¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to the new spring 2023 semester
¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
My warmest welcome to the new Spring 2023 semester!
Slowly but surely we are returning to some form of pre-pandemic normalcy. And we are delighted that all of our undergraduate courses will, once again, be in person. We will continue to offer online and hybrid courses as the need arises. However, our students have spoken and we have listened: Languages are better learned and better taught in person. Nothing can replace the face-to-face interactions of our "real" world. We were very successful with the virtual classrooms during the pandemic, but the ideal environment for language learning is and will always be the in-person, face-to-face interaction. For the past year and a half, we were 80-85% in-person. And now, for the first time since the Spring of 2020, that percentage is 100%. Again, if we see the need to offer online or blended courses, we will certainly and promptly do so.
This semester promises to be a wonderful one. We have the typical Tutorías -or free tutoring two days a week and the Mesa española, -another free opportunity to practice Spanish in an informal, pressure-free environment. The schedule for both the Tutorías and the Mesa española can be found in the "CURRENT EVENTS" section of the main Events page.
In addition, we will welcome our alumna, Isabel López Slattery, on Friday, February 3, who will speak to all of our students of Spanish about her road to professional success. Her talk is titled How Spanish Unlocks a World of Adventure". If you ever wondered how a degree in Spanish can help you professionally, please join us on Feb. 3, at 12 p.m. in Brown 2028.
Other activities, such as the Certamen de escritura -or writing contest, or the Concurso de vídeos -or video contest will be announced in the coming days. Please stay tuned!
I wish you a spendid semester. ¡Que tengan un semestre espléndido!
Pablo Pastrana-Pérez, Chair
PROFESSOR FROM THE UNIV. OF MICHIGAN speaks about Violence & Resistance in Latin America
| >THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. APOLOGIES FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. The Department of Spanish is proud to co-sponsor The Center for the Study of Ethics in Society's Peace Lecture by Professor Edgar Franco-Vivanco on Thursday, March 30. Prof. Franco-Vivanco holds a PhD from Stanford University and is an assistant professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan. He has received awards for his work on the long-term legacies of colonialism in Latin America and the resistance movements by its indigenous populations. His talk, titled "Between Violence and Resistance: The Challenges of Latin America in the 21st Century" will take place on Thursday, March 30 at 6 p.m. in 208 Bernhard Center. See the flyer to his talk. |
Accomplished alumna speaks about the power of a Spanish degree
| The Department of Spanish welcomes 2011 alumna Ms. Isabel López Slattery on Friday, Feb. 3. Ms. López Slattery studied Spanish and Communications at WMU between 2006 and 2011. She now owns a successful photography and communications studio, Isabel Media Studios, located in Grand Rapids. Ms. López Slattery will be speaking about her road from studying Spanish at WMU to her professional success as a phography and media entrepeneur. Her talk, titled "How Spanish Unlocks a World of Adventure" will take place on Friday, Feb. 3 at 12 p.m. in 2028 Brown Hall. Come join us and find out the value of a major in Spanish! See the flyer to her talk. |
2022-23 Spanish Film Festival
The Department of Spanish brings back its Festival de cine on Oct. 25-27. Here is the schedule of films to be shown with dates, times and rooms.
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See the flyer to the Spanish Film Festival. |
2022-23 Spanish Alumni Achievement Award Recipient speaks about the road to her professional success
Welcome Back for the FALL 2022 SemesterThe Department of Spanish is delighted to welcome students to our classes and programs for the Fall 2022 semester. We now offer most of our office hours, programs, classes and services in person, with some options remaining in virtual format. Most of our offices in Sprau Tower are now open to the public. To reach the department office, call (269) 387-3023. To reach the chair, staff and instructors, please consult the directory page for contact forms and office phone numbers. WELCOME to our NEw STUDENTS in the m.a. in hispanic studies
SPANISH STudy abroad programs and SCHOLARSHIPSPlease note that we are accepting applications for our Study Abroad programs in Heredia, Costa Rica (Spring 2023); Quito, Ecuador (Summer I, 2023); Santander, Spain (Summer II 2023); and Burgos, Spain (Fall 2023). Scholarship applications are available on this web site at the Scholarships link. The deadlines are October 29, 2022 and February 22, 2023. See an interview with WMU students studying abroad in Burgos, Spain. The University of Burgos also published this welcome announcement. MOST spanish courses offered in person THIS 2022-23 YEARThis academic year, the Department of Spanish is offering most of its undergraduate Spanish classes, from basic to advanced, in person. Check the WMU Course Offerings page. FREE SPANISH TUTORING - FALL 2022The Department of Spanish is happy to bring back our in-person free tutoring for students beginning on Wed., Aug. 31, 2022. You can find the location, dates, hours and names of the tutors on the tutoring schedule. FREE SPANISH TABLE - FALL 2022The Department of Spanish is also thrilled to continue offering the "Mesa española" or Spanish table for students beginning on Wed., Aug. 31, 2022. The Spanish table is an opportunity to practice your Spanish, meet people, play games, tell stories, etc. All in Spanish! Here you can find the location and dates of the Spanish table. Spring 2022 Honors and AwardS
Global engagementGet globally engaged at Western Michigan University.
OLD NewsDía de los Muertos altar featuredDepartment faculty member and graduate students featured in Second Wave of SW Michigan article for Day of the Dead Altar. Somos y Estamos 2020The WMU Department of Spanish newsletter, Somos y Estamos, provides news and features about our programs, students and faculty. Spring 2020 edition Department honors alumnaCongratulations to the Department of Spanish Alumni Achievement winner, Dr. Rose Brougham, associate professor in Global Cultures and Languages at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Zárate-Sández receives research grantProfessor German Zárate-Sández received a Language Learning Early Career Research Grant for his project, "Implementation and assessment of a pronunciation instruction training module for second language teachers." This prestigious grant program by the journal Language Learning recognizes cutting edge research on teaching and learning second languages. Spring 2020–SPAN 4400 Internship or Service Learning classSPAN 4400 provides students the valuable opportunity to utilize and improve their Spanish language skills through internship or service learning in the Kalamazoo Community. Apply here. Spring 2019 video contest winnersFirst place: "La sinfonia de mis dias," by Ursula Marlies Mayr. In Memory of Michael BraunThe department reflects on life of Michael Braun. | |||||
