New course supports Spanish-speaking businesses

Eastern's Department of World Languages and Cultures and the Latino Chamber of Windham recently hosted a special event celebrating a semester of community partnerships and hands-on learning. Held on Nov. 19 in the President’s Dining Room at Hurley Hall, the celebration highlighted the experiences of students in the course “Spanish for Business,” led by Lecturer Angela Pitassi. 

Students presented on valuable contributions they made to local Latino-owned businesses through real-world experiences that extended beyond the classroom.

“It’s crucial to build bridges between Eastern and the community,” said Pitassi. “This bridge we are building is one that will only keep extending.”

Ruth Viruet, president of the Latino Chamber, described the partnership as a “shot of energy and hope to the Spanish-speaking businesses in Windham.” Viruet explained that several of the Spanish-speaking businesses were hesitant to “break the language barrier,” which Eastern students were able to assist with.

World languages and cultures Professor and Department Chair Kin Chan added that the course “teaches students the skills of business administration, provides hands-on experiences, and creates a bond with the local community, which both students and businesses benefit from.”

According to Lisa Centola, university assistant for world languages and cultures, the collaborations allowed students to turn classroom lessons into meaningful contributions. “Students applied theories and concepts from their coursework to real-life tasks at local establishments,” she wrote.

Community collaboration

When designing the course, Pitassi contacted the Windham Chamber of Commerce, which connected her with Viruet. “We recognized there was a necessity in the local businesses, specifically with social media outreach.”

Students partnered with local businesses and organizations such as El Guanajuato Restaurante, Willi Scoops, the Latino Chamber of Windham, and Empowering Nutrition.

Students’ work ranged from assisting with daily operations to supporting marketing efforts. At El Guanajuato, students worked with owners Manny Gonzalez and Olga Parra to order promotional materials and develop an advertising plan for the restaurant.

At the Latino Chamber, students helped create ads, establish relationships with multiple Latino-owned businesses in Windham, and build the organization’s official social media page.

“Initially, I was helping with technical issues on the chamber’s social media platforms,” said senior business administration major Riccy Gomez. “(Since then), I’ve been analyzing how Latino chambers of commerce work in different cities, allowing me to gather strategic insights on the resources and initiatives that have been valuable and effective for the development and success of small Latino-owned businesses.”

At Empowering Nutrition, students worked with owner Margarita Lopez to promote the business through short-form content on TikTok. “I didn’t have the time or knowledge, but the students have helped me,” she said. “This partnership is definitely for the long run.”