Written by: Hannah Smith (LALACS / Spanish)
Studying an interdisciplinary major like LALACS not only opened my eyes to the ways in which social themes like immigration, climate change, and economic disparity are intertwined, but it gave me the agency to choose courses and make these connections in line with my personal vocation. The community service project we did with Language Buddies as a part of the program was an impactful experience for me to better understand the material I was learning in class, as well as the rich cultural diversity of the Saint Peter community.
After graduating, I was able to take more abstract themes and community building skills I had learned and apply them contextually in my work as an ESL Teacher at an indigenous library in rural Mexico. My LALACS coursework continues to influence the way I see the world, and has positively impacted how I define my role as a global citizen. My studies compelled me to look beyond the surface and to think critically to find the roots and intersections between academic themes that are often intertwined in ‘the real world’. As I look towards future employment opportunities working with immigrants here in the United States, I know that LALACS has prepared me to be a lifelong seeker of information, someone who isn’t afraid to think ‘outside the box’, and someone with a desire to serve any community of which I am a member.