by Kevin J. Torres, M.A.T. Foreign Languages (SVDPRS Alumnus)
I remember sitting in English class thinking "Why do I need to know all of these grammar rules and how to diagram sentences?" Nearly 13 years later and in my 4th year of teaching at the university level, I teach to my students what I learned and remember vividly from Mrs. Q's and Mrs. Amorelli's English classes.
I obtained a BA in Spanish and French and an MA in Foreign Languages and speak Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian and Hungarian. With the education that I received at St. Vincent's, I was able to learn how language works and applied it throughout my schooling and I heavily credit the education I received at St. Vinny's with my ability to study languages successfully throughout high school and college.
I currently serve as a full time instructor and part time instructor at two universities where I teach both Spanish and French. I have traveled extensively throughout Colombia from as far as Guachaves in Andes mountains in the department of Nariño to the cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla in the departments of the Atlántico and Magdalena. I have traveled to Panamá, Curaçao, Ecuador (where I studied at the Universidad de Cuenca), Puerto Rico, México, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein. I remember seeing many of these places in textbooks in Mrs. Q's classes but never imagined seeing them first hand years later. I remember a mock trial that we did in Mrs. Q's class in the 8th grade about the Panama Canal and in 2017 I got to see the Panama Canal with my own eyes while in Ciudad de Panamá.
Now I am able give the same outstanding education to my students and will be taking them beyond the pages and traveling with them to Costa Rica next semester. The education I received at St. Vinny's has impacted my success as a professor and student, and I will always be grateful to the school and teachers that I had.