Damian Kelsey
Year Graduated:
2020
Document Translation
First 5 of Humboldt
Job description
I translate documents for the county so that people who do not have access to services because they do not speak English fluently, or are more comfortable speaking Spanish, are allowed to have access to the same services as native English speakers. The services are normally for families with children ages 0 to 5.
Why did you choose this program?
I chose the Spanish program for a few reasons. First and foremost, it was local, because originally I had planned to move out of the area to study Spanish. However, due to my circumstances, I didn't want to be too far away from home in case there had been an emergency. As luck would have it, I decided to check the HSU catalog one day and saw that there was a Spanish program. Once I discovered that, there was no turning back because I knew I had found where I was supposed to be.
How did this program prepare you for your job?
Many of the courses prepared me for the job I have today because I have a deep, profound, and continuous love for the language and culture. Some of the classes that really stick out to me the most are applied linguistics with Matthew Dean, advanced grammar, composition with Lilanet Brintrup, and advanced oral skills, but the class that helped me the most was introduction to translation and interpretation with Agustin Amaro. Having that base was crucial in me being able to understand how to translate documents with a process, and not just translating on how I thought it should be done. In some way, every course in this program has helped me reach where I am today, but the ones I mentioned were the crucial blocks that allowed me to achieve my dream.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
I enjoyed the family atmosphere of the program. Despite being a local resident all my life, I was nervous about fitting into the program being that I was a transfer student from CR which is the Community College here. However, after a brief time, I felt like I belonged, and it really felt like a family because my classmates and professors always asked me about my life. That may seem trivial to some, but to me, it meant a lot. Spanish helped me through some of the most difficult times in my life, and the family atmosphere that the program creates allowed me to persevere and move on because the thing that bonded all of us together was our commitment and passion for the Spanish language and its culture. Every day, I got to do something new, and I was finally able to express myself to the world in the way that I wanted to ever since I was a little boy. I miss those days at times, but I know that where I'm at now is because of that family atmosphere of my classmates and professors in the department.
What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?
My message is simple. This program will truly open doors for you, and you can create some lifelong memories. The beauty about languages is that you can never truly master them because they evolve constantly, so you're always learning something new. To new students prospecting this major, you won't regret it and if you put your heart and soul into it, and believe in yourself, the possibilities are endless. It's not easy at times, but life is never easy, and you can't get anywhere if you don't put in the work yourself. Take it from me, a lot of people say it must be impossible to learn a language, but I didn't learn it overnight and I didn't get the opportunities by not putting in the effort. Spanish changed my life and if you enroll in this major, I promise it can change yours.
