Christina Herrera

Class of 2010
Albuquerque, NM
Majors: Spanish and International Studies
Minors: Anthropology and Human Development

My decision to study Spanish at Eckerd College is one that has enhanced my academic, professional, and personal life. The Spanish faculty is welcoming, friendly and warm. They are not only amazing Spanish professors but are knowledgeable about a range of topics pertinent to Spain and Latin America. With their guidance I was encouraged to explore my interest of Latin American topics within my Spanish classes as well as during semester-long research projects that I often carried out abroad. During my time at Eckerd I traveled to Chile four times and studied topics ranging from the literature of Latin American Women, to the impact of the dictatorship of Agosto Pinochet on the arts in Chile during the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

What I most prize about my knowledge of the Spanish language is that I was able to integrate that knowledge into classes in other disciplines. It provided me access to Spanish language resources and I was able to interact with the Spanish speaking community in the Tampa Bay area. Now as I transition into the professional world I know that being bilingual is a significant advantage in the job market.

In 2010 I graduated from Eckerd College completely fluent in Spanish and having served as a tutor for the Spanish department for several semesters. I now live in Chile with my family and have worked in the International Business Department at Rafael Burgos S.A., an import-export Chilean company, since January 2011.