UBC’s Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies (FHIS) would like to thank the 2021-2022 student volunteers for generously devoting hours to support the FHIS Learning Centre and Spanish for Community, and for their service as Student Representatives. In this article, students share how volunteering has enhanced their university experience.
Learning Centre Volunteers
“In our increasingly globalized world, conflict arises at times from intercultural contact. But learning another person’s language can represent a gesture of goodwill and facilitate mediation.”
FHIS Learning Centre volunteer tutors offer student-centered conversation practice, tutoring (i.e., guidance with grammar and vocabulary questions), and help with the continued development of core skills (i.e. speaking, listening, reading, and writing) needed to become proficient in the Romance languages taught at the department.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
MA in Hispanic Studies
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I wanted to enhance my teaching experience by supporting undergraduate students of Spanish language and Hispanic literatures; in the same way, I wanted make a contribution to the FHIS community by providing knowledgeable and joyful tutoring.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
I have been able to interact with students with multiple interests and skills, not only focused in language or literature. This has enriched my horizons since I have learned that teaching Spanish can create communities and generate opportunities to know people with a wide variety of perspectives. Each student has a different vision.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
Double Major in Psychology and French; 3rd Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I love the FHIS community and wanted to contribute to it/give back. I also love teaching and the French language, so becoming a French tutor seemed like the best way to do that.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
It gives me something extra to look forward to every week and makes me feel more connected to the community. I have also developed my teaching skills and met some amazing peers through volunteering at FHIS.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
Undeclared; 3rd Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
In our increasingly globalized world, at times, conflict arises from intercultural contact, but learning another person’s language can represent a gesture of goodwill and facilitate mediation. As tutors, we help students strengthen their core language competencies and thus, indirectly support their efforts to meet international partners halfway.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
As a tutor, I have the opportunity to develop my interpersonal skills, and with progress, I have gained the confidence needed to build meaningful friendships, to engage in exciting cultural events, including a Cuban dance concert, and to pursue adventure through study abroad in France.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
Double-major in Spanish and Psychology; Recently Graduated
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because I wanted to be more involved within the UBC community and the Spanish language.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
It opened up more doors for me in terms of my professional and career development. It also gave me more experience related to the outside world.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
Student of French
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer in order to help each others, to meet people with the same passions, and to make friends.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
I met a lot of students with the same passions in languages and shared a lot of interesting topics with them. It is a great way to make friends here.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
Cognitive Systems Major; 3rd Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I started volunteering at the Learning Centre after I came across it in my first year during an unrelated meeting with a Spanish instructor at UBC. I was looking for something to engage better with the community at UBC, and volunteering with FHIS allowed me to do that.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Volunteering at FHIS has been a great experience. Not only has it helped me develop my language and teaching skills, it has also helped me build meaningful relations with fellow volunteers and UBC staff.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
PhD in Hispanic Studies
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because it was the best way to meet new people and become part of the community.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Coming from Mexico, I am more aware of the cultural legacies that enrich UBC and Vancouver in general.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
BSc in Food and Nutrition and French Minor; 3rd Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I have always been passionate about languages and love to share this passion with others. This is why I tutor French, my native tongue I learned in Montreal, Quebec.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Working at FHIS has developed my communication skills with others and feeling comfortable teaching all different levels of French. Working at FHIS has also opened opportunities for work outside of the Learning Centre.
Learning Centre Tutor
What is your specialization?
Interdisciplinary Studies: Economics and Political Science Major, French Minor; 4th Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because I found FHIS to be a platform where I could share my love for French and get more involved on campus.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Volunteering with FHIS has given me an avenue to connect with the diverse community that UBC has to offer and expand my linguistic ability to multiple languages.
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Learning Centre Tutor
Student Representatives
“Volunteering has enriched my student experience because of the opportunity to be involved in important departmental decisions.”
Student representatives bring the views, concerns, and key issues of the student groups they represent to departmental meetings and faculty committees, in order to improve the overall student experience.
Graduate Student Representative
What is your specialization?
MA in Hispanic Studies
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I wanted to enhance my teaching experience by supporting undergraduate students of Spanish language and Hispanic literatures; in the same way, I wanted make a contribution to the FHIS community by providing knowledgeable and joyful tutoring.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
I have been able to interact with students with multiple interests and skills, not only focused in language or literature. This has enriched my horizons since I have learned that teaching Spanish can create communities and generate opportunities to know people with a wide variety of perspectives. Each student has a different vision.
Undergraduate Student Representative
What is your specialization?
Modern European Studies Major, Spanish Minor; Recently Graduated (with Distinction)
Why did you choose to volunteer?
In serving as a Student Representative for Spanish and Portuguese, I sought to leverage my engagement with the department to create beneficial changes for students at the undergraduate level.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
I gained valuable insight into the role of faculty and staff, which has strengthened my aspirations of working in academia.
