The Spanish House was established in 1993 in order to give students an opportunity to practice Spanish outside of the classroom setting and to learn more about the Hispanic world. The Casa is currently located in Middle East, on the front quadrangle, and houses seven residents and our Hispanic language assistant. Each resident is required to sign a pledge at the beginning of the academic year vowing to speak only Spanish while in common areas of the house.
Through the Fulbright program, a native Spanish speaker comes every year to Hollins to teach and live in La Casa. This graduate student, an invaluable cultural resource, facilitates communication in Spanish and assists students in learning Hispanic cultural values. The residents work closely with the members of Spanish Club to offer programs on various cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world.
This year, the residents will offer tutoring sessions on Sunday evenings for students in elementary or intermediate Spanish.
You do not have to be in a Spanish class at Hollins in order to participate in the activities of the Spanish House.
The Spanish Club has hosted a wide variety of events over the last several years. Activities have included film festivals, tapas nights, poetry discussions, trips to theatrical performances, fund raisers, and educational programs about Spain and Latin America. Once a year the Spanish Club, in conjunction with the Casa Hispánica, invites students who have studied in a Spanish-speaking country to give a talk to their peers who are interested in doing the same. In this way, the club attempts to offer a mentoring program for first- and second-year students who are unsure about where to study abroad.
Sigma Delta Pi is the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. The Hollins chapter, established in 1998, is Upsilon Eta. Requirements for induction into Sigma Delta Pi are:
Each fall, the department of modern languages, in conjunction with the Casa Hispánica and Cultural and Community Engagement, hosts a Hispanic film festival that is open to both the Hollins and the Roanoke communities. Films have included:
