Colorado State University is witnessing the pioneering efforts of faculty in crossing linguistic barriers.

Assistant Professor Alyssia Miller De Rutte, Instructor Shannon Zeller and Professor Maura Velazquez-Castillo manage the development of programs in three distinct professional domains — medicine, criminal law and animal science — under Spanish for Specific Purposes.

Zeller, who initiated the program, drew inspiration from her personal experiences, reflecting on her father’s interactions with Spanish speakers in his construction work. 

“Underlying this is seeing the humanity and making connections across languages to become a more united community.” –Shannon Zeller, language instructor

“I saw the impact — the fact that he would try held,” Zeller said. “We would end up at people’s houses, and it was just like a wonderful thing to make that connection. I was always really in awe of how he could build friendships without language. It was amazing.”

Velazquez-Castillo, who was Zeller’s graduate student advisor, played a pivotal role in expanding the program. Collaborating with Zeller, she identified a language gap in livestock agriculture, prompting the development of Spanish language courses tailored for this domain.

Together, they developed the Certificate in Spanish for Animal Health and Care, which is currently available at CSU.

With each faculty member directing a specific subgroup, the program has witnessed significant growth, aided by grants and partnerships with organizations like PetSmart Charities.

Zeller recently secured a substantial grant to support six graduate students, emphasizing the private sector’s acknowledgment of the impact of language proficiency on access to veterinary care.

“PetSmart Charities asked us to apply for a major initiatives grant,” Zeller said. “We are in the second phase of the grant. It’s roughly a million dollars they have invested in Spanish for veterinarians’ curriculum development and dissemination.” 

Miller, now leading the team, oversees the human medicine aspect of SSP. Miller also teaches at the medical school at CSU, and she serves as the vice president of the National Association of Medical Spanish.

“A lot of even Spanish-speaking professionals here in the U.S. most likely did their training in English,” Miller said. “They know the English terminology, but they don’t know the Spanish terminology or, ‘How do I structure this the same way to get the message across between English and Spanish?’”  

The team’s approach involves research and collaboration with professionals in each domain. Their ongoing efforts include conducting language-needs analyses, developing curriculum and assessing student progress. They aim to bridge the gap between English and Spanish terminology, ensuring effective communication in professional settings.

“We on the language side need to do these language-needs analysis so we understand what communication is taking place in the field,” Zeller said. 

With plans to expand offerings to minors and majors, the team is committed to meeting the evolving needs of various industries.

Zeller interviewed a dairy foreman who expressed a desire for veterinarians to simply greet their clients.

“He told me, ‘I would like them to say, “Hello,”‘” Zeller said. “Language is a fundamental piece of recognizing one another as fellow human beings, fellow community members, as seeing one another as individuals who belong to a place, a family, connected to a culture.”

The CSU Office of the Provost has also supported SSP.

“(SSP) is innovative and helps our students become better-prepared global citizens in a culturally diverse world,” said Tom Siller, interim vice provost for undergraduate affairs. “We have great praise for the faculty and department leadership who conceptualized and designed this new program.”

As the team continues to innovate and collaborate, their work promises to enhance language access and promote equity in professional domains, ultimately contributing to a more connected and inclusive community.

“Underlying this is seeing the humanity and making connections across languages to become a more united community,” Zeller said.

Reach Kloe Brill at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.