The Daily Bulletin Archive

Buffalo State students seeking self-discovery, academic rigor, and cultural awareness away from campus may consider spending a month in Salamanca, Spain, during the summer. Now in its 40th year, the study-abroad program offers Spanish-language study and mucha cultura.

Established in 1969, the Programa de Estudios Hispánicos is jointly sponsored by Buffalo State College and the University at Buffalo with the University of Salamanca, Spain’s oldest university. The monthlong experience offers 6 credit hours to study Spanish language and culture.

Salamanca was dubbed the 2002 “European Capital of Culture” by the European Union. Lee Ann Grace, assistant dean of international and exchange programs, has experienced the city’s cultural offerings on several occasions.

“It’s a wonderful, historic city,” she said. “The center is closed to vehicular traffic, and all around are buildings where famous authors wrote and taught. The pace of life feels so different, too. Meals, for example, involve a modest breakfast, 11:00 a.m. snack, 2:00 p.m. break for a big meal, 6:00 p.m. tea time, and 9:30 p.m. supper. It’s a completely different environment for students and teachers.”

The program is open to undergraduate and graduate students who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.67 and have taken two semesters of college-level Spanish or an equivalent offering elsewhere. About 25 students, one instructor, and an assistant attend each year.

At present, the program costs about $5,200, which covers tuition, fees, housing, meals, insurance, books, and airfare. Each student stays with a casero, or host family. Financial aid and scholarships are available to help defray the cost.

Grace said that students do not have to be Spanish majors or know Spanish extremely well. “Most students who go are actually non-Spanish majors,” she said.

Raul Neira, associate professor of modern and classical languages, agrees. “The program is a real help for those with other degrees, such as business,” he said. “Students become exposed to a different culture and learn the Spanish language in a remarkable setting.” Neira has participated in the program six times since 1991, teaching alongside faculty from the University of Salamanca.

To raise awareness of the program, Grace organizes “Salamanca Night” each spring on campus. The event brings together past participants and instructors to answer questions, and features images of Spain and Spanish food. Grace said the discussion of the opening weekend study-tour of Spanish cities is one of many topics that piques student interest.

“I encourage students to stay engaged with the program,” she said. “They can really blossom by getting involved in all there is to do [in Spain].”

To celebrate the program’s 40th anniversary, the program sponsors have invited representatives from the University of Salamanca to a luncheon at the University at Buffalo and a dinner at the President’s House on Friday, October 23. Invited guests include longtime collaborator Carmen Mota and Jesús Rodríguez Romo, the new executive director of the University of Salamanca’s Cursos Internacionales.

“I believe our program is the longest-standing program of its kind at the University of Salamanca,” Grace said. “It’s an excellent partnership, and their faculty are pros when it comes to teaching Spanish—they write the textbooks.”

Grace believes the Salamanca trip is also valuable for Buffalo State faculty. “The exposure to current language, artwork, books, and thought leads to richer teaching in the classroom,” she said.

Neira is convinced that the program provides enlightened study and is a life-changing experience. “You don’t come back the same person,” he said. “The journey is an opportunity for students to make memories they can share with their children later in life.”