Travis Brubaker, German, BA International Relations, 2018
"Learning German opened up many new doors for me, and encouraged me to learn other languages as well."
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During his time as an undergraduate student at Grand Valley, Eliot Westdorp pursued Spanish and applied linguistic studies, obtaining his B.A. degree in both areas in the fall semester of 2016.
Before graduating, however, Westdorp studied abroad, per the guidance and recommendation of professors in his program, and it was this study abroad experience that encouraged him to pursue a post graduation opportunity that would temporarily relocate him to a small village in Spain's coastal Galician region. Here, he would teach English to high school students, a critical experience he attributes to the foundational skills he learned while in Grand Valley's language program.
In this position, formally called an Auxiliar de Conversación, Westdorp was able to "become curious about the language and culture", fueling his passion to continue his education where he eventually received his Master's degree at Michigan State University in
2020 before continuing on with a PhD at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA where he is currently in his final year.
Westdorp is now back in Spain's Galician region on the small island of Arousa where he is working for a cutting edge language company known as Lingro Learning, all while collecting data for his dissertation work on a sociophonetic study of the Galcian dialect that is spoken on the island; when asked about what his current day-to-day looks like, Westdorp replied, "I get to teach Spanish, work as a [sic] linguist, and be a part of an innovational language company all because of [sic] my time at GVSU. I believe that there is no limit to what you can [sic] do with a language degree".
Westdorp was recently celebrated in a local Galician article describing his accomplishments along with highlighting his dissertation work. You can find the article here!
The Michigan Seal of Biliteracy (MI-SoBL) was created to give a shoutout to high school grads who can show they’re fluent in English and at least one other language. It’s all about encouraging students to learn new languages—or keep using the ones they grew up with.
The seal helps employers spot folks with strong language skills and can also be a bonus for college applications or placement. This site breaks it all down for students, parents, teachers, and school staff, aiming to make sure everyone has a fair shot at earning the seal.
Do you have the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy? Grand Valley is currently in the process of identifying how this critical achievement can support your academic journey! See what it can do for you today!
Grand Valley’s Multilingualism Undergraduate Badge is a cool way for students to level up their language skills while diving into different cultures. There are three tracks to choose from, depending on how much language experience you already have, so it’s super flexible and tailored to fit your goals.
By earning this badge, you’ll get one-on-one instruction, chances to connect with different cultures on campus and even abroad, and a great way to show off your language skills to future employers. You can knock it out in about a year, so it’s a quick and powerful add-on to your degree.
Being multilingual isn’t just impressive—it’s a big plus in fields like business, education, government, international work, healthcare, social services, criminal justice, engineering, communications, law, and more. See what it can do for you today!
Speak the language of care - ¡Con confianza!
The GVSU certificate in Spanish for Health Care Professionals prepares students to be culturally and linguistically competent to better serve patients from Spanish speaking communities and backgrounds.
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.
Grand Valley's department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers the opportunity to interact with and often participate in West Michigan's growing language and cultural spheres.
From on-campus events like the Global Languages and Cultures Festival (Pictured Right), to class-specific projects involving local communities, enrolled students are able to be immersed in settings that both challenge their language skills and encourage community building amongst peers and neighbors alike.
Some notable, immersive events include:
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:
Studying abroad with Modern Literatures and Languages (MLL) is special because programs are Faculty-Led.
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. By clicking the adjacent photo, you can donate today and support students in their journey to celebrate language and culture! Once on the webpage, click the "I want to support list" and simply scroll to the "Modern Languages and Literatures Endowed Study Abroad Scholarship".
"Learning German opened up many new doors for me, and encouraged me to learn other languages as well."
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.