Immersion Experience Helps Senior Spanish Major Master the Language
Posted on: February 17, 2022
Tigerville, SC (February 17, 2022) Robert Nickles (expected ’22) spent his summer fulfilling his internship degree requirement working at La Clínica Gratis in his hometown of Greenwood. Clinica Gratis, a medical home for individuals with no medical insurance, is part of Community Initiatives, Inc., a registered 501(c) non-profit organization specializing in health and prevention. Most of their patients speak little or no English.
Nickles worked with a staff member in the front office and was able to speak Spanish every day when communicating with patients.
“I greeted people at the front desk, answered the phone, called clients to confirm their appointments, and asked them questions. I checked people into the clinic for their appointments and asked them pre-appointment questions,” said Nickles. “Most of the clients were Spanish-speaking only, so I had to communicate in Spanish most of the day.”
Another interesting activity he completed was translating two English documents into Spanish.
An Internship provides work experience that helps students put their education into practice, develop their leadership skills, and give them a competitive advantage as they pursue a permanent position.
Nickles, a senior Spanish major preparing to graduate in Spring 2022, intends to teach high school Spanish.
“I believe this internship was very beneficial to me as a Spanish major. Learning Spanish in the classroom is helpful, but getting to speak Spanish every day with native Spanish speakers practically helped me learn how to better communicate in Spanish,” he said.
Nickles highly recommends an internship to other students.
“It is very beneficial to have practical hands-on skills that relate to one’s field of study. It is just so different when immersed in an actual workplace compared to when you are in a classroom,” he said.
Your professional future may include pursuing a variety of careers rooted in bilingual ability. Teacher. Interpreter. Foreign service officer. International banker, analyst, or consultant. Law enforcement officer. Government agent. Professor. Translator. Even travel agent or guide. Whatever your passion, open a world of opportunity through mastering the Spanish language at NGU.
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