International Flair

As a bilingual child growing up in Savannah, Ga., Salua Brannen (‘98) always had a love — and a knack — for languages.

Fluent in Spanish with an ability to also speak Dutch and Portuguese, it’s no wonder that Brannen’s travels around the world influenced her decision to pursue a degree in international studies from Georgia Southern. As a child, Brannen traveled to her mother’s native Colombia, South America and later on in life to many other countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and South Africa.

Even though Brannen wasn’t born in another country, she became a mentor for other international students on campus, and also was the first student to earn an international studies degree from Georgia Southern. “Everybody thought I was international, because that is how I was raised. The different cultures were always so present at home,” she added.

As an undergraduate, Brannen participated in the Model UN with other student representatives, was a member of the International Club and Spanish club and a staff writer for The George-Anne student newspaper. One of her most memorable experiences occurred during the 1996 Olympics, when she worked as an interpreter for the Spanish speaking athletes and was an envoy for the Dutch sailing team.

An accomplished author who has received poetry awards for works in both English and Spanish, Brannen is sharing her passion for languages and writing with her two young daughters. “The languages were always my favorite courses. The whole international aspect of it all is so exciting. It’s an outlet to the world.”

Brannen continues to keep close ties with Georgia Southern, most recently participating in an alumni panel for the Center for International Studies. – Mary Beth Spence