Eric Brink, Spanish & Chinese, BA Spanish, 2020
During his time at GVSU he was a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship, an intensive overseas program that allowed him to study a year's worth of Chinese curriculum in just eight weeks.
Multiple studies link the benefits of language learning to:
The following professions are seeing an increased need for language skills:
Language is considered a critical part of a liberal arts education. Part of Grand Valley State University's vision and strategic priorities are to "inspire and equip students to be active life-long learners and global citizens" and to require global learning of all undergraduate majors. This does not mean that we expect all students to become fluent, but instead to have exposure to a second language and culture, which in turn leads to practical language skills. The Modern Languages and Literatures Department's (MLL) language courses offer not just the chance to study a language, but to actively engage with another culture on its own terms. Learn more about studying language?
The LRC is a learning lab and collaborative resource center for all students, not just language majors, it is a place for community. A few of its offerings include:
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The Modern Languages and Literatures Endowed Study Abroad Scholarship was established to encourage and assist language students to study abroad and gain life experience in the language they are studying at Grand Valley.
Studying abroad with Modern Literatures and Languages (MLL) is special because programs are Faculty-Led.
We're about to launch new badges through MLL, including the Multilingualism Badge and the Intercultural Fluency for Business Badge. Please bear with us while we finalize the details.
During his time at GVSU he was a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship, an intensive overseas program that allowed him to study a year's worth of Chinese curriculum in just eight weeks.
Veronica says "Learning French fed my degree in Anthropology and certainly helps me get along when I visit Paris! The French professors were fantastic at teaching not just the French language but also French culture and history..."
Trazy still uses her Spanish skills every day, whether greeting hungry families, or advocating on behalf of those who are looking for resources within the community, or providing cultural competency to programming happening within immigrant communities.