Davenport launches ‘groundbreaking’ bilingual degree program
GRAND RAPIDS — A new program from Davenport University aims to equip graduates with degrees and professional proficiency in two languages.
Davenport University, based in Grand Rapids with several campuses across Michigan, announced its new Casa Latina program Tuesday, March 5. The program offers bilingual degrees in multiple fields, with students taking courses fully in Spanish one week and in English the next.
“We have taken direction from people within the Latino community to understand the needs and challenges they have to continue their education,” said Davenport President Richard Pappas.
“We are absolutely committed to creating an environment with all the tools necessary for bilingual students to graduate ready to work and lead in bilingual environments.”
Casa Latina, a fully online program, will include 12 undergraduate and graduate degrees, including accounting, business administration, education, human resource management, health services administration, marketing, and technology project management.
Courses will begin in the fall and applications are open now.
Davenport believes the program will appeal to the Latino community by offering degrees with wrap-around support for students. Those include bilingual and bicultural support in admissions, financial aid, counseling, tutoring and library services.
“Davenport is taking an innovative, bold approach with Casa Latina,” Carlos Sanchez, executive director of Casa Latina, said. “We are creating this bilingual program that will provide an opportunity for Latino students to overcome so many challenges. We are taking barriers down related to language, finances and geography.
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“We have virtual bilingual tutoring, and we have staff dedicated to advising our Casa Latina students. We are creating a community at Davenport that will embrace and guide students as they pursue their degrees.”
The university hopes to shrink the gap in bachelor’s degree completion. Among Hispanic or Latino adults over age 25, 18% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. That number is 37% for white/non-Hispanic adults over 25.
For more information, visit davenport.edu/casa-latina.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Davenport launches ‘groundbreaking’ bilingual degree program
