WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Laughter and Spanish conversations fill Ruben Verona's classroom at Lycoming College in Williamsport.
Students are taking one of Verona's courses on the Spanish language, literature, and culture.
"I'm from Colombia, I'm originally from Colombia, I have been in the US for more than 15 years, I got here to study like--I did an MFA, Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, I'm an author I publish basically crime fiction of novels in Spanish," said Ruben Verona, Assistant Professor of Spanish Lycoming College.
Verona says his experience in Williamsport differs from the norm because of his roots.
"It's an area with a very low Hispanic population, with less than 3%. However, Lycoming College, our student body is like 15% of them are Hispanics, so it's fantastic to contribute to diversity in that sense," said Verona.
Verona has taught at Lycoming College for four years now. His courses celebrate Hispanic culture and achievements, especially this Hispanic Heritage Month.
"Short films they have--some of them have done as a graduate project, and they have been in Spanish, so they are like reflecting on their connection with their roots, with their language, and with their culture on both sides in the US and in Latino American countries," said Verona.
Verona is also co-coordinating a Latino-American studies minor at Lycoming College. The program includes humanities, social sciences, and language coursework to understand Latino America better. Students can take classes such as anthropology, theology, political science, history, and Spanish. They must also travel abroad for four weeks to a Latino-American country.
"Right now, two of my students from last semester are in Puebla in Mexico; they're having fun, they're taking classes in Spanish, so it's like a complete immersion, and they're learning a lot. We also have students in Spain," said Verona.
Lycoming College also recently added Gerardo Luna as a Spanish Language assistant. Luna is from Yucatán Mexico. He previously taught English at the Cumbres International School Mérida.
He says he had always dreamed of coming to the United States, a dream made possible through a program called Fulbright and Comexus--the Mexican Commission.
"My main job here is to coordinate the language tables. So every day from Monday to Friday, I coordinate Spanish tables in which students come, we speak in Spanish for half an hour and 45 minutes depending on their sessions, and that's what they have to do as part of their Spanish courses," said Gerardo Luna, Lycoming College Fulbright Comexus Teaching Assistant.
Luna uses his memories of growing up in Mexico to teach his students about Mexican Independence Day.
"That was really a great opportunity for me to teach about my culture, which is the main purpose of Fulbright also, so I would not only be doing this but also--I also learn from then because they are also teaching me about the American culture at the same time," said Luna.
Both Verona and Luna say that Hispanic Heritage Month means happiness, celebration, and respect, which they work to teach every day.
"But also to say we have been here for months, and we can leave in peace and harmony with all of the races and all of the people," said Verona.
"We're all humans, and we should be really grateful to be here sharing the same space, trying new things, trying new food, trying new languages because that's what the world is all about," said Luna.