Universities across the country have witnessed an observable decrease in the number of students studying foreign languages in recent years, including Spanish. In as diverse a country as the United States, this is an oddly unprecedented change. To connect people across cultural boundaries, students across the country should work to learn Spanish, especially as they enter higher levels of education.

This phenomenon has not passed over NC State. According to Mark Darhower, associate professor and Spanish section coordinator at the University, language enrollments have been declining for the past several years.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important to highlight the many benefits of fluency in Spanish, both in the United States and worldwide. To begin, it is important to note the occupational benefits that come with Spanish fluency.

“With the ever-increasing Hispanic population that we have in the U.S., there are many professions that either require being proficient in Spanish,” Darhower said. “Or that if you’re applying for certain positions and you are bilingual in Spanish, you have a definite edge over other candidates who are not proficient in Spanish.”

In many fields, like public service, healthcare or the legal field, Spanish fluency is held in high regard. Essentially, if interactions with people are involved in the profession, Spanish fluency is sought to increase the number of people the company can reach.

Rather than being seen as an additional qualification, many professions also hire full-time interpreters, meaning that studying Spanish alone still yields a multitude of occupational benefits.

There are also many cultural benefits to studying Spanish, especially at the university level.

One of these benefits is a further understanding of global cultures, something that NC State courses attempt to teach alongside language proficiency. In regard to the modern teaching methodology of NC State’s Spanish courses, “We incorporate culture with everything that we do because language and culture are not really separable,” Darhower said.

Jack Rothacker, a fourth-year studying Spanish, entrepreneurship and business administration, also attests to the cultural impact that Spanish proficiency has on his life. When traveling to El Salvador, Rothacker was one of the only people in his group who spoke Spanish.

“[Speaking Spanish] allowed me to connect with the people that we stayed with, which, you know, ended up to me wanting to help them, and us forming a friendship,” Rothacker said.

Now, he is the founder of Perseverancia, an organization dedicated to “reinventing the narrative of what education looks like, allowing students to chase their passions from day one.” Currently, the organization is working to build classrooms to accommodate students from seventh to ninth grade in Soyapango, El Salvador.

Studying Spanish allows people to speak with other people that they would not have been able to beforehand, furthering their understanding of different cultures and ideas. This further impacts the worldview of those who are fluent in Spanish.

Rothacker also recommended studying abroad as a way to hone Spanish skills.

“I believe that traveling is educating, and it just expands your mind,” Rothacker said. “[It’s useful] to get out of your comfort zone, to travel while you’re young and to meet people.”

When asked about advice for students interested in studying Spanish, Darhower emphasized starting in the language early. There is never a better time than the present to begin a journey down a pathway that will impact the rest of your life.

There are also many opportunities on campus outside of class to further develop Spanish-speaking skills. Some of these include the Spanish Club and VOLAR, a volunteer program on campus that addresses the needs of the Hispanic community.

Both of these programs advertise that working with them gives students a chance to develop their speaking skills among others who are at different proficiency levels, from beginners to those who are fluent.

In a time with a drastic increase in the demand for Spanish proficiency, there is a stark decrease in the number of students who are studying the language. By understanding the need for learning and speaking Spanish, as well as the benefits of learning the language, there is hope that the tables will soon turn and more students will begin to branch out into language studies.