Graduate Student Representative, CUPE 2278 Representative
What is your specialization?
PhD in Hispanic Studies
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because it was the best way to meet new people and become part of the community.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Coming from Mexico, I am more aware of the cultural legacies that enrich UBC and Vancouver in general.
Graduate Student Ambassador, Graduate Student Conference and Events Organizer
What is your specialization?
PhD in Hispanic Studies
Why did you choose to volunteer?
On the one hand, I enjoy the project management aspect of Academia; on the other hand, I am committed to contributing to the graduate community life in our department.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
It has effectively increased my leadership and positively improved my team and time management skills.
Undergraduate Student Representative
What is your specialization?
Double-Major in International Relations and Spanish; 4th Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer at FHIS to improve my oral Spanish skills, my translation skills, and to be more involved in the lovely FHIS community. Volunteering at FHIS is the perfect complement to learning Spanish at UBC, you get to be involved in the community and meet likeminded people!
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Volunteering at FHIS has enriched my student experience because of the opportunity to be involved in important departmental decisions and because of the connections I have made with local and international communities. Volunteering at FHIS has allowed me to learn Spanish not only in a classroom environment, but also to improve my Spanish in a professional setting and to develop my translation skills.
Undergraduate Student Representative
Graduate Student Representative
Graduate Student Representative
Graduate Student Representative
Graduate Student Representative
Spanish for Community Volunteers
“Volunteering opened up more doors for me in terms of my professional and career development. It also gave me more experience related to the outside world.”
Spanish for Community develops linguistic and community-engaged learning projects with partner organizations in the Hispanic community, locally and abroad. Students engage in transformative language and cultural learning opportunities related to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, human and earth rights, public health and education, and community art and culture.
The new translation team is working on a co-curricular project for breast cancer survivors in collaboration with Paddlers Abreast Canada and the Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Network, to translate a manual that will enable Spanish-speaking countries to offer Dragon Boat teams and thus change lives. The initiative was started by Dr. Don McKenzie, Professor Emeritus at UBC.
Spanish for Community Translator
What is your specialization?
Modern European Studies Major, Spanish Minor; Recently Graduated (with Distinction)
Why did you choose to volunteer?
The Spanish for Community program allows me to apply my learning to real-world contexts and meaningful projects.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
I found it incredibly enriching to work alongside peers with diverse academic and personal backgrounds on projects I was personally invested in, such as supporting children, refugees, and cancer survivors.
Spanish for Community Translator
What is your specialization?
English and Spanish Major; 3rd Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer at FHIS as part of the learning process of a language is being exposed to new cultures. Being able to translate texts embedded in their original cultural context further aroused my interest.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Volunteering at FHIS allowed me to interact with other UBC students sharing my love for languages which made my experience even more enjoyable as we worked toward the same goal. As a student, while I use to look for off-campus experiences, I felt it relieving to learn that such on-campus opportunities were available to us.
Spanish for Community Volunteer Teacher with Ratón de Biblioteca
What is your specialization?
Linguistics Major, Romance Studies Minor (Intended); 1st Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer at FHIS because it is an amazing opportunity to practice using Spanish outside of the classroom and become more involved with the UBC community.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
I have learned so much from working with my peers and everyone connected with Ratón de Biblioteca. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to volunteer in an area of study I am passionate about and connect with others in a meaningful way.
Spanish for Community Translator and Teacher
What is your specialization?
Double-major in Spanish and Psychology; Recently Graduated
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer because I wanted to be more involved within the UBC community and the Spanish language.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
It opened up more doors for me in terms of my professional and career development. It also gave me more experience related to the outside world.
Spanish for Community Fellow
What is your specialization?
Cognitive Systems Major; 3rd Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I started volunteering at the Learning Centre after I came across it in my first year during an unrelated meeting with a Spanish instructor at UBC. I was looking for something to engage better with the community at UBC, and volunteering with FHIS allowed me to do that.
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Volunteering at FHIS has been a great experience. Not only has it helped me develop my language and teaching skills, it has also helped me build meaningful relations with fellow volunteers and UBC staff.
Spanish for Community Translator
What is your specialization?
Double-Major in International Relations and Spanish; 4th Year
Why did you choose to volunteer?
I chose to volunteer at FHIS to improve my oral Spanish skills, my translation skills, and to be more involved in the lovely FHIS community. Volunteering at FHIS is the perfect complement to learning Spanish at UBC, you get to be involved in the community and meet likeminded people!
How has volunteering positively shaped your student experience?
Volunteering at FHIS has enriched my student experience because of the opportunity to be involved in important departmental decisions and because of the connections I have made with local and international communities. Volunteering at FHIS has allowed me to learn Spanish not only in a classroom environment, but also to improve my Spanish in a professional setting and to develop my translation skills.
Spanish for Community Volunteer
