Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – JUNE 12, 2015 – Eréndira Santillana, a senior Spanish major at The University of Texas at Brownville, eagerly anticipates spending a month this summer in historical and picturesque Alcalá de Henares, Spain, the birthplace of Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes.
Santillana received a scholarship from Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, to study at Instituto Franklin – Universidad de Alcalá de Henares (UAH).
“I feel grateful and privileged to be one of five students from the United States to receive this scholarship,” Santillana said. “UAH is considered one of the premier schools to study Spanish literature, and I plan to absorb the breathtaking scenery and bountiful culture.”
The scholarship includes tuition and a stipend of $1,000.
“I didn’t know how I was going to cover the other expenses – airfare, housing and meals – but I am so happy to say this has been covered by an anonymous donation,” she said. “I will be forever grateful to this kind and generous person.”
The summer intensive program will consist of contemporary Spanish literature and literary analysis.
“I want to immerse myself in the culture by learning social dynamics, local politics, food, music, poetry and pastimes,” said Santillana, who departs for Spain on June 26.
She will live with a host family, giving her valuable non-classroom learning opportunities, helping expand her understanding of the nuances in the Spanish language.
Santillana fell in love with the Spanish language while attending middle school in Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas, Mexico, when she entered a grammar contest.
“This is when I realized how beautiful and vast the Spanish language is,” she said. “There are so many ways to express an idea or thought. You cannot describe me without mentioning my love and devotion to Spanish.”
In 2010, at age 16, Santillana came to the U.S. and attended Brownsville’s Hanna High School for two years.
“During that time, I stayed with my cousin who, to help me learn English, did not allow me to speak any Spanish in most social contexts,” Santillana said. “I was shy when speaking English, and during those two years, I realized something was missing – my beautiful native language, Spanish.”
Santillana’s passion for Spanish helped her receive the Jesus M. and Josefa T. Castellano Endowed Scholarship and the Blanca and Filemón Vela Endowed Scholarship. She also obtained a 2014 Scholastic Excellence Award from the College of Liberal Arts for outstanding achievement in her field of study.
“I have tutored all levels of Spanish,” she said. “I can see myself teaching in the U.S. at a basic level, or at a more advanced level in a primarily Spanish-speaking country. It all depends on which opportunity comes first.”
In her second semester at UTB, Santillana founded the Spanish Club for Spanish majors and minors. Last November, she participated in consolidating the club into the reactivation of the Tau Chi Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi.
“When Eréndira told me she wanted to apply for this scholarship, I felt that there was a high possibility of getting this distinction for UTB,” said Dr. Laura P. Garza, faculty adviser for the Tau Chi Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi. “She was a strong candidate, and I was proven right when she was elected among a very competitive pool of students from different chapters nationwide. She has leadership skills, passion for Hispanic culture and language, dedication and enthusiasm for learning. I know Spain will be an unforgettable experience for her.”
Santillana was President of UTB’s Student Government Association during the 2014-15 academic year during UTB’s transition to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
“Being SGA President is always a demanding job, and this past year it has been particularly busy with all that was needed for the upcoming changes,” she said.
Santillana participated in leadership summits and sat on a number of transition committees, including those that addressed the mascot and the constitutional convention. Santillana also appointed representatives to the tuition and fees taskforce and the housing and meal plan committee.
She actively collaborated with The University of Texas Pan American’s SGA president to accomplish a smooth transition to UT Rio Grande Valley.
“SGA provided different mediums where students’ concerns and inquiries about UTRGV could be presented to administrators,” Santillana said. “We hosted the Dean’s Luncheon, and Pizza with the Presidents, a Q&A forum where Dr. Guy Bailey (UTRGV’s founding president), Dr. William Fannin, (UTB’s president ad interim) and I answered questions regarding academic and non-academic affairs of student life.”
Among the events that occurred during her term, one in particular stands out – a celebration to honor then UTB President Dr. Juliet V. García. Santillana had the honor of being one of the students invited to sit at President Bailey’s table.
“I truly think SGA matters and I am confident it will reach its full potential at the new university – being for the students, by the students,” she said.
Santillana will graduate from UTRGV in December with her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish; she plans to continue her education with a master’s in Spanish literature or linguistics and hopes to one day obtain a doctoral degree in social or applied linguistics.
“I urge high school students who feel devoted to Spanish to embrace their studies,” she said. “Grow your passion and take it to places you wouldn’t have thought it could go.”
