New Spanish Certificate Offered
June 10, 2022
Dr. Erika Stevens, lead faculty for foreign languages and associate professor of Spanish,
talks with student Rachel Wilson.
Walters State Community College offers a certificate in Spanish, making it the first
community college in Tennessee to offer such a program. Classes can be taken in traditional
classrooms or online.
“While planning this program, we received so much positive feedback from business
and industry leaders in the communities we serve,” said Dr. Tony Miksa, president
of Walters State. “The need for Spanish speakers is spread across all fields, including
human resources, health care, manufacturing, education and tourism.”
To earn the certificate, students must complete five Spanish classes and one class
focused on the culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Graduates have the option of
completing a national exam to determine and document fluency levels.
Dr. Erika Stevens, lead faculty for foreign languages and associate professor of Spanish,
began thinking about a certificate when she realized that many students were not able
to take a foreign language because of changing financial aid rules.
“A foreign language is now a requirement in only a few associate degree programs,”
Stevens said. “If it is not required in your program, financial aid and scholarship
programs will not pay for the class. Many of our students do want to take a foreign
language and many are required to take the courses when they transfer to a four-year
institution.”
The new certificate allows students to get the equivalent of a minor in Spanish, making
the classes eligible for financial aid.
The certificate is also designed for students who are already part of the workforce.
Stevens did extensive research before proposing the program to college leaders, who
then submitted it to the Tennessee Board of Regents for review.
“Many employers wrote letters of support for the program, citing the benefits it could
provide to companies, employees and clients,” Stevens said. “Companies also indicated
a willingness to support employees pursuing the certificate. Several said having bilingual
employees would improve safety and productivity.”
Students will choose one class customized to meet the needs of specific careers. These
customized courses currently focus on language used in health care, hospitality and
paramedic/EMT. More career fields are in the development phase.
This certificate fits both full-time and part-time schedules. Students may attend
Walters State just for the certificate program without taking other classes. The cost
may be covered by Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect or other funding sources.
For more information, contact Stevens at Erika.Stevens@ws.edu.
In the photo: Walters State is the first community college in Tennessee to offer a
certificate in Spanish. Dr. Erika Stevens, lead faculty for foreign languages and
associate professor of Spanish, talks with student Rachel Wilson.