Lucía’s Experience:

I came to UMass having already decided that I was going to major in Spanish. My family is from Uruguay and I was fortunate enough to grow up speaking Spanish at home. I grew up in a predominantly Spanish-speaking community and was able to take Spanish classes all through elementary and middle school. In high school, I continued to take Spanish classes and founded the Spanish club at the high school I graduated from. To me, it was a given that I would continue with Spanish into college. When I was applying to UMass, and even after I had been accepted, a lot of people would ask why I was majoring in Spanish when I already spoke it. I explained that Spanish, and any language for that matter, is more than just grammatical structures; there is culture, history, and literature worth learning about as well.

In some classes, when I would start speaking, I would quickly notice that some students could tell that I spoke Spanish. I often worried that they would also question my place in the room. Sometimes, it could feel like I was not welcome in Spanish classes. However, I kept reminding myself that I had just as much of a right as anyone to be in those classes. Education is what you get out of it and it does not have to look the same for everyone. I take Spanish classes because I love it and always want to learn more. It does not matter how long you have been studying a language, there’s always room for improvement.

Taking Span-314, a course designed for heritage speakers, was very helpful for cleaning up mistakes commonly made by heritage speakers. It also reminded me that there is a place for heritage speakers in the department, places where we can also learn. I would also say that even though I came into UMass with a predetermined major and path, I was not shy about trying new things. I joined the marching band, I learned how to drive a bus, I added a film major and a theater minor. I would definitely recommend going beyond the major and adding something outside of Spanish or language.

Daniela’s Experience:

When I first decided to come to UMass, I was unaware of what I wanted to major in. There were so many options and I felt a bit overwhelmed about what I wanted to do, especially as a first generation student. Growing up, I had to learn a lot on my own in school because I would only speak Spanish at home with my Salvadoran parents and family – so I couldn’t receive much help from them.

I started my freshman year as a Public Health Science major in the exploratory track (I was leaning toward kinesiology). After my first semester, which had been fully remote, I realized that was not what I really wanted to do. I decided to reach out to my student success coach at UMass and we figured something out. She suggested I take Education 202 and that’s when I decided I wanted to move forward with a major in Education. However, I thought more about what I wanted to do in the Education field and that’s when I told myself I wanted to be a Spanish teacher – so now I’m a double major in Spanish and Community Education & Social Change.

I didn’t know what to expect with majoring in Spanish. Many people would say, “Don’t you already speak Spanish?” or “That must be easy for you,” but in reality, majoring in Spanish is way more than just learning the language and it hasn’t been that easy considering I’m a heritage speaker, not a native speaker. I have learned about the literature, culture, history, and of course the language itself. My first Spanish class was Spanish 314: Spanish for Heritage Speakers, and I absolutely loved it and knew I was in the right place. The more classes I took in Spanish and in Education, the more I fell in love with them both.

Being a first-generation college student who started her college career during Covid was tough. However, I learned a lot about independence and reaching out to others for support. I have met so many people along the way and have created long lasting friendships. This past year I have worked as a peer advisor at the College of Education and have loved my experience because I get to create that sense of community for incoming students. Additionally, I am gaining valuable experience as a student teacher at Northampton High School, through the Secondary Teacher Education Preparation (STEP) program for Spanish. I have also been involved in numerous clubs and extracurriculars throughout the years. These involvements include an internship at an adult education program called Partnership for Worker Education (PWE) and serving as the logistics coordinator for Latinos Unidos. I have been engaged in other organizations such as the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies (CLACLS) and have been living in a defined residential community called El Barrio. As a Latina, immersing myself in these diverse communities has enriched my understanding of the Latinx culture. This commitment to community involvement is a passion I intend to carry forward even after graduating from UMass.