Project Bridge established

This project is matching the Spanish department with workers at the school who need help with English. DP

By Nic Ramos-Flores

Every year thousands of immigrants come to the United States legally in order to find stable jobs in an effort to provide for their families in their countries of origin. The economic prospects in the United States are much better than many countries around the world, yet for these immigrants, coming to the United States is only part of the struggle. Other than having to fight to get visas and other documentation, they face many hurdles once they enter the United States.

A major struggle they find is the issue of language. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, which does research on Hispanic trends in the United States, Hispanics are the largest immigrant group and the largest minority in the United States.

This semester, the Spanish department has decided to start a service-learning program called Project Bridge to tutor the workers at Rollins who are having trouble with English.

"The aim of the program is to connect Rollins College staff and students through language torturing," Assistant Professor of Spanish Dr. Gabriel Barreneche said.

The idea for the program came from Assistant Professor of Spanish Dr. Patricia Tomé, who created the program at her alma mater, the University of Kansas.
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