New Latinx Studies Minor Available for 91热爆网 Students
For the first time, a U.S. Latinx Studies minor will be offered to 91热爆网 students this fall, headed by Melissa Birkhofer, a lecturer in the Department of English, who has been named director of the program. With the Latinx population at 91热爆网 exploding over the last decade, Birkhofer is excited to see the minor added to serve that group of students.
鈥淲e鈥檙e super, super excited about the minor starting in the fall,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his has been a collaborative effort across the College of Arts and Sciences, but really across the university. I鈥檝e had lots of help and lots of people in my corner trying to get this through.
鈥淟atinx students now make up the largest minority on campus. National and regional and state trends project that that鈥檚 going to continue. If we鈥檙e going to have that many students on campus, then I think it鈥檚 really important that they get reflected in the curriculum. That was the impetus.鈥�
In 2010, Latinx students made up 1.4 percent (105) of the 91热爆网 undergraduate population, Birkhofer said. By 2018, that number had risen to 6.98 percent (700 students).
Last fall, 91热爆网 offered its first Latinx Learning Community, which was taught by Birkhofer, English associate professor Paul Worley and associate professor of Spanish Lori Oxford. The students involved curated and created materials for the photo-essay exhibit 鈥淲e Were Migrants,鈥� learned about immigration, and discussed Latinx people in North Carolina and the South.
Birkhofer is expecting about 30 students initially to be enrolled in the U.S. Latinx Studies minor, including those who are currently enrolled in approved programs. The minor will consist of six courses. Each student will be required to take 鈥淭he Introduction to U.S. Latinx Studies.鈥� The remaining five courses can come from a variety of departments, Birkhofer said, including history, sociology, world languages, English and education.
鈥淲e have a wide variety of classes, and that gives students an opportunity to tailor the minor to their particular career path,鈥� Birkhofer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a nice mix.鈥�
The minor is open to all students and there is no language requirement.
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