World Languages and Cultures Alumni & Current Students Success Stories
Embracing Global Opportunities: A Journey from Study Abroad to Inspiring Future Educators
Cecilia Vanderveen is spending her Spring 2024 semester in Tokyo through Saint Mary’s Study Abroad Program. This isn't her first time far from home; her family moved often when she was growing up, and by the time she graduated high school, she had lived in California, Washington, New Hampshire, and Belgium.
SMC Grads Deepen Connection with Italian Community
Three recent Saint Mary’s graduates have spent the pandemic taking what they learned as students in the Italian program at SMC and using that to make connections with the Italian Community Services (ICS) organization in the North Beach neighborhood in San Francisco.
Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve
Saint Mary’s alumna Michelle Batista ’02, MA ’05, joined Lake Tahoe Community College this summer as the new Vice President of Student Services (VPSS), where she oversees the Student Services division that offers an overarching, multi-pronged set of services and support throughout a student’s college experience; and serves as a gateway to the college, providing a safety net and transition to college completion.
Called to Teaching—Isabel Alvarez (Jeronimo) Guzman ’20
We spoke to Isabel Alvarez (formerly Jeronimo) ’20, who majored in Global and Regional Studies, about her dedication to teaching and how Saint Mary’s helped her develop her passion.