
Opportunities for Students
Immigrant Rights Clinic, Interpreters and Translators
The Immigrant Rights Clinic (IRC) is looking for student volunteers to serve as interpreters and translators. In order to serve as interpreters, student volunteers must be fluent in Spanish and willing to coordinate schedules with clinic students for their client interviews. Students with the requisite knowledge of written Spanish may volunteer to translate client communications and other documents in coordination with clinic students in need of this service. All IRC student volunteers must be committed to professional and respectful interactions with clients, and prepared to treat all client information as privileged and confidential.
Summer Opportunities in Latin America
LACS facilitates summer experiences for students in Latin America, including internship opportunities in Mar de Plata, Argentina and Nicoya, Costa Rica.
Study Abroad
Students are highly encouraged to take advantage of opportunities that will offer first-hand knowledge of the target culture(s) through formal study abroad, internships, or individual research.
English for Speakers of Other Languages Program (ESOL)
The mission of the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program is to facilitate communication within the increasingly diverse population in Rockbridge County. Although ESOL has focused on the Latina/o community, the program works with speakers of all languages. We offer formal ESOL classes and one-on-one tutoring arrangements, Spanish classes for adults, free translation of documents and a hotline to provide immediate interpreting services.
Practice Your Foreign Language
LACS Minors must complete the Foundation and Distribution (FL) language requirement in Spanish, French or Portuguese and are also strongly encouraged to pursue advanced coursework and field study in one or more of the appropriate languages.
In addition to the broad formal curriculum on-campus, every week the Department of Romance Languages sponsors gatherings in the Marketplace, Casa Hispánica, the Hamer Seminar Room in Tucker Hall (318), Blue Sky Bakery, and other places where students, our native teaching assistants, and faculty get together to practice a Romance language. Additional meetings are organized around cultural events, such as Cinéma français at the Claytor House, Noche de cine at Casa Hispánica, Noche de poesía in the Commons Living room, in addition to campus-wide events like the Brazilian night at the Marketplace, when Environmental Studies sponsors an evening of Brazilian cuisine for the entire university community.
Casa Hispanica
W&L’s only language-oriented housing, Casa Hispánica seeks to establish a social and academic environment in which students promote communication in Spanish and enhanced knowledge of the numerous and different Hispanic cultures.