Spanish SEPC

Spanish

Immerse yourself in global cultures.

Language is about people, their culture, their history, and the ways in which they articulate their aspirations, explore their individual identities, and achieve their dreams. To live the language of Spanish at Grinnell is to immerse yourself in it, which means to not only speak, read, and comprehend it but to truly and joyfully interact and adapt with Spanish-speaking cultures worldwide. Your interdisciplinary exploration of Spanish will happen in classes, at weekly tables and labs and special events, in talks with visiting guests and scholars, and through study-abroad and internship opportunities in Latin America and Spain. Your engagement in bringing together diverse perspectives through language will not only empower you to better navigate the world’s political and economic complexities; it also will meaningfully animate your commitment to exploring issues of purpose, responsibility, and justice around the world.

Why Study Spanish?

  • Elizabeth Collinger on mountain

    Global Opportunities

    Encounter the world as you study it.

    You’ll master the language, but you’ll also gain linguistic and cultural preparation to examine the world outside of Grinnell, Iowa. Integrating classroom experiences with global opportunities will allow you to take part in course-embedded travel and study abroad, and to engage in global internships and research that carry the classroom to the world.

  • Spanish class meets outdoors

    Cultural Awareness

    Think beyond your own world.

    In an era when political divides may seem insurmountable, we encourage you to think beyond your own cultural formations and biases. You’ll learn to consider how the Spanish-speaking world interacts with global and local cultures, both in the United States and abroad.

  • GLP in Spain

    Experiential Learning

    Learn by doing.

    As a department, we strive to provide you with as many experiential learning opportunities as possible. Through our courses, service learning, extracurricular opportunities, and funded grants and prizes, you’ll gain hands-on experiences that allow you to put knowledge into action.

  • Valerie Benoist in her office

    Becoming Global Citizens

    "I think that Grinnell College has many strengths. One of them is the academic rigor of Grinnell College. I think we are good, very good, at helping students who are already excellent students who come to Grinnell, become even stronger thinkers, stronger in research, stronger speakers, global citizens."

    Professor of Spanish Valerie Benoist explains how Grinnell helps students become the best global citizens that they possibly can be in the areas that interest them the most.

    Watch the Video

Alumni Stories

Nick Hunter in warm clothing near a spillway

Talk about flexible. Nick Hunter ’15 is using the skills he developed as a Spanish major in his graduate program in engineering.

Read Nick's Story
Natalie Gentil stands in front of the pond at Retiro Park in Madrid

Natalie Gentil ’14 always loved learning languages, but never thought she would major in Spanish. The major is now proving immensely beneficial in her professional life.

Read Natalie's Story

Department News

Grace Duffy ’22 Receives Stouffer Fellowship for Graduate Studies

The fellowship is open to senior women who are fluent in French, Spanish, or Portuguese with plans for a career and graduate study in a public service field in Latin America and Latin American communities.
Spanish students meet virtually with community partners

Learning from Community and Service

A unique Spanish course offers a community-centric approach based in service-learning.
Skyline view of Toledo, Spain

A Holistic Experience

A classroom- and place-based course, Studies in Contemporary Spanish Literature and Film offers students with rich understanding of Spain and its culture.

Featured Courses

Skyline view of Toledo, Spain
A Holistic Experience

A classroom- and place-based course, Studies in Contemporary Spanish Literature and Film offers students with rich understanding of Spain and its culture.

John Petrus teaching Spanish class
Beyond Memorization

Intermediate Spanish provides a holistic curriculum of cultural context and skills proficiency.

Spanish students meet virtually with community partners
Learning from Community and Service

A unique Spanish course offers a community-centric approach based in service-learning.

Spanish Career Outcomes

First Destinations

  • 59% Employment
  • 19% Graduate School
  • 5% Post-Graduate Service
  • 5% Fellowships
  • 5% Continuing Education
  • 7% Other

Employment

89%
Positions related to Career Goals

Positions Related to Career Goals

This graph illustrates the extent to which our graduates' first job is aligned with their career goals. It's one thing to find a job; it's an entirely different thing to land the job you want!

Employer

  • Children's Rights
  • Goldman Sachs
  • IES Las Canteras Bilingual High School
  • Mariposa DR Foundation
  • North American Language & Culture Assistants Program
  • Urban Institute

Graduate Schools

89%
89% Accepted to 1st- or 2nd- choice programs

Graduate School Acceptance Info

Of those who applied to and were accepted to at least one program, this chart illustrates the percentage of admitted students who were accepted to either their first or second choice program and institution.

Institutions

  • Hamline University
  • University of Illinois
  • University of Michigan
  • Washington University in St. Louis
Explore More Graduate Outcomes

Department Chair

John Petrus

Contact Information

Phone
641-269-4803
Fax
641-269-9942

Humanities and Social Studies Center
1226 Park St.
Grinnell, IA 50112
United States

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