish program who have supported my path every step of the way,” she reflected.

Now a double major in Spanish and international politics, she has built her academic life around the intersection of language, policy and service.

“My majors intersect really nicely, both in terms of credits and content,” she said. “It’s critical to understand a second language when studying international relations in an increasingly globalized world.”

Beyond her studies, Martinelli is a model of extracurricular involvement. She serves as a Spanish tutor for both Penn State Learning and the Morgan Academic Center, a peer leader for the Schreyer Honors College, and the president of Savoir Faire, Penn State’s only all-female a cappella group.

Balancing all those roles hasn’t stopped her from pursuing meaningful community work. This past summer, she interned at Delaware Volunteer Legal Services (DVLS), a pro bono organization offering legal support to victims of domestic violence.

At DVLS, Martinelli found a purpose that merged her interests in law, justice and empathy.

“I’m interested in pursuing a degree in law, and I hope to be a family law attorney,” she said. “I’ve always been interested in social justice, so Delaware Volunteer Legal Services’ mission stood out to me. I felt incredibly fulfilled working to support vulnerable members of my local community.”

Her day-to-day work involved taking calls from victims of domestic violence, conducting client intakes and referring cases to attorneys or other legal resources in the state. Though challenging, she said she found the experience profoundly meaningful.

“Completing an intake often included talking about traumatic events,” she said. “But learning about our clients on a personal level and seeing how they persevered in times of struggle was monumental for me.”

One experience that stood out involved a guardianship intake she shadowed entirely in Spanish, where she realized how critical language skills can be in making legal aid accessible.

“It taught me about a realistic career path I didn’t previously know there was a need for,” Martinelli said.

Working closely with clients who had endured difficult circumstances reshaped how she saw the legal system and her future place in it.

“My biggest takeaway was the importance of empathy and connection, especially in the legal field,” she said. “It’s critical to find ways to form interpersonal connections with others because this is the only way to ensure effective cooperation.”

Martinelli said many clients entered the process fearful and confused, unsure how to navigate the court system.

“There’s nothing more frightening than being placed at the hands of a court system that often offers little advice or accessible information,” she said. “By eliminating ambiguity and earning their trust, I’ll be able to effectively advocate for my clients when I’m an attorney.”

Her summer experience was made possible through the Mary Kay Paterno Hort Service Award and enrichment funding from the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network, which covered her parking, gas and compensation. Because of that support, she could devote her full attention to the internship.

“It was not going to be realistic for me to spend the summer working without any kind of pay,” she said. “In the social sector, it’s very unlikely to find paid internships. This funding allowed me to truly pursue something I was passionate about instead of being forced to take a paid position that may not have offered me as much personal and professional development.”

Reflecting on her coursework, Martinelli said Penn State’s academic rigor prepared her to excel.

“My courses prepared me extremely well for this experience; I understood the entire intake completed in Spanish because of my incredible classes here,” she said.

Meanwhile, the University’s support networks also helped her explore global and civic engagement opportunities, from academic scholarships and education abroad programs to mentorship within the Schreyer Honors College and Paterno Fellows Program.

After the deeply meaningful work she did this summer at DVLS, Martinelli feels certain about her future.

“Serving my home state and helping real people each day was incredibly gratifying,” she said. “I feel confident that I want to go to law school and be a family law attorney. I would also be interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy. I think it’s important to keep an open mind, especially when there are so many areas that interest me and Liberal Arts has equipped me with a broad foundation that prepares me for many different paths.”

Her advice to other Penn State students is simple but powerful.

“Apply for everything!” she said. “If you want to study abroad, apply. If you need funding, seek it out and apply. The worst thing that can happen is a rejection, but there are so many opportunities at a school like Penn State, and you should take advantage of all of them.”