Why I Chose to Minor in Spanish with a Public Relations Major

By Marley Vawter

When I was deciding about whether or not to pursue a minor, I couldn’t stop thinking about studying Spanish. The Spanish language has always been in my life. Although I am not fluent in Spanish, my dad urged me to learn Spanish growing up. My dad used to be an ESL (English as a second language) teacher, so my program is similar to the one he went through.

By learning Spanish, so many doors will open for me. I don’t have to limit myself to one or two types of PR. I could work for a company like Golin that has clients all over the world. I want to have as many options as possible.

This summer I will be studying in Spain to further my education and I couldn’t be more excited. Not only do I get the privilege of being able to communicate in a different language, knowing the Spanish language will set me apart from my peers. The U.S. is now the second largest Spanish speaking country in the world with around 41 million native Spanish speakers living in the US. By 2050, the U.S. will be the largest Spanish speaking country, according to Humberto López, the general secretary of the Association of Spanish Language Academies.

Don’t get me wrong; learning a new language is hard work! But I am so excited to see where my degree will take me. Having more than one language under your belt can do nothing but help you. I knew it was something I wanted to do, so I jumped in. I encourage you to do the same, even when you know the road ahead isn’t an easy one.

Information from: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/29/us-second-biggest-spanish-speaking-country http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/04/reasons-learn-spanish_n_2070094.html