A student who grew up speaking Spanish at home may be able to hold a casual conversation but might face struggles when asked to write an academic essay or give a professional presentation.
Sergio Sanchez Lopez, a senior studying biological sciences and Spanish, said his relationship with the language came mostly from growing up in a Spanish-speaking household before he joined the Spanish Heritage track.
The program is aimed at helping students who grew up learning Spanish at home or lived in a Spanish-speaking community to master academic skills with it.
As a science major, what truly inspired him to pursue a career through the Spanish Heritage track was to be able to provide his services as a future doctor in both languages.
"If I can't have a professional level of speaking Spanish, how am I going to communicate well with them?" Sanchez Lopez said. "So that's when I decided, you know, let's take this."
Sanchez Lopez expected the courses to focus heavily on Spanish from Spain but found the teachings more centered around what he has been exposed to his entire life.
One of the lessons the courses taught him was to identify what is called a false friend, which is a word in two languages that means completely different things.
Sanchez Lopez said his Spanish writing skills have improved through this program.
"(The program) showed me definitely a lot of vocabulary, a ton of grammar and how to improve in those areas," Sanchez Lopez said. "Those are the areas I struggled the most ... it definitely has worked."
On the other hand, Sanchez Lopez said he would have liked to see more writing workshops and more involvement from the faculty to promote the program and cross-cultural exchange.
He also mentioned a feature he would add to the program would be the opportunity to learn more about the professors and observe a class before enrolling.
Gabrielle Yocupicio, a professor for the Spanish Heritage track, said a goal of the program is to have a place where bilingualism is valued and recognized.
Yocupicio was a heritage learner herself. She took Spanish classes that were not tailored to her community or how she spoke it. She said the Spanish she was taught felt foreign instead of identity-focused.
People who grew up in a multicultural household or surrounded by Spanish speakers but were not able to speak the language are often referred to as "no sabo" referencing a disconnect with the language.
Melissa Negron, a professor at the School of International Letters and Cultures, said in Spanish there are preconceptions of language that give rise to the "no sabo kids."
Negron mentioned how many believe that frequently using Spanglish directly means they can't speak fluent Spanish. In reality, Negron said Spanglish is a way of showing culture for those who grew up speaking both.
Jose Ruiz, a senior studying psychology, said the program does a good job addressing perspectives from different cultures.
"Gaining a different perspective helps you understand people better, and it really helps you solve problems better as well," Ruiz said.
The program broadened Ruiz's knowledge of different types of Spanish along with vocabulary and professional development.
Ruiz said any students interested in the program should know that it isn't only for people who speak perfect Spanish or no Spanish at all; the program aims to meet students where they're at and go from there.
Laura Dicochea, who works in the Office of the Dean of Students in Student Advocacy, hosted a special talk for the program where she shared why she is a big advocate of bilingualism and dual languages.
Because Dicochea moved between Mexico and the United States often, she had to overcome disadvantages in English and Spanish growing up.
She had a similar experience to Yocupicio, where she never quite felt 100% fluent or a part of her language and culture.
"Whatever Spanish I know, whatever language, it doesn't matter," Dicochea said. "I'm gonna share it, and this is part of my identity. This is part of my culture."
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Alan Deutschendorf III, Grace Lawrence and Sophia Keeling.
Reach the reporter at lmrome12@asu.edu.
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Lairam Romero is a reporter for La Prensa at The State Press. She has worked previously with Blaze News, Blaze Radio, (NAHJ) National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the NAHJ bilingual magazine VOCES. This is her first semester with The State Press as a Journalism and Mass Communication major in her second year.
