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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (June 9, 2016) – More job opportunities, higher wages and better decision-making skills – all of these and more are benefits of learning a second language and one of many reasons why Milligan College is broadening its language offerings with a new Spanish major, beginning in the 2016-17 school year.
The 36-hour major includes cultural, language and literary courses to encourage communicative competence and a well-rounded study of the Spanish-speaking world. The course of study is comprised of general core courses, 15 hours of electives that include ethnic study designated courses and three hours of a senior project.
“The new Spanish major encourages critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills within a context that moves beyond the boundaries of the classroom,” said Dr. Allysha Martin, assistant professor of Spanish, who grew up in Puerto Rico and has lived abroad in China, Mexico, Chile and Spain. “Because the Spanish-speaking population is not only the second largest population in the United States, but one of the largest populations in the world, Milligan’s Spanish major will help students interact and engage with others more effectively as servant leaders in a globalized world.”
Scientific American notes the increased problem-solving ability of bilingual speakers in an article, “How knowing a foreign language can improve your decisions”; and The Economist addresses “What is a foreign language worth?” in an article that examines a bilingual person’s increased earnings over time.
Martin holds a bachelor’s degree from Union University; a master’s degree from Middlebury College and Middlebury Sede Prim in Madrid, Spain; and a doctorate from University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) in modern languages, with a specialization in Spanish. Prior to joining Milligan’s faculty, she taught Spanish at UNL and Union University.
Martin has coordinated with the Mid-Continent Consortium and UNL Education Abroad to lead trips to Spain and Mexico, and has worked to organize and lead the European Humanities Tour for Milligan. Also, she has served on medical mission trips to Nicaragua.
In addition to Spanish, Milligan is expanding its language offerings with a minor in Mandarin Chinese beginning this fall.