UNI’s impact on Spanish education in Iowa
UNI’s impact on Spanish education in Iowa
When UNI student Naylea Verdinez began her Level III teaching experience in her hometown of West Liberty, she had a full circle moment. She was now learning from two mentor teachers who had once shaped her own journey — longtime acquaintance Citlaly Fernandez and Vanessa Espinoza, a former teacher. All three women share many things in common, including growing up in Spanish-speaking households and being connected to UNI’s Spanish teaching program.
“It was a surreal experience,” said Verdinez. “I could put on my ‘teacher’s shoes’ for the whole week and experience the life I’ve dreamed of — a teacher, a mentor and a friend to my future students! Being able to be part of Citlaly and Vanessa’s class was a beautiful experience that I will never forget. I’m so glad that I decided to take Spanish for Heritage Speakers at UNI because it reminded me of the beautiful culture that I am proudly part of!”
Fernandez and Espinoza are both UNI Spanish teaching alums. For Verdinez, who initially planned to become an English teacher, discovering the Spanish for Heritage Speakers course during her first year at UNI was a turning point. After taking the course with Professor Elise DuBord, she decided to pursue a teaching minor in Spanish. Verdinez is now a major in English teaching with a minor in Spanish teaching and is on track to graduate next year.
West Liberty holds a unique place in Iowa’s educational landscape. It is home to the state’s oldest and most established dual language program and is among the few high schools in Iowa offering Spanish for Heritage Speakers, which Verdinez took in high school. The connections between UNI alumni and the West Liberty district underscore the lasting impact of teacher preparation at UNI and the strength of the heritage speaker pipeline.
“Teaching in West Liberty and being part of their dual language program has been extremely rewarding and impactful, not only for me but for my students as well,” said Fernandez. “I have known Naylea for many years, and it just fills my heart with pride to have been a positive influence in her life and a role model. I still remember when she was in high school, and she asked me how UNI´s teaching program was and what being a teacher was like. I am thrilled to see where her future takes her. I am forever grateful to all my professors at UNI, for their guidance throughout my academic career, and it's amazing to see that they continue to make an impact on future teachers.”
Espinoza was among the first students to take Spanish for Heritage Speakers at UNI, a course introduced in 2010 by Professor Juan Carlos Castillo. The course was created to support heritage speakers, especially those who may be fluent in spoken Spanish but have had limited formal instruction. The course aims to strengthen students’ writing, public speaking and academic language skills.
“Taking Spanish for Heritage Speakers with Profesor Castillo at UNI opened a door of opportunities for me where I became inspired to pursue a career where I could use Spanish every day,” said Espinoza. “I founded a translation company called Veritas Translations LLC, am a columnist for a bilingual column in Iowa and recently worked abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. I owe all this success to the Spanish department at UNI for inspiring me to dream big!”
Since its launch, the course has expanded from one section per year to three, taught by both Castillo and DuBord. In 2022, Castillo also developed a translation course tailored for heritage speakers, further broadening UNI’s curriculum in this area.
The growing presence of heritage speakers in teaching roles demonstrates the powerful multiplier effect of UNI’s educator preparation programs. When students see educators who share their linguistic and cultural backgrounds, it validates their experiences and empowers them to view bilingualism as a strength and asset.
“Not only do students expand their academic and professional Spanish skills in classes for heritage speakers, but they also gain confidence in their bilingualism and build community with classmates with similar language backgrounds,” said DuBord. “Sometimes heritage speakers have less opportunities to speak Spanish when they are away from family at college; being a part of the Spanish program provides a space for them to stay connected with language and culture. We are delighted that pre-service Spanish teachers are learning from this model and making an impact in classrooms across Iowa and beyond.”
