Internships
Translation Internships in Spanish
The department offers Spanish majors with the possibility of engaging in translation projects. Under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Sergio Lopez and our Spanish lecturer Allonah Ezro-Christy, students translate into English anthropology articles published by AIBR, Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana. Every year, 6 interns (3 in the Spring Semester and 3 in the Fall Semester) participate in the process of creating the bilingual edition of Revista. Spanish majors translate 1 or 2 articles per semester. They use software translation tools to ensure consistency of translation. They meet with a supervisor every week and also contact authors to discuss any unclear point on the translation. They meet deadlines for journal publication and write reflective journals.
"I took away a lot from this experience. One of my biggest takeaways is translating in a professional setting and reviewing feedback to improve my translation. I also liked how there were several people looking at the article and revising it to ensure that the final translation can be as accurate as possible to preserve the author’s message. Each week, I increased my vocabulary, and got to work with professionals in my field of study." ~ Robert A. Bashaw
Conference Internship
Each spring semester, the department offers three Spanish majors the possibility of helping organize the AIBR Conference and travel to the country where this international academic event will take place. As part of the organizing committee, students hold weekly meetings with Dr. Sergio Lopez, assist in the promotion of the conference and help with accounting and other administrative tasks, reports, and conference planning. They also are to contribute with multilingual translation tasks, mainly in Spanish and English. This year the conference will take place in Granada, Spain. AIBR stands for Network of Ibero-American Anthropologists.
Undergraduates at SUNY Potsdam are encouraged to obtain extra career related experience in their chosen field by doing off-campus internships. Contact the Experiential Education Office at (315) 267-2507 or visit their website to learn more. Examples of previous internships in which Spanish students have participated include:
- AIBR, International
- Asciacion de Antropologos Iberoamericanos en Red, Madrid International
- Center for research into Second and Foreign Language at the University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, UK
- Immersion Strategies-Spanish Language Training Potsdam, NY
- Summer School Spanish Assistant Teacher Potsdam, NY
- SUNY Potsdam Elementary College Latin, Potsdam, NY
- SUNY Potsdam French Language Camp Potsdam, NY
- SUNY Potsdam Modern Language Department Potsdam, NY
- SUNY Potsdam Spanish Language Camp, Potsdam, NY
- West Side Learning Center & Manos Child and Family Center Syracuse, NY
Opportunities in the Field
SUNY Potsdam Modern Languages alumni have found careers in high schools in New York state and other states, and with the United States Customs Service, Time Warner Communications, film industry, social services and the United States Department of Defense.