This summer marked the University’s debut of its newest foreign language program – Spanish Immersion.

The program gives students the opportunity to receive credit for Spanish 2001 and 2002, said Noel Fallows, the department head professor of Spanish. Prior to the program’s inception, students wishing to study Spanish abroad had to reach at least the 3000 level courses.

From June until August, students seeking to improve their capability in both Spanish language and culture move into Soule Hall and immerse themselves in a Spanish-speaking world for 12 hours a day.

“The students live with a teaching assistant,” Fallows said. “That is how we consider them immersed within the culture. It’s an alternative to studying abroad.”

The prerequisites for the program are Spanish 1101 and 1102.

“It’s good for students who have a passion for Spanish and might want to accelerate the process or need credits for graduation,” said professor Hilda Mata from the Department of Romance Languages.

“It gives them the opportunity to finish two semesters in three months.”

But students don’t need to be fluent in Spanish to participate. The support they need, Mata said, is provided by the faculty.

These Spanish-intensive days begin with breakfast at 9:00 a.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. for the six students who are enrolled in the program. The informal meetings such as mealtime, Mata said, are the most important times for development because students engage with each other naturally.

Class meets daily for two hours and 15 minutes. Each week the students must complete an essay and take both an oral and written exam.

For the students, this means continuous pressure to build their Spanish-speaking skills.

“I could barely speak a word of Spanish before,” said Erica Holland, a sophomore from Stockbridge. “It’s great to learn grammar, but it’s even better to be able to speak with someone and communicate with them. I can do that now.”

The program is not strictly centered in the classroom, Holland said. Students participate in hour-long cultural activities each day. Daily activities include dance classes, watching Spanish news programs and sampling foreign cuisine. With each activity, they find themselves experiencing a new culture.