Section
Languages

ALUMNI NEWS

What are the graduates of Eastern's Language Program doing now?      

EricaErica Braddock (Class of 2003; Spanish major and Bilingual Certification)
Currently I am a middle school Spanish teacher about to finish up my fourth year of teaching. Many of the teaching styles and techniques I use now are simply methods that I was taught at Eastern and since have made my own. I am so thankful unto the Lord that He chose to direct my path to Eastern. There I found challenging classes, professors who demonstrated more than one way of looking at issues, and an advisor who wouldn't accept anything less than my best. At Eastern I obtained my Bilingual Teaching Certificate and majored in Spanish. My major allowed me to study abroad in Seville, Spain, an experience that opened the world to me and has given me a heart for travel. I can say without a doubt that choosing Eastern was one of the best decisions I've made and has directed my life in ways I'd never imagined possible.

BrianBrian Cicutti (Class of 2004; Spanish and Mathematics Major)
When I entered Eastern in the fall of 2001 I was like so many other students, I was ungrounded as far as what I wanted to study. I decided to enroll in Spanish 101 in the fall, however the class was full so I was forced into 103. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. It didn’t take a month and I knew that I wanted to study Spanish. The professors at Eastern provided me with unparalleled support to enable to fulfill this goal. Furthermore, I left with an extremely rewarding and thorough education that not only enriched my understanding of Spanish culture and language, but most importantly showed me the incredible usefulness of this knowledge in seeing the Kingdom of God spread throughout the whole World.

I am currently a math student in a Ph.D. program, but living in Kansas City, the fifth largest Spanish speaking city in the U.S. As much math as I study, I think I still speak more Spanish to people. Every student, whether or not they plan on living abroad, can and should study a foreign language while at Eastern.

“To all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you!” (Daniel 4:1)

AnnaAnna Martin (Class of 2002; Spanish major & Communications minor)
My husband and I are the directors of Fundaninos Orphanage in San Jose Pinula, Guatemala.  The orphanage is home to 35 children, ages 0-15 (see right).  There is also a ministry to pregnant mothers, of which we now have 5.  We began in September 2005 and have committed to 2 years.  Our job is complex and we are constantly learning a lot about what it really does consist of, but a large part of it is administrative/management.

Definitely the high point of what we do is getting to work with the incredible children here at Fundaninos.  We are very much enjoying building friendships with them and watching as they trust and confide in us more and more.

Jennifer Rump (Class of 2006; Spanish major)
After graduating from Eastern in 2006, I entered into the professional world as a Spanish teacher. I currently teach 7th grade Exploratory Spanish in the Spring-Ford Area School District. There, I am able to inform my students of the benefits of studying a foreign language on a daily basis, and I encourage them to take advantage of the influence that Spanish has in their own families and communities. I love my job!

During my time at Eastern, I not only learned a lot about teaching in a classroom, but I also had many opportunities to be immersed in the Spanish language and culture. The courses I took, as well as my study abroad experience in Spain, really prepared me to use Spanish in a professional setting. I know the importance of learning a foreign language in our ever-increasingly diverse society, and the Foreign Language Department at Eastern gives students the tools they need to become some of the most sought-after employees in the workplace.  Even if I weren’t a teacher, I know that I could be successful wherever I work because of the training I received.

MayaMaya Giña Pirela
As a bilingual travel agent, I talk to clients and offer suggestions about where they might like to travel. Another facet of my job is dealing with the hotels or cruise lines or tour operators. If there is a problem or we need to contact them directly to book, we have to call them. If the place is in Latin America, that's my job as the Spanish-speaker. Eastern helped prepare me professionally because my professors didn't reward slipshod work or half-effort work and that kind of work will not get me anywhere in this industry either. Everything is so detail-oriented and you really have to pay attention or someone will be on their way to Bhubaneswar, India instead of Barbados. Part of my Eastern experience is the reason why I was offered this job. If I had not studied abroad, traveled while I was abroad, and learned Spanish while I was abroad, I wouldn’t have been offered the job. We have a lot of Spanish-speaking clients.

AllisonAllison Book-Arango  (Class of 2004; Spanish and Urban Studies double major & Anthropology minor)
At Eastern, I double majored in Urban Studies and Spanish and also minored in Anthropology. One of the highlights of my undergraduate degree was studying abroad in Sevilla. Spanish climate, culture and people made this a memorable experience.The knowledge that I gained through out my four years is very applicable in my work today. I currently work with a non-profit, social service agency serving low-income residents of all ages through various holistic programs.

During the spring break of my senior year, several friends and I went back to Sevilla to visit. It was wonderful to catch up with my host family, spend time with my church friends from Nueva Sión, and revisit old historic sites. For once we allowed ourselves to be "tourists" without worrying about looking like foreigners. We had a fantastic time; ¡Viva las tapas, el flamenco y los amigos!

JodiJodi Louws  (Class of 2004; Spanish minor, French minor, Political Science Major)
Speaking and writing Spanish is possibly my most valuable skill in my position as Business Analyst for a multinational coffee trading company.  I am responsible for user training and support for the software we use to manage contracts, purchasing, inventory and international shipping.  I travel up to 50% of the time to Mexico and Central and Latin America.  I've also been on incredible trips to India and Switzerland (where I pulled out the French I also studied at Eastern.)  I do nearly half my work in Spanish and have gained fluency on the job.

Studying language can be tedious- but incredibly worth the effort!  I remember many hours spent in the Eastern cafeteria between meals, books open, muttering to myself in Spanish or French.  Then after graduation, I didn't get a job right away using my language skills.  It took three years before I had the job experience and the language background to be the right candidate for this job that I love.  I appreciate my ability to use language to build trust and ease the frequent discomfort and confusion of intercultural communication. This is valuable in the workplace, when I'm traveling and making new friends or when I'm home and living in multicultural USA.  I encourage every student to take advantage of Eastern's language courses; you can gain a skill of great value for your life and your career.