Develop conversational fluency, deepen your understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures, and gain valuable real-world experience in UNC Asheville’s Spanish concentration.
Why Study the Spanish Language, Culture, and Literature at UNC Asheville?
Claire Edens’ summer internship with Bounty and Soul, a local nonprofit organization, empowered her language acquisition and community engagement. Through her work, she ensured that Spanish-speaking recipients of healthy, bountiful boxes of local produce got all of their information.
Spanish Professor Michelle Bettencourt lead her students in volunteering at a local market during the pandemic to provide food and to help Spanish speakers complete the 2020 Census.
Rogelio Gomez Zacarias and his classmate Anya Tucker developed a series of Spanish language little libraries, or bibliotequitas.
Outside the Classroom
Students can look forward to many opportunities to immerse themselves in the language and cultures they study through study abroad programs, student organizations, and undergraduate research. These hands-on experiences deepen academic learning and support students’ goals.
Student Organizations
Join our Spanish Club, HOLA, to connect with the Asheville area through campus events, volunteering, and outreach. This tight-knit group shares a passion for community engagement, cultural appreciation, and skill development. The Club does not require that members speak Spanish or identify as Latino/Hispanic/Chicano, etc.
Sigma Delta Pi, our Spanish Honor Society, celebrates those who excel in the study of the language, literature, and culture. We encourage students to understand and share an interest in Hispanic culture and promote friendship and mutual respect between Spanish- and English-speaking individuals.
Undergraduate Research
Students at UNC Asheville conduct in-depth research projects related to their studies through our Undergraduate Research Program. Our faculty encourages students pursuing a degree to explore research opportunities that engage with the language, literature, traditions, and culture of Spanish-speaking populations.
Tutoring Sessions
We support students in their journey to fluency by providing tutoring sessions twice per week, during which students at all skill levels—from those just getting started on language acquisition to those nearing the end of their academic studies—can receive feedback and practice their written and oral language abilities.
Our Faculty
Our faculty are native speakers or have lived or worked extensively abroad, bringing expertise and firsthand experience to the classroom. Small class sizes enable close mentoring relationships with professors dedicated to students’ success in their academic pursuits, research endeavors, and internship work.
Tabby Price
Department Chair and Associate Professor
| Office: 233 Whitesides Hall |
| Phone: (828) 251-6195 |
| Email: gtrautma@unca.edu |
Myrna Acevedo, M.A.
Lecturer
| Office: 227 Whitesides Hall |
| Phone: (828) 251-6285 |
| Email: macevedo@unca.edu |
Elena Adell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
| Office: 229 Whitesides Hall |
| Phone: (828) 251-6275 |
| Email: eadell@unca.edu |
Michelle Bettencourt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
| Office: 224 Whitesides Hall |
| Phone: (828) 251-6282 |
| Email: mbettenc@unca.edu |
Maria Idoia Cebria, M.A.
Lecturer
| Office: 210 Whitesides Hall |
| Phone: (828) 251-6737 |
| Email: mcebria@unca.edu |
Lorrie Lowenfield Jayne, Ph.D.
Lecturer
| Office: 231 Whitesides Hall |
| Phone: (828) 251-6274 |
| Email: ljayne@unca.edu |
Spanish Language Careers & Outcomes
Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Languages and Literatures and a concentration in Spanish can pursue careers in education, international business, translation, social work, government, and more. They bring highly developed and in-demand skills such as critical thinking, research, and cross-cultural fluency to their profession. Many students may also go on to graduate studies in related fields.
Graduates have gained acceptance to programs at renowned institutions across the country, strategically utilizing their language and cultural competencies to advance their education and career trajectory.
Related Programs
Develop a Global Mindset in UNC Asheville’s Spanish Concentration
Join our supportive and vibrant community of global citizens and Spanish learners. Through dynamic courses, study abroad opportunities, undergraduate research projects, and local community engagement, you expand your worldview as you develop language fluency and make lasting connections with your peers and faculty mentors.
Contact Us
| Department of Languages and Literatures |
| Phone: 828.251.6419 |
| Email: tprice4@unca.edu |
