Saint Anselm’s Modern Language Department is among the departments undergoing changes in curriculum requirements within the next few academic years. The college’s language requirements are undergoing changes, and will face reductions in the near future.
With curriculum changes expected to be coming to the college, the status of the Modern Language Department has been in question. Jaime A. Orrego, Professor of Spanish and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, said regarding the expected changes to the language requirements, “as far as I know the requirement is not being eliminated, but rather reduced.”
Currently, the language requirement for students states that “students must reach a certain level of language competence,” Orrego said. This level of competence may vary among students, allowing some students to take less language courses than others, depending on their competence level. “However, under the proposed changes, students would only be required to take one semester of a language, regardless of proficiency level,” Orrego said.
Questions linger among some college members about whether or not Spanish and French are the somewhat “default” languages offered. Regarding the languages that are currently offered, and the popularity of these languages among students, “we do not recommend specific languages to students. Many students choose Spanish or French simply because they studied those languages in high school. When I assist first-year students with registration, I always encourage them to use college as an opportunity to explore a new language-something outside their comfort zone.”
Orrego is optimistic about certain aspects of the proposed changes, and “the proposed curriculum change might actually encourage students to try a different language , since the requirement would be to take just one semester, regardless of proficiency level,” Orrego said.
The languages offered to students include French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin, but “some students do ask about additional language offerings and whether there is a possibility of expanding to other languages in the future,” Orrego said. Though some students express interest in other languages, “interest in modern languages has declined, which is part of a larger national trend. We have fewer upper-level classes, and enrollment in these courses is relatively low,” Orrego said.
Though the college is expected to change the language requirements, there remains a grand value to taking language courses and immersing oneself in a different culture. “Beyond enhancing cognitive skills such as memory and problem-solving, learning a new language is a humbling experience. It pushes students out of their comfort zones, making them more adaptable and open-minded. Additionally, it fosters empathy, allowing students to see the world from different perspectives and better understand diverse cultures. Since language is deeply intertwined with culture, learning a new language provides insight into different ways of thinking and living. Furthermore, by studying modern languages, students cultivate a sense of responsibility, respect, and compassion, embodying the Benedictine values of hospitality and community,” Orrego said.
Similar sentiments are shared by students in the language department as well. In an opinion article from the March 6 issue, Emma Link ’25 shared her feelings about the importance of the Department of Modern Languages and the requirement the college enforces for students to enroll in language courses.
As a French minor, Link said in her article that “when whispers about potential cuts to the program make their way to my ear, I am quite naturally disheartened.” The reductions in the requirement may be leaving students within the language programs disappointed that their fields of study might be eradicated.
With concerns about the department growing, Link also mentioned another concern in her article and said, “I highlight my experience as a way to draw attention to a concern of many students: is St. A’s going to lose the liberal arts? When I think of the core requirements, the tenant of our liberal arts program, I think of things of graduation requirements, but also of classes I really enjoyed – some of which surprised me. And when I hear that some of those may be cut, I’m sad on behalf of the future students who’ll never have that experience.”
Another student highlighted the value of the language requirement at Saint Anselm and the college’s Department of Modern Languages. Abigail Edwards ’25, a Nursing major and Spanish minor said that “I wasn’t required to take a language, but actually, a big part of the reason I came to Saint A’s was because they had this program,” Edwards said. The program she described was a Spanish minor specifically for Nursing majors.
“I already had a background in Spanish, and it’s really good to be able to converse in languages other than English,” Edwards said, “and in any job there are so many people in the U.S. who speak Spanish, especially patients in healthcare, so it was really important to me.”
Regarding the curriculum reduction, Edwards said “I think that some [required] classes that you take end up opening up something to you or giving you a new perspective that you wouldn’t have seen if you weren’t required to take them, which is a big part of the liberal arts and why Saint A’s is so different from other schools.”
Students and faculty alike feel the value of the language department and the language requirements that are obligatory for students, and though the reduction still leaves the department running, “you’re not going to get a lot out of one semester of taking a language,” Edwards said.