AQ senior Noelia Guerra Siriamphone (pictured at right), an international business major and a native speaker of Spanish, was excited to learn about the unique study opportunities offered in SH372 Engaging Hispanic Grand Rapids, a course lead by Spanish professor Dr. Shelli Rottschafer. With the course being awarded one of twelve 2012 Michigan Campus Compact (MCC) grants, it will offer additional opportunities to enrolled students during the fall 2012 semester.

"SH372 Engaging Hispanic Grand Rapids is an experiential learning course dedicated to understanding the effects of immigration on Spanish speaking children in the greater Grand Rapids area," said Rottschafer. In addition to classroom study on campus, AQ students volunteer at bilingual César E. Chávez Elementary School in Grand Rapids. Rottschafer's hope is that "through their observations, Aquinas students will learn more about multicultural and multilingual life in western Michigan."

The MCC grant will enhance the course in several ways. The grant allows for the creation of a Chicano and Latino children’s collection in the Grace Hauenstein Library, as well as contributing funds to César E. Chávez Elementary School to purchase bilingual children’s books for its library, school supplies and a Día de Todos Santos celebration. In addition, two texts have been purchased for students enrolled in the SH372 class: children’s book La Lláman América and short story collection The Republic of East L.A., both by Luis J. Rodriguez. Rodriguez, author of the award-winning book Always Running, visited Aquinas College in October 2011 as one of the College's Contemporary Writers Series authors.

Noelia is proud of her culture and, through the SH372 class, hopes to inspire children to become proud of their common heritage. In practicing the Dominican charism of service, Noelia and her fellow classmates demonstrate how students and others can become active within their communities.