Isabella Ricci

After completing and thoroughly enjoying my BA course in Modern Languages and Translation at Cardiff University, I was extremely fortunate to receive a very generous grant from the James Pantyfedwen Foundation in 2019. The grant single-handedly allowed me to continue my studies, ultimately leading me to complete my MA in Translation Studies at the end of 2020 with a distinction.

This past year has been full of exciting new opportunities. Not only have I been able to further both my theoretical and practical knowledge of the discipline through the availability of an extremely wide range of academic modules (including audio-visual, scientific and literary translation), but I have also had the opportunity, in large part thanks to the Foundation, to gain invaluable work experience alongside my studies in the form of internships. I have undertaken both an apprenticeship with the National Theatre of Wales, where I translated an entire theatrical play from French into English, and an internship with a highly-respected and experienced freelance translator. Together with my MA, both of these endeavours have served not only to greatly enrich my CV, but to also help me in deciding my next steps. In the immediate future, I hope to be working as a freelance translator in order to further increase my practical, ‘hands-on’ knowledge of the sector, before potentially undertaking a PHD that would allow me to specialise in literary translation, an aspect which I found particularly enjoyable during my MA.

I would like to sincerely thank the Foundation for all of their invaluable support and for having given me the opportunity to make the most of my MA year. You have made all the difference and I am so grateful - thank you!