Latin American and Latinx Studies Program

Here are some recent and ongoing programs you may see in the future related to LAS:

• Learning about social, political and economic issues in Argentina
• Treating patients in a predominantly Latino hospital in California
• Providing health screenings to Latino farm workers at large dairy farms in Wisconsin
• Exploring global forces impacting the Andes Mountains and Amazon Jungle in Ecuador
• Working alongside nurses, midwives, and families at a hospital near the Mexico border in Texas
• Investigating social and environmental justice issues in Guatemala

Covering almost 13% of the Earth's land surface area, there is a lot of ground to cover in Latin America. Talk with LAS faculty about the countless opportunities you have to fulfill your three or six-week immersion requirement (varies by major/minor) and see Latin America through immersions such as those mentioned above, study abroad programs, internships, or to find a domestic immersion experience that's right for you.

Choose to spend a summer, Winterim, semester, or year studying at one of the schools listed below, or discover other options for completing your immersion by talking to the director of LAS or one of the faculty members. Don’t overlook the possibility of living with a host family as a way to maximize the impact of your experience abroad.

Study Abroad Experiences for LAS

• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Valparaíso, Chile
• University Studies Abroad Consortium in La Habana, Cuba
• University Studies Abroad Consortium in Heredia, Puntarenas or San Ramón, Costa Rica
• Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla in Puebla, Mexico
• University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico (National Student Exchange)

No matter what destination you choose, plan to talk to an LAS faculty advisor to make sure the program fits into your degree plan and fulfills the LAS immersion requirement for your major or minor.

With National Student Exchange you can study in Puerto Rico for a semester or an academic year to fulfill your Latin American and Latinx Studies language immersion requirement while still paying Blugold tuition rates.

Puerto Rico is currently the only NSE destination that will fulfill your LAS immersion requirement, but if you are looking for an additional experience to enrich your college career, check out the other participating universities.

With an internship, you can gain relevant experience working in Latin American countries or domestically with Latinx/Hispanic communities in the United States. Internships are an excellent way to get career experience before you graduate.

Learn about LAS internship opportunities.

As a Latin American and Latinx Studies major or minor, Blugolds have a variety of research opportunities exploring Latin American culture and interdisciplinary issues affecting Latin America or Latinx people in the US. These opportunities include faculty/student research collaborations, international or domestic internships, diversity mentoring projects, the International Fellows Program, Faculty-led International Immersion Experiences (FLIIEs), and student designed independent studies.

Research Beyond Latin America

Latin America encompasses many countries, many cultures, and many disciplines. Even still, there is other research being conducted all over campus which might interest you. Learn more at the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs or read more about research at UW-Eau Claire.

As a student at UW-Eau Claire you’re eligible for a wide range of scholarships, some of which are specific to students in Latin American and Latinx Studies or language students. Apply for as many scholarships as you like, as you could receive multiple funding sources.

LAS and Language-Specific Scholarships

• Latin American and Latinx Studies Scholarship (LAS Students)
• Hilda Belle Oxby Scholarship (Language Students)

Apply for these — and many other UWEC scholarships — on Gold for Blugolds.

Latinx Student Association

The Latinx Student Association was created to ensure the success of Latinxs on and off campus by connecting them to resources, providing culturally relevant events, and developing networks of support. Although tailored toward people of Latinx/Hispanic background and identity, everyone is welcomed to come and learn more about the culture.  

Sigma Delta Pi  

Sigma Delta Pi is the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. Its goals include honoring those who attain excellence in the study of Spanish and the literature and culture of speakers of Spanish, to encourage learning of the cultures of Hispanic culture, and to foster friendly relations among the Spanish and English dominant nations of the world. 

Learn about all UW-Eau Claire student organizations on Blugold Connect+.