Spanish Program Alumni - Languages, Literatures and International Studies

Majors & minor: Computer Science major, Spanish major, and Mathematics minor

Learning another language can have such a positive effect in life: it allows you to see things from another perspective and forces you to think about communication on a deeper level. I'm a strong believer in learning just for the sake of personal enrichment and the classes towards the end of the Spanish program were some of the best I took at NMU due to their more discussion-oriented structure. 

Major & minor: Spanish major & Chemistry minor

Reflecting on my time at NMU, I’d say that my experience there had a profound impact on both my personal and professional development. Majoring in Spanish was especially transformative, as it deepened my language proficiency and cultural understanding. The opportunity to study abroad was a highlight of my college experience, inspiring me so much that I decided to move to Spain for a year after graduation. This time abroad broadened my perspective and reinforced my adaptability and appreciation for diverse cultures.

Majors: Spanish and International Studies

My time at NMU was foundational in shaping my personal and professional identity. Graduating in 2014 with a double major in Spanish and International Studies, I gained invaluable global experience through a semester in Lima, Peru, and two faculty-led programs to Cuba. This sparked my passion for international education and promoting global experiences and perspectives.

Majors & minor: Environmental Science & Spanish Secondary Ed. majors; Biology Secondary Ed. minor

Languages have come to be a huge part of my life.  They have always intrigued me and they have enriched my life by opening doorways into other cultures.  The Spanish language especially has challenged me, humbled me (I’ve made a lot of mistakes!), and allowed me to connect to amazing people and places across the globe.  Now Spanish is an essential part of my professional life while working in Peru. I currently work at Colegio de la Inmaculada in Lima, Peru teaching science courses (biology & chemistry) to 7th and 8th graders.

Majors: Spanish, English Education

Alum Chris Paulus is currently working as a high school Spanish teacher at Byron High School in Byron, IL.  Chris teaches Spanish 1 and 2 to approximately 145 students.

I remember the enthusiasm of the NMU faculty. I was also very impressed with their work outside of the university. Most of them worked on translation and participated in seminars and traveled abroad as well. They were also very encouraging and acknowledged good work. Most of the classes were involved in happy and engaging conversation. The literature they chose was interesting and we learned a lot of important history and culture. 

Majors & minor: Elementary Education/Language Arts, Spanish Minor

My NMU language classes were great! The professors were very animated and knowledgeable. You could tell that they loved their jobs! A lot of them brought humor into the classroom, too, which made class much more fun to be in. Without the foreign language program I never would have been able to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina or student teach and work in Antigua, Guatemala. I also wouldn’t have my job as a bilingual teacher.

Majors & minor: Spanish, English majors; German minor

Currently Jessica is in a Master’s degree program in Spanish Literature at UW-Madison. She is a full time graduate student while teaching a Spanish 101 class at the university as part of her teaching assistantship. Jessica finds that she uses Spanish all the time, inside and outside of the university. She speaks with people on the bus using Spanish and often with some families that live in her apartment building. It is a very commonly spoken language in her area.

Majors: Secondary Spanish Education, Secondary History Education

Ashley currently lives with her husband in Menorca, Spain, where she conducts homework support classes for a private academy and works as a freelance English teacher. Previously, Ashley was employed for three years as a language assistant through the Spanish government's Cultural Ambassadors program.

Studying abroad literally changed my life, as I met my future husband while he was studying Biology in Salamanca. It made me become an English teacher rather than a Spanish teacher!

Major & minor: Spanish major, Latin American Studies minor

After graduating from NMU, Jesse went to South Korea and taught English there for two years. Currently, he is a teaching assistant at Minnesota State University (MNSU), where he instructs Elementary Spanish classes (2009-2011) and is completing his MA in Teaching English as a Second Language.

Knowing a second language has helped Jesse greatly. He received a full waiver in tuition and a living stipend for his graduate studies. It has also allowed him to meet countless numbers of people who he cherishes as friends. 

Majors: Spanish & International Studies

Kelly Hoover is a nationally certified medical interpreter of Spanish.  She currently works in Queens, NY, where she coordinates a language assistance program at Jamaica Hospital and instructs her own medical interpreting classes for the City University of New York. 

While at NMU, I worked in the language lab tutoring other students, made friends with international students, and joined the Spanish Club. I also studied abroad once in Costa Rica and later in Guatemala.

Major & minor: English major, Spanish minor

Mary spent her last semester of college in a study abroad program in Spain.  It was an experience she describes as having been life-changing.  For this reason, she continues to be a big proponent of study abroad and language immersion programs, and says that “Every student should study abroad for some time; it may spark an interest you never even knew you had, and take you in an entirely different direction.” If Mary hadn’t studied Spanish in college and spent half a year in Spain, she may not have gotten into the field of linguistics to do the research and teaching that she loves today.

Majors & minor: International Studies & Spanish, minor in Business

I live in Nairobi, Kenya, with my family and work for an organization called Oxfam, one of the biggest humanitarian aid organizations in the world. My job is to look after projects and funding in Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia. The particular focus of my work is on supporting emergency projects in water and sanitation, livelihoods, education, and capacity building for local community organizations. I travel frequently to various project areas where access is possible