Andrews University’s proudest achievement definitely lies with its diverse population, resulting in a beautiful mixture of language and culture. As part of this diversity, AU also has an extensive International Language Program in majors and minors alike. The courses offered in these programs focus on the language but also the culture, providing students with important tools to navigate culture-specific situations.
Dr. Sonia Badenas, professor of French, describes the program as being separated into two sections: the on-campus classes, which have an emphasis on both language and culture, and the various hands-on opportunities offered through study tours and Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA). “They are united, but they can also be seen separately,” she says. Many minors are obtained by students doing a year of ACA abroad, being offered the option of learning Arabic, Italian, German, and Portuguese, besides French and Spanish, which are offered as majors and/or minors at Andrews. Anders Jeronimo (junior, biochemistry and French) was a student at Colognes through ACA from 2021 to 2022 and described his experience as “very formative in terms of language and broadening my cultural horizons.” There are currently two study tours offered alternatively each year: one in Europe, happening this upcoming summer, comprised of Italy, Greece, and Spain, and one in South America (exact itinerary TBD). Nailea Soto (junior, global studies), who will be on the Europe study tour this coming summer, said, “I've heard that you get a very good experience from each place that you visit. You get a good idea of the place and culture because you're there for a while. I'm looking forward to exploring other cultures regarding food, interactions with others, and just being in a different geographical location.”
When asked about the perks of joining the language program, Dr. Badenas excitedly expressed, “Oh, there are so many!” Besides marketability, she mentioned that “language opens your mind.” She added, “Knowing more than one language decreases chances of egocentrism and supremacy because you understand the struggle of learning multiple languages. When you are learning a language, you are also learning a culture, so it’s always eye-opening to think about things in a different way.” She also discussed with me how she saw language fitting within artistic expression, describing how important art is to a specific linguistic culture through literature, painting, architecture, etc. “It is an art of putting words together. It is a way of expression but in a different language with different words and meanings and vocabulary.”
A few students expressed their admiration for the language program, notably the interesting classes, the traveling opportunities, and the professors. Anders referenced the professors’ hard work in creating a healthy and educational environment for students, saying, “Professor Badenas is great– she’s Badenas. Even before Andrews, I heard from other people about her. She obviously works well with those who are in the program.” Nailea similarly expressed her positive experiences with the professors, saying, “I like how hands-on it is. It is very involved, you're constantly practicing and using it, and the professors will talk in that language with you, so you constantly learn. It's not just teaching; they are very much involved and want you to learn actively.”
One of the most popular language program classes this semester has been Language and Culture (ENGL 440), which is being taken by both interviewed students. “In class, we talk about linguistics, we talk about the effects of language on culture. The structure is lecture-based but is open to discussion and class interaction,” says Anders. Nailea adds, “I think it's a great opportunity for people to be able to get different experiences or at least learn about them when it comes to language because it is a very diverse topic. So being able to get a lot of different perspectives on language is very interesting.” “We approach the class with, ‘Wow, what can I learn from this language? This culture?’” says Dr. Badenas, taking on an approach focused on seeking answers and what we can learn from other cultures.
Andrews definitely has a very interesting and well-admired language program. As we have seen, it offers many opportunities, from studying abroad in far-away countries to blossoming one’s mind through learning new languages and cultures and expanding our worldview.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.