Spanish
NO MATTER THE LANGUAGE, VALPO TRANSLATES TO VALUE
In a globalized world, technology has often served to transport large amounts of information across great distances. But where technology will never be able to compete with people is in making real, personal, and lasting connections. That’s where Valpo’s unique world languages and cultures programs come in! At Valpo, we don’t just provide our students with vocab to memorize, we personally invest in their vocation by providing them with cultural immersion and community engagement opportunities, allowing them to use these connections to make a lasting impact, no matter where in the world their education takes them. And with over 480 million Spanish speakers around the world (a number that continues to grow), learning Spanish is sure to open up new worlds of opportunity for you.
NEW LANGUAGES CONNECT YOU TO NEW WORLDS OF OPPORTUNITY
Language skills are increasingly in demand across a variety of industries and studies show bilingual employees earn more on average in addition to experiencing greater rates of promotion. Beyond the professional benefits, learning a new language improves cognition including creativity, flexibility, and divergent thinking, allowing you to not only communicate better but think better, too. Not only that, but learning new languages can also be fun, enhancing your social interactions and expanding your social networks!
‘‘“Because the world languages department here at Valpo has helped me feel confident in my Spanish, I demonstrated my Spanish skills during the interview process and they sent me an offer letter with a salary 15% higher than the job posting on LinkedIn. I am the only Spanish-speaker in my family and came to Valpo with extremely limited Spanish abilities. The world languages department has cultivated an atmosphere of growth and teaching of real-world skills.”
Lijana Teague ‘23 Majors: Spanish, Psychology
DOUBLE YOUR MAJOR TO MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT
Many students are drawn to Valpo’s Spanish program because it allows you to pursue both your cultural and professional passions, integrating your interests and multiplying your impact as a result. Whether it’s business, health care, engineering, you name it, Valpo’s faculty are committed to helping you pursue anything and everything that interests you while still graduating on time.
SPANISH FOR HEALTH CARE
One of the many student-led initiatives on campus proving the power of cultural and professional integration is the Spanish for health care interest group designed for undergraduate students studying health care and open to all Spanish fluency levels. The group provides members the opportunity to:
• Study medical terminology in Spanish
• Practice conversation models for patient interactions
• Make connections with peers who are interested in improving their Spanish
THE SPANISH HOUSE
Although study abroad opportunities abound, Valpo’s Spanish House on campus is the perfect alternative to an overseas immersion experience. Providing a space where residents pledge to speak in Spanish at all times, residents often share meals together, organize Spanish-focused events, and help student organizations such as LatinX in Valparaiso for Excellence (L.I.V.E.) with their activities and programming in an effort to foster an understanding of and actively engage with Hispanic/ Latinx cultures on campus. All students who have taken or attained SPAN 204 (Intermediate Spanish II) level proficiency are welcome to apply to become residents.
BUSINESS SPANISH CERTIFICATE
With the global Spanish-speaking population growing every year and the U.S. being home to the second largest Spanishspeaking population in the world, Spanish has become a key business language both domestically and internationally. Meeting the needs of the Latino community (a population contributing $3.2 trillion to our global economy) by learning linguistic and intercultural skills will help you navigate professional business interactions in Spanish and become an even greater asset to any organization in any industry. The business Spanish certificate can be completed with as little as four courses, or 13 credits.
STUDY ABROAD
Go beyond the classroom to explore the people and places that make a culture what it is and expand your horizons in the process. Through study abroad opportunities in Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, or Spain, you will have the chance to immerse yourself in the local culture, find an overseas internship in your field of interest, and boost your intercultural competence.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
For information on scholarships and awards, visit valpo.edu/financialaid .
Learn More
Valparaiso University admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or religion. (For a full statement, see valpo.edu.)
We’ve compiled all the pertinent information about the Spanish program – including resources, opportunities, courses, and faculty – on our website. Ready to learn more? Get started at valpo.edu/spanish.