The Spanish Program at St. Olaf approaches language as more than just a mode of communication. More than 485 million people in the world use Spanish as a first language, including more than 50 million in the United States. Spanish is the vehicle of cultures, beliefs, and experiences of wide-ranging, transnational communities. Studying Spanish at St. Olaf empowers students on multiple paths to enter a variety of professions and engage ethically in the multilingual society of the United States and beyond.
We welcome and seek to nourish students from all linguistic backgrounds and with diverse lived experiences. In our program, students examine critically and reflect on cultures, languages, histories, and literatures of the Spanish-speaking world. Beyond the classroom, students can share meals and spaces, enjoy events organized by student organizations that uplift Latin American and U.S. Latinx experiences, and take part in Spanish Program celebrations. There are also opportunities for community engagement and participation in the larger Latinx communities beyond campus.
We invite you to become a part of the “Familia Ñ” at St. Olaf! Learn more about our program on this website or by contacting us, and check out our Instagram page @spanishenstolaf