Author Archives: knadolski

Spanish Exchange Trip – A Pivotal Experience

When I was a senior in high school I got the opportunity to participate in an exchange program. I lived in San Sebastian, Spain for two weeks with a host family, and also hosted the student I lived with in Spain at my Massachusetts home for two weeks. Although my experience was in high school, I believe it can relate to UMass students who are nervous about going abroad – they may not want to miss a semester in Amherst, or spend time away from their college friends. However, I would encourage any student, especially Spanish and Portuguese majors, to study abroad and live with a host family if they have the opportunity to. I truly feel that it is the best way to immerse yourself in a different language and culture. Additionally, traveling abroad and living with a host family served as a pivotal moment in my life. I had planned to study abroad during my Sophomore year at UMass, however because of the Covid-19 pandemic I wasn’t able to. Below is an essay I wrote my freshman year at UMass that dives deeper into my experience. 

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Why Take an Intergroup Dialogue Course?

Dr. Ximena Zúñiga, a faculty member at UMass Amherst in the College of Education, is a leader of social justice education in higher education. Dr. Zúñiga’s article, co-written with Biren (Ratnesh) Nagda, is titled “Fostering Meaningful Racial Engagement Through Intergroup Dialogues.” Within this article, intergroup dialogue is defined as “a facilitated, face-to-face encounter that strives to create new levels of understanding, relating, and action between two or more social identity groups who have a history of conflict or potential conflict.” 

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Growing Up in a Spanish Immersion Program

I was lucky enough to participate in a Spanish immersion program throughout my elementary and secondary public education. One classroom per grade in my elementary school was designated as a Spanish immersion classroom. The Spanish immersion program provided 100% of Spanish instruction in core academic classes, beginning in kindergarten through 2nd grade. English was slowly incorporated in later elementary grades in order to prepare immersion students for state standardized tests. In middle school, students involved in the immersion program took a designated Spanish class as an elective. This designated Spanish immersion elective continued throughout high school, and during junior year, every Spanish immersion student took AP Spanish – allowing immersion students to graduate with a Seal of Biliteracy to cap off the program.

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