The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers many opportunities for students to engage with the Spanish language and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and communities.  Among these opportunities include guest lectures and workshops with world renown writers (through the Ida Cordelia Beam Distinguished Visiting Professorship Program) and a regularly held conversation hour, Cafecito Cervantes, in which students are able to practice their Spanish speaking skills with peers.  The Department also holds film screenings, holiday events and activities (i.e. our Dia de los Muertos altar) in our Center for Language and Culture Learning.  We are also home to our very own undergraduate student organization, the Spanish Club, which plans events throughout the year for students of the department.

Día de los Muertos 2022

Students in Gabriela Roman Fuentes's class set up a Día de los Muertos altar, decorating it with papel picado and paper flowers. The following week students created stations devoted to teaching peers in other classes about the origins of the festivities, calaveras (de azúcar as well as literary calaveras), food served during festivities, including pan de muertos and horchata.