Marquette University employees now have an opportunity to participate in a free Spanish for Higher Education Professionals course which will run over 12 weeks from January to April.
In-person instruction will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays from Jan. 23 to April 21, 2023. The course includes additional asynchronous coursework via D2L. The spring cohort is limited to 15 participants.
This course has been designed to educate and prepare our higher educational professionals with the skills needed to support Marquette’s growing Latinx student community as we move toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution. Faculty and staff enrolled in the course will develop a working knowledge of basic Spanish as well as a culturally sensitive understanding of our Latinx student community.
Employees enrolled in the course will learn to:
- Use socially and linguistically appropriate forms of Spanish to initiate conversations with Spanish-speaking students and their families
- Use appropriate and culturally sensitive strategies to interact with Spanish-speaking students and their families
- Demonstrate acceptable control of basic Spanish grammar and pronunciation
- Demonstrate awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity of Latinx communities in Milwaukee and the U.S. and of social issues affecting these communities
- Engage in dialogues around HSI and broader DEI efforts through culturally responsive programming, workshops and discussions. Speakers will include Latinx members of the Milwaukee community as well as Latinx Marquette students.
Individuals who meet and agree to the following criteria will be considered for participation:
- Full-time employee at Marquette University
- Demonstrated interest in supporting and advocating for our Latinx students
- Recommended by supervisor
- Available to participate in all sessions
- Willing to complete all assigned work
To be considered for the spring 2023 cohort, interested individuals should complete and submit the application, along with supervisor approval and support by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. Applicants will be notified of their status prior to the start of the spring term.
This course was made possible through the Explorer Grant Challenge and is the result of a collaboration among the University Staff Senate, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and the Department of Human Resources.
For more information, please contact LK Pinhancos, teaching instructor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.