A Spanish major will open up many doors for you. Many people enter college not knowing what they want to do. Take advantage of the resources around you whether it be opportunities in class to speak, the college’s language lab, the Spanish channel, or a friend who speaks Spanish. Do not be discouraged by early failures or embarrassing moments; they will happen. It is a rewarding feeling when you are able to have a conversation in Spanish with a native speaker. At Mount Union it is a requirement that a Spanish major study abroad. After surviving those first few courses when you think you will never be fluent, you travel to a Spanish-speaking country and you live an experience that will change your life. If you put forth the effort you will come back (hopefully) and your friends and family will be annoyed by you because you always put Spanish words into your conversations, recall memories, listen to salsa music, and bring your own unique hot sauce to dinner.
Hometown:Bellevue, Ohio
Major:Spanish
Cody Adkinson '11
Why did you choose to pursue your degree?
I am a Spanish and Biology major with a minor in Chemistry. I studied abroad in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, living with a local family and attending a university there. I took 13 credits of Spanish and I really started to fall in love with the language, as well as the Latin American culture and people.
What types of jobs are available for students who share your major?
With the influx of many families and migratory workers from Latin American countries, Spanish is becoming extremely resourceful in just about any career you could choose in the United States. For a person fluent in Spanish, there are many opportunities in interpretation, translating, business, medicine, finance, ministry, social work, education, and law.
How will you use your degree upon graduation?
I plan to enroll in medical school with a global health focus and perhaps concentrate on infectious disease. From there I plan to practice in under served areas in Latin America unreached by 21st century medicine and sharing my faith through evangelism and discipleship.
What activities are you involved in?
I am in Campus Crusade for Christ, Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language Honor Society, Blue Key National Honor Society, on the wrestling team and play intramural football. I am a community educator for Ketchum Hall. I also take part in a jail ministry at the Seneca County Jail in Tiffin, Ohio. In the summer, I volunteered as part of a mobile health fair that largely works with Spanish-speaking migrant families from Texas and Mexico. In Costa Rica, I volunteered alongside a professor teaching English at a local university and at an aquatic wildlife preservation park, Parque Marino. I also play the drum set at my home church and play the ukulele and read in my spare time.
What elements should a person possess in order to succeed in your major?
Determination is maybe the biggest one. While learning a language, often times you experience that roller coaster effect. One day the words just fly out and you do not have to think that much and then other days it is a struggle to say hi and you are second guessing yourself. Patience is also important. It takes years of listening, speaking, and reading to master a language. An open mind is important as well. There are many cases where vocabulary or phrases cannot directly translate and you must open yourself up to the cultural designations of words.
