Hutchison Alumnae Share Impact of World Language Studies

Shubhi Singh ’22 is teaching English in Spain and developing her Spanish skills through year-long immersion as she prepares to apply to medical school. She found that as she explored her path in medicine, being able to speak Spanish has been a huge asset. “Whether it was volunteering in the hospital or in the community, being able to engage with a diverse variety of patients and community members has helped me and has served me well,” she said.

Francie Sentilles ’17 recently returned to the U.S. after several years in Brazil, where she conducted research in fishing communities. Francie said studying Spanish at Hutchison and at UNC as a Morehead-Cain Scholar helped her learn Portuguese. “It’s similar to Spanish, and it’s because of Spanish that I was able to adapt easily to living there and learn the language relatively quickly. You never know how you might use these skills later on,” she said.

Their global experiences show how language learning opens doors to connection and discovery. Shubhi and Francie shared their stories with Hutchison students in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.