Overview

Study Spanish, live Spanish! ¡Estudia español, vívelo!

As a global language with nearly a billion native speakers, Spanish can serve as a gateway to synergetic academic learning, meaningful cultural exchange, enhanced employment opportunity, professional development, and transcultural belonging. The College of Wooster’s Spanish program prepares students to live the language by providing them with a supportive space to cultivate and hone their communicative skills, learn about the historical processes and events that have made Spanish a world language, gain deep understanding of Spanish in a variety of its socio-linguistic contexts, practice critical thinking and humanistic inquiry through the examination of art, literature, cinema, journalism, socio-historic artifacts and social media, and engage with the culture in planned social events. Wooster’s commitment to global engagement makes the study of Spanish a truly enriching experience that can include interdisciplinary research, residence in a Spanish-speaking country, and professional internships in nearby cities or in faraway places. Students who choose to study Spanish embark on a journey fueled by curiosity, open-mindedness, and a desire to forge intercultural connections and professional networks. The Department of Spanish offers multiple avenues for students to pursue Spanish, and we will help you tailor an individual course of study that fits the scope of your academic goals.

What can I do with a major or minor in Spanish?

Careers

Spanish majors and minors at Wooster have gone on to pursue successful careers in education, law, library science, counseling, scientific research, technical writing and editing, interpretation and translation, international business, government, the foreign service, and social work.

Graduate School

Numerous graduates from Wooster with majors and minors in Spanish have successfully completed masters or doctoral programs in fields such as medicine, nursing, the life sciences, counseling, social work, business, law, and teaching.

Teaching and International/Domestic Service

Three recent graduates from Wooster with majors or minors in Spanish have been granted Fulbright teaching scholarships in Spanish-speaking countries after graduation. Others have taught English abroad through non-profit organizations. Still others have begun their teaching career in the United States with Teach for America.

Collaborative Journeys, Independent Paths

Each year several Spanish majors and minors choose to live in the Spanish Suite in Luce Hall, where they have the opportunity to participate in activities organized in collaboration with the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, who each year comes from a Spanish-speaking country. Recent FLTAs have come from Argentina, Spain, and Mexico. Activities include informal meals, film screenings, social gatherings, and cultural celebrations. The Global Café, located on the garden level of Luce Hall, serves as a gathering place for students interested in creating a global community on campus and can be reserved for cultural events. Since the Spanish program at Wooster is relatively small, students have many opportunities to engage with their professors outside of class during office hours and at informal events. Faculty members serve as academic advisors and mentors to Spanish majors and minors, and they also provide crucial support as students prepare to pursue their professional goals after Wooster. Together professors and students contribute to a close-knit and welcoming community in which all involved gain experiences and perspectives that inspire them as they walk on their own independent paths.

Opportunities for Spanish Majors and Minors

Build your résumé by:

• Living in la Casa Hispánica, an immersion-style suite in Luce Hall led each year by a Fulbright scholarship recipient from a Spanish-speaking country
• Enrolling in a study abroad program in a Spanish-speaking country whose courses are pre-approved for transfer back to Wooster (research available programs by going to the Global Engagement Office in APEX)
• Competing for an APEX Fellowship to support a domestic or international internship
• Applying to be a language tutor, research assistant, or departmental assistant
• Approaching a faculty member to inquire about being their TA in a future course
• Looking out for opportunities to help plan departmental and interdepartmental events

Faculty & Staff

Osmer Balam

Assistant Professor of Spanish

obalam@wooster.edu

Cynthia D. Bernardy

Academic Administrative Coordinator for Chinese Studies, Classical Studies, English, French & Francophone Studies, German Studies, Russian Studies, and Spanish

cbernardy@wooster.edu

Brian J. Cope

Associate Professor and Department Chair of Spanish

bcope@wooster.edu

Aída Díaz de León

Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish

adiazdeleon@wooster.edu

Rebecca Garonzik

Assistant Professor of Spanish

rgaronzik@wooster.edu

Hernán Medina Jiménez

Associate Professor of Spanish; Global and International Studies (On Leave for Fall 2024)

hmedina@wooster.edu

Kathina Ramirez Tuiran

Director of the Luce Hall Spanish Suite

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