| RELATED INFO |
| * Community Assistance Program |
January 21, 2009
New program offers community language, translation services
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
The Community Assistance Program, part of the College of Liberal Arts' engagement office, also is available to collaborate with other Purdue colleges and schools in their language outreach initiatives.
"There is a great need in the eight-county Greater Lafayette community for an innovative translation and interpretation services program, especially for Latino children and their families as they approach health care, legal and educational institutions," says JoAnn Miller, associate dean for interdisciplinary programs and engagement. "The College of Liberal Arts is home to a number of language resources, especially through the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, so the Community Assistance Program will continue to expand its services as needs are identified.
"The program provides valuable experiential learning for students who are studying languages, as well as those pursuing careers in the field."
The program will offer intercultural celebration programs for the community and assist with education events, public service announcements and small-business development. The Community Assistance Program also is partnering with local organizations to identify and address cultural and language needs related to the Hispanic and Latino populations.
Cecilia Tenorio, director of the Community Assistance Program and a certified Spanish translator and interpreter, teaches a class in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures that prepares students to offer interpretation and translation services to community health and legal organizations. Tenorio and her students have consulted with the Department of Communication on its new TV newsmagazine in Spanish, as well as assisted the Purdue Technical Assistance Program's projects in health-care education and language services for companies with Hispanic or Latino employees.
"The Community Assistance Program will enable us to reach more people in the community," Tenorio says. "We plan to establish a center for training students and community volunteers to learn the art and skill of interpretation. The Community Assistance Program begins as the Latin American and Latino Studies program is launched. Together these programs will make the College of Liberals among the leading sources of advanced learning and practice in the Midwest."
Individuals or groups interested in more information about the program can contact Tenorio at (765) 494-5641, ctenorio@purdue.edu
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Sources: JoAnn Miller, (765) 494-4699, phone, jlmiller@purdue.edu
Cecilia Tenorio, (765) 494-5641, ctenorio@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
Purdue University student David Lubowski works at a Lafayette Head Start location in 2008 to help Hispanic children communicate with staff and learn English. These types of language and translation services will be available through a new College of Liberal Arts program aimed at helping non-English speaking individuals and organizations in the Greater Lafayette community. The Community Assistance Program, part of the College of Liberal Arts' engagement office, also is available to collaborate with other Purdue colleges and schools in their language outreach initiatives. (Photo provided)
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