Chuck Hutchings

Associate Professor of Spanish

"I struggled with Spanish in high school, but then I went to Spain for two years, where I became fascinated with the structure of the language while falling in love with the people and the culture of that country. Over time, I have had opportunities to get to know the peoples and cultures of other Spanish-speaking countries with which Ive become equally captivated.

"Sitting down and communicating with someone in his or her native language -- not your own -- is a thrill that is hard to describe. If I can help students find ways to stay interested in the long journey of language acquisition, then I add a new dimension to that thrill. When they return from other countries with stories about their cultural and linguistic interactions, it gives me a sense of accomplishment to think that I played a small part in that development."