The Latino and Latin American Studies (LLAS) program seeks to engage CWU students, faculty, staff, and local communities in a study of Latino and Latin American experiences, peoples, and cultures. Most importantly, the LLAS minor provides students with broad, interdisciplinary training in the economic, social, political, and cultural realities of Latino and Latin American peoples. The minor will be useful to those with career interests in business, government, social work, and teaching, or to those who simply wish to travel in Latin America. Moreover, the Latino and Latin American Studies minor may also serve as preparation for graduate study in multiple academic or professional fields.
The Latino and Latin American Studies program’s primary mission is to reach students by: (1) serving as a tool for recruiting and retaining Latino students (2) building bridges between Latino and non-Latino students in a broader educative program that embraces diversity in meaningful ways (3) demonstrating with actions CWU’s commitment to diversity (4) exposing students to global experiences, both at home and abroad (5) enhancing contacts between CWU students and Latino/Latin American communities (6) developing students’ research skills (7) preparing students for professional success (8) providing students with relevant and enriching personal and professional experiences. The Latino and Latin American Studies program seeks to impact community members by: (1) valuing the surrounding Latino community’s lives and experiences and incorporating them into our students’ academic training (2) bringing community voices to Central’s campus (3) preparing future teachers for working among Latino populations (4) engaging in outreach through service learning, internships, and other programs. The Latino and Latin American Studies program seeks to affect faculty members by: (1) providing a forum through which interested faculty members share their expertise (2) bringing to CWU faculty with interests related to Latino and Latin American Studies (3) providing CWU faculty with a platform from which to develop research projects related to Latino and Latin American issues. The Latino and Latin American Studies program seeks to impact all groups simultaneously by: (1) promoting an understanding among CWU faculty, staff, and students of the diversity of Latino and Latin American lives and experiences (2) inspiring cooperative efforts and programs between CWU faculty and staff, and between CWU and local communities.
