According to K-State’s Department of Modern Languages, the department serves as “a vibrant and dynamic place where we foster multilingual and multicultural awareness and a sense of belonging and identity that prepares students to become global citizens.”
Studying another language is beneficial for one’s education in a multitude of ways. Immersing in another culture through art, language and literature can expand ways of critical thinking and understanding in a classroom.
“There are so many reasons to study other languages,” professor of Spanish and department head Jeffrey Zamostny said. “I see languages as windows to the world, with cultures that have different approaches to daily life up to complex ideas about art and literature. Learning to step outside of one’s own culture and what you’re accustomed to and see it from a different perspective I think is a very valuable skill.”
At K-State, the department has a range of languages for those interested, including Spanish, German, Chinese and Arabic, with plenty of others ranging from the 100-500s course level.
Studying a language and pursuing bilingualism can open up a plethora of doors within future careers, with society evolving and diversity becoming widely celebrated, the study of languages is becoming a required credit at some universities.
“Learning Spanish has created a pathway for me to be able to have the opportunity to become bilingual and have the skill set to serve and communicate with multiple communities within a criminal justice career,” Sloan O’Sullivan, junior in criminology, said. “Bilingual police officers are needed across the country, and being in the modern languages department at Kansas State has provided an incredible foundation for me to pursue my career.”
Learning a language takes patience and is time-consuming, between learning verb conjugations and correct diction, it takes time to grasp. Professors at K-State offer opportunities for students to get help and immerse themselves in the culture of their choosing. Including Café Olé, tutoring at the Kirmser Language Center and office hours, professors at K-State want to see their students excel while attempting to speak another language.
“One of the things I enjoy about teaching Spanish is not only teaching the language, culture and speaking skills, but you’re also teaching a lot about how to commit to doing something that is difficult and requires time management skills,” Zamostny said.
With Spanish becoming a largely-spoken language within the nation, becoming bilingual is a quality many establishments look for in new hires post-grad. Not only is this a positive for a future career, but also day to day communication.
“I think it is incredibly important to be bilingual in today’s age,” O’Sullivan said. “Spanish is the second most spoken language next to English within the United States. Communication is key in my future career, and being able to take that to the next level with bilingualism is going to expand the ways I can help my community as well as carry out my service to the next level.”
