Home Our Poder Education Can Bilingual Degrees Empower Latinos? Casa Latina Thinks So

Can Bilingual Degrees Empower Latinos? Casa Latina Thinks So

According to the Pew Research Center, Latinos will become nearly 30 percent of the population by 2050. That’s a large chunk of population, meaning there needs to be more tending to the Latino community. This is something that Casa Latina understands. 

Casa Latina, a bold initiative from Davenport University, aims to revolutionize higher education for Latino students in Michigan. Casa Latina’s bilingual degree program was designed to meet the specific needs of Latino students who often face significant barriers in pursuing higher education, including language proficiency challenges and financial constraints. BELatina News recently spoke with Casa Latina’s Executive Director, Carlos Sanchez, who shared the university’s vision and the positive impact this program will have on the Latino community. 

Can Bilingual Degrees Empower Latinos? Casa Latina Thinks So
Credit: Casa Latina/ Davenport University

Interview Highlights

Answers may have been edited for clarity and brevity.

At its core, Casa Latina seeks to empower students who may feel their English skills are “not good enough” for college. The bilingual format allows students to elevate their Spanish-speaking abilities to an academic level while also improving their English proficiency. For years, Latino students were told that speaking Spanish could limit their professional opportunities. However, with companies increasingly seeking bilingual employees, Casa Latina is helping these students become more valuable assets to the workforce. 

To help address the financial barriers that many Latino students face, Davenport University is offering generous scholarships to Casa Latina students — $9,200 per year for undergraduate students and $5,000 per year for graduate students. These scholarships, funded by the university itself rather than federal or state programs, are available to all students, regardless of immigration status. The goal is to reduce the financial burden of higher education, allowing more Latino students to access and succeed in college. 

Casa Latina’s fully online format and flexible scheduling are also crucial to its success. Many Latino students are adult learners who may have had their careers interrupted in their native countries or are working in manufacturing or service industries due to limited English proficiency. The program’s flexibility provides these students with the opportunity to pursue their higher education dreams while balancing work and family responsibilities. The ability to study from anywhere, at any time, is a key feature that helps make higher education accessible to a broader range of students. 

In addition to providing flexibility, Casa Latina offers a streamlined process for evaluating prior work experience and foreign education credentials. Many schools require students to hire third-party services to evaluate their credentials, a process that can be both time-consuming and costly. Casa Latina eliminates this barrier by bringing the credential evaluation process in-house at no cost to students. The program also offers a Prior Learning Assessment, where faculty members evaluate students’ professional experience and award as many credits as possible based on their resumes. 

Casa Latina offers degrees in areas where bilingual employees are in high demand, such as business administration, human resources management, accounting, and health services administration. There is also a significant need for bilingual teachers, both in Michigan and across the country. Casa Latina is poised to enhance the pool of bilingual talent in Michigan, helping students secure well-paying jobs and fulfilling careers while meeting the growing demand for bilingual employees. 

What’s Next?

Looking to the future, Casa Latina aims to help adult learners, immersion school students, and all bilingual students fully leverage their language skills. Casa Latina graduates will be well-prepared to take on leadership roles in the business and nonprofit sectors, both within their communities and beyond. The program is a unique opportunity for Latino students to overcome barriers, achieve their educational goals, and make a lasting impact on the workforce. 

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