Micaela Gates is a Environmental Studies major (class of 2026) that is pursuing a minor in Spanish. Micaela knows there are challenges that arise while juggling a major and a minor, but they also know the rewards that come with pursuing a second area of study they’re excited about.
Let’s take a look at what Micaela’s days are like as a student at PLNU and how the Spanish minor has empowered them to pursue their passion for advocacy and social justice.
What is the Spanish minor?
The Spanish minor is a highly immersive area of study. Interaction with the Spanish community is heavily encouraged, especially considering how close PLNU is to our neighbors in Mexico. It’s also a minor that can be added to virtually any major, with many benefits.
A Spanish minor can be useful in several different areas of one’s career, as multilingual people are highly sought after in the hiring process. This skill can especially help you in areas such as:
- Business
- Retail
- Management
- Teaching
- And so much more!
What does a typical day look like for a student with a Spanish minor?
Micaela is currently balancing 4 classes for their major and one class for their minor, taking on a class load of 15 units. They have previously taken Intermediate Spanish Conversation I along with Elementary Spanish I and II.
Since most of the Spanish classes are early in the morning, Micaela starts their day at 7:25 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for their Intermediate Spanish Conversation II class with adjunct professor Mariana Apalategui.
“It is a very early morning, but I get up every time for class because I love going so much,” Micaela said. “Mariana is so kind and so passionate about teaching and supporting her students. We are able to learn about different Latin American histories that we wouldn’t learn in other classes.”
In Professor Apalategui’s class, Micaela was able to give a presentation about the Guatemalan Civil War speaking completely in Spanish.
Along with the classes that Micaela has already taken, some of the upper level classes include Civic Engagement: Conversation, Culture, and Community; Advanced Grammar and Reading; and two classes of their choosing pertaining to literature, culture, or linguistics.
What Kind of Student Should Add the Spanish Minor?
Micaela declared their Spanish minor during the second semester of their sophomore year. They originally were studying to complete a Women’s Studies minor, but quickly found that they loved the Spanish classes they were taking. Even though they are passionate about the justice aspect of Women’s Studies, Micaela expressed that learning Spanish would be justice work in and of itself.
During their sophomore year at Loma, Micaela had Scott Bennett, P.h.D., for both of the beginning Spanish classes. They learned about different vocabulary, grammar, and conjugations, which felt like review because of their high school Spanish class.
“I have loved it so much,” Micaela said. “I find myself feeling giddy about learning new things everyday.”
One of the requirements for the Intermediate Spanish II class is to participate in a Ministry with Mexico trip; for this requirement, Micaela decided to go on the Border Pilgrimage in January 2025. This trip was very impactful for Micaela because they got to personally hear the stories of migrants awaiting their court dates in the United States in order for their claim for asylum to be heard.
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Who are you called to be?
Pursue your purpose at PLNU.
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The trip involved visiting different organizations on both sides of the border. In Tijuana, the group visited the Cases de Migrantes, an organization that houses migrants waiting for court dates or wanting to integrate into their new life in Tijuana. It is a place for them to have shelter and regular meals. In San Diego, the group visited Our Lady Guadalupe, a Catholic church near Barrio Logan that supports documented migrants as they await their court dates.
Micaela was able to have conversations with the migrants and described the weekend as “an incredible experience.” Because of their Spanish background, Micaela was able to understand a majority of the conversations around them, which made the experience that much more meaningful.
Even though being able to speak Spanish looks great on a resume, this was not the motivation for Micaela. Speaking Spanish allows them to learn about the lived experience of billions of Spanish speakers around the world in a way that they wouldn’t be able to otherwise. They feel that they are able to better understand and empathize with others because they can communicate with them in their native language.
“I just believe that learning languages helps us expand our empathy and our love for the people around us,” Micaela said. “I think it is something that more people should incorporate into their lives, especially here in the United States, where we have an incredibly large percentage of Spanish speakers living here.”
Is the Spanish minor right for me?
Although fitting a minor into their schedule has not always been easy, it has brought so much fulfillment and joy to Micaela’s life. For Micaela, learning Spanish is more than just learning a language; it’s about empathizing with other Spanish speakers on a deeper level than one would be able to solely as an English speaker.
This minor’s benefits go beyond opening more job opportunities. If you are passionate about supporting marginalized communities and expanding your empathy for others, consider adding a Spanish minor to your degree.