October 24, 2023
Given the opportunity of traveling to the Dominican Republic this past summer, Shawnee State University student Annie Ucci saw the opportunity to expand her knowledge and skills in the Spanish language. As an English major, she originally wanted participate in the trip with Professor Pablo Salinas as a way to further expand her Spanish-speaking skills outside of a classroom setting.
“As an English major, learning a different language is closely connected with my studies,” she said. “I've noticed that becoming familiar with the sentence structure, parts of speech, or otherwise, of a second language makes me consider that of the English language much more.”
Always wanting to be able to speak multiple languages, Ucci was interested in becoming familiar with another country’s culture and traditions. Traveling to the Dominican Republic, she was grateful for the opportunity to tour the historic center of Santa Domingo during the trip.
“I definitely have a lot more appreciation for the Dominican Republic after all I learned and experienced,” she said, adding that her group was also able to interact with children from a primary school, explore a university for Dominican music, and tour a cacao plantation during their trip. “I'd say my favorite part was the tour of the city on the first day. We saw many beautiful museums and buildings and got to learn about the founding of the country and important historical figures.”
In addition to using this trip to expand her cultural understanding of a Spanish-speaking country, Ucci also used this trip for her experiential learning requirement as a member of the Honors Program.
“It's very important to become acquainted with the diverse world we live in,” she said. “I'm so grateful to have been given the opportunity to further my knowledge and experience.”
Grateful for the entire experience, Ucci is excited for how she can use the skills she learned in her future studies.
“Professor Salinas did a wonderful job planning the whole thing and ensuring that we had the best time possible,” she said. “The people of the Dominican Republic that hosted us during our stay were all wonderful as well. Overall, I couldn't be happier or more thankful for this entire experience.”
SSU’s Spanish minor allows students to improve their speaking, reading, and writing skills in the language. Many students majoring in English & Humanities take the time to learn more about the structures of popular languages and the importance of being able to understand multiple languages in their future careers and everyday lives.
To learn more about opportunities within Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu.