By Lexi White
Features Editor
photo | Carly Russell
Spanish major Soledad Morales, a junior, wearing the Chilean flag at the Chilean Independence day event.
Chilean Independence Day, also known as Fiestas Patrias, is celebrated all over the world, not only in Latin countries.
On Sept. 18, 1810, Chile gained their independence from Spain. To honor this occasion, students and faculty at the university gathered in Engleman Hall to commemorate Chilean freedom.
Professor Jesse Gleason, who teaches Spanish for the world languages department, organized the event. Her husband and in- laws are from Chile and said that this holiday hits very close to home.
“I love seeing my family take a moment to celebrate with dancing, music and food,” Gleason said. “I wanted to bring that celebration to our school, too.”
With the help of the Office of International Education, chicken and beef empanadas were available for students to eat. In addition, Professor Gleason enlightened students on a new study abroad program, led by faculty, that is launching in December.
“We’re going to Patagonia for three weeks,” Gleason said. “We’ll be going to a national park, studying both biology and Spanish, so students can get up to six credits of coursework done in the three weeks while we’re there.”
Gleason said that she wanted to “give the students who were interested in visiting a Latin country the opportunity to do so.”
To help the 10 students who will be going on this trip financially, there is $750 available in scholarships and financial aid to reduce the cost.
One student who was interested in learning the details of the study abroad trip to Patagonia was anthropology major Alayna Petroski, a freshman. She said she came to the event to hear the details from Gleason.
“I’m in my first semester of my freshman year, so to have this kind of opportunity, and then possibly get a scholarship to go on the trip is actually insane,” Petroski said. “It’s a pretty incredible opportunity, and I am really excited.”
Even though Petroski is not of Hispanic heritage, she said she wanted to learn more about the Chilean culture. One way of becoming knowledgeable was by trying the empanadas.
Petroski said, “I am really enjoying the food; everything is so delicious, and what makes it even better is that I am learning about the culture of a fascinating place.”
Interdisciplinary studies major Nelson Roman, a junior, was another student who attended the Chilean Independence Day celebration. He said he came to the event to eat the free empanadas and to learn about a country that he admires.
“I like this event because it is educational and entertaining, and it shows us a culture that is completely different from ours in certain ways,” Roman said. “We can enrich our education by attending these events through the food of the country and talking to the people that have traveled to the country.”
By hosting this event, Professor Gleason got her students more interested in a culture that is important to her while she shared her Chilean experiences.
Professor Gleason said, “This is an opportunity for all students, not just Latin American students, to come and learn more about the culture, the language and for them to possibly even travel to other parts of the world.”
English major Galileah Torres, a sophomore, exploratory major Abigail Martinez and physics major Anthony Oquendo, freshmen, at the Chilean Independence day event.
VOL. 64- ISSUE 3
