Recruitment & Retention

CMLL Ambassadors 2019-2020

The mission of the CMLL Ambassadors is to promote the study of languages and cultures at Texas Tech. The Ambassadors meet three times each semester to socialize, strategize, and report on their recruiting activities. Ambassadors frequently hand out brochures in the free speech area, staff a table at special events, and visit classes around campus to inform fellow students about the personal, academic, and professional benefits of language study. They have also visited local high schools to encourage young people to continue studying languages and cultures at Tech. Through these activities, Ambassadors develop skills in marketing, outreach, teamwork, communication, and leadership. Upon successful completion of their service hours, Ambassadors receive a letter of recommendation for their portfolio.

CMLL Ambassador Officers AY 2019-2020

• Madison Kennedy - President
• Sarah Costanza - Vice President
• Dakota Tucker - Secretary/Historian

During the fall semester, Breana Rosa shadowed Dakota Tucker in order to take on the position of Secretary/Historian in spring 2020. Drs. Alec Cattell and Christopher Vasquez-Wright serve the organization as faculty advisors.

On December 9, 2019, Dakota Tucker "passes the torch" to Breana Rosa as historian / social media representative for the CMLL Ambassadors. If you have news or an event you would like to share on CMLL social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), please send your request to Breana at cmll.media@gmail.com.

The CMLL Ambassadors presented Museum of Languages during TTU Parents & Family Weekend at St. John's United Methodist Church on October 6. Sharing donuts and coffee while interacting with the ambassadors regarding world languages taught at Texas Tech.

Texas Tech High School and Community College Counselor Mingle

Texas High school and community college counselors were invited to Texas Tech for a mini conference to learn about the programs and services offered at the university. CMLL advisors attended and shared information with them on the majors and minors offered by the department on June 19 in the ICC Hall of Nations.

2019 CMLL Passport Party

Newly arriving students travelled the world without leaving during the 2019 CMLL Passport Party as part of Raider Welcome on August 21, 2019.

CMLL language programs set up colorful culturally rich exhibits in the main lobby where professors and current students engaged in conversations about the 12 languages and benefits of learning languages offered at Texas Tech.

Arts & Sciences Day

The south lawn of Holden Hall was teeming with students visiting the tables for departments of Arts & Sciences departments displaying their programs and student organizations for Arts & Sciences Day. The smell of Rosa's and the sounds of music provided a festive atmosphere where students could explore the fifteen departments and organizations housed in the College of Arts & Sciences.

CMLL faculty, advisors and current students challenged guest students to 'spin the wheel' to test their cultural, language recognition and geographical knowledge of the 12 foreign languages offered in the department. Students were delighted to discover the addition this fall of two new concentrations to the BA in Languages & Cultures: Chinese and ASL-English Interpretation. Equally delighted were students who have been asking for Korean and can now enroll in the inaugural class Korean 1501 this fall.

Texas Tech Preview Day

The United Supermarkets Area opened its doors to hundreds of prospective students from local and area high schools for Texas Tech Preview Day on October 14, 2019. CMLL advisors and faculty introduced students to the department's language programs while providing the benefits to learning languages and cultures.

Majors & Minors Fair

Over 1,150 TTU current students attended the 2019 Majors and Minors Fair on October 24 in the SUB Ballroom. All disciplines and resource offices were present to discuss the variety of majors and minors and career opportunities connected to each major. CMLL advisors, Carla Burrus and Stephanie Santos engaged students in the Spin the Wheel Culture and Language game while providing information on the 12 languages offered in the department, faculty-led study abroad programs and major, minor and graduate program information.

Language & Culture Day

On November 1, 2019, CMLL welcomed high school students of languages other than English in our building for Language & Culture Day. Joining us for this celebration of linguistic and cultural diversity were students and teachers from Coronado High School, Plainview High School, and the Talkington School for Young Women Leaders. 

Throughout the day, high school visitors were treated to sample lectures from five professors to give them a sneak peak of undergraduate courses in our department.

Between lectures, they interacted with CMLL professors, instructors, and students at the Culture Fair in the CMLL basement where they learned about cultural traditions, music, literature, and cuisine.

After lunch, a panel of professors shared stories about career paths for students of languages and cultures, and the event concluded with a special Día de los Muertos celebration.

Weihnachtsfest

Weihnachtsfest, the annual celebration of German Christmas traditions, took place at the International Cultural Center on December 5-6, 2019. The eyes of the primary school children from area schools lit up as they partook in an immersion experience in German.

Creating handmade snowflakes and decorating German paper lanterns, learning about German culture and Christmas customs, singing German songs, screening a movie in German and enjoying a puppet show of a rendition of Little Red Riding Hood put on by undergraduate learners of German made for a wonderful introduction and exposure to a different culture than their own.