World Languages’s Open House Celebrates Growth and Día de los Muertos
The World Languages Department created a calaveras altar in Wiley Hall to celebrate Día de los Muertos alongside their first open house; calavera translates to “skull” in Spanish, and has become synonymous with Día de los Muertos celebrations honoring life and those no longer living.
Guest Contributor, Caitlin Manuel
Emory & Henry College’s World Languages department, now located on the third floor of Wiley Hall, hosted an open house on Tuesday, Oct. 26 as a way to introduce more students to their programs and celebrate Día de los Muertos.
Professor and interim co-chair of World Languages Dr. Amanda Romjue said, “Nobody knows this third floor of Wiley exists,” Romjue said. “We decided that we should have everyone over for a party and, as we prepared for Día de los Muertos, we thought the timing was perfect.”
Another goal of the open house was to encourage more E&H students to take world language courses and, perhaps, be inspired to major or minor in the department.
“We would like for people to learn more languages and take more language courses,” Romjue said. “We have a Spanish major, and we are working on other courses right now, including Mandarin and French.”
“We are actually working on a survey to find out what people are interested in,” Romjue added. “We want to let people know we are here, and that they should major in Spanish or take one of our other language courses and let us know what they are interested in so that we can find ways to grow in those directions.”
This survey also asks about E&H international programs to help the department establish new study abroad opportunities in the future.
There is also the possibility of an American Sign Language (ASL) course being offered through the department in the future thanks to the success of the E&H Signs club, which is a student organization dedicated to learning and advancing ASL incorporation on campus.
Zeke Workman, a third-year student, said that his goal of working with the department is to learn more about other cultures as well as improve his language proficiency. He attributed what he has learned so far to the strengths of the department.
“I think the World Languages department has made tremendous growth in their interpersonal relations with students,” Workman said. “The department has made great efforts to spark engagement and excitement in the community.”
