Community-engaged Spanish Internship Program

This CCESL grant helped support the monumental effort of securing and supporting Spanish language-centered internships in the greater Denver community. We had a record number of 30 enrolled Spanish majors and minors enrolled this spring (previous years had 12-15 students) in placements with 27 different community partners. Students worked in a wide variety of internships that aligned with their experience and academic/professional interests. They contributed to a diverse range of projects and initiatives, from court interpreting to community organizing to social media campaigns, and received invaluable mentorship and support. 10 students will continue their work during the summer and at least three students have been officially hired by their organization. 

In more specific terms, this CCESL grant allowed us to hire an incredible student to support our work. Beginning in winter term, she organized our internship catalogue, facilitated important communication with community partners around placements, expectations, evaluations and the end-of-the-year showcase. She was an invaluable member of the team and her contribution allowed Lina and me to dedicate additional time to one-on-one student support. In addition, she was able to gain valuable professional experience without an additional financial burden. We are grateful for her contribution, and it would not have been possible without this grant from CCESL. 

This program is part of an ongoing effort to connect students with opportunities beyond the classroom, emphasizing Spanish as a living, local language, relevant to any field of study. Our growing internship program is evidence of both the student interest and community need for Spanish-English bilingual speakers with a wide-range of skills and interests. The program demonstrates that there is so much more to learning another language.