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School of Humanities

VOCES Fellows

Let’s build community and make our voices heard!

Do You Speak Spanish at Home?

Are you interested in…
  • Improving your Spanish-language skills?
  • Learning your family’s story?
  • Assisting in documenting the history of Latinos in the surrounding community?

Become a VOCES Fellow! (On hold until Fall 2026)

As VOCES a Fellow you will participate in a unique opportunity to build community on campus and nearby, connect with students and faculty, and have the chance to invite your family and communities into your educational process.


It will also look great on your resume!

What is VOCES?

VOCES: Oral Histories and Spanish for Heritage Speakers is a new project at Purchase College that seeks to build community among Spanish-speaking students, their families, staff, and the larger community. It’s funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

What Will VOCES Fellows Do?

As you improve your Spanish language skills, you’ll learn your own families’ stories and assist in documenting the history of Latinos in the area around Purchase.
We will produce video and audio recordings of these histories in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The stories we record will be published via a digital archive for anyone to hear and learn from. Public exhibitions will showcase our stories and who we are.

The work you do matters!

What Will You Learn?

You’ll build many skills as you contribute to this lasting project, including:
  • Spanish language
  • Conducting interviews
  • Video and audio production
  • Content creation
  • Digital mapping
  • Community building

Are There Requirements?

In addition to your enthusiasm and willingness to work hard, it is helpful that come from a home where Spanish or Portuguese is spoken.
(If not, and you’re interested in the project, you can still apply! Please complete the form, and we’ll follow up with you.)

I’d Like to Participate. What’s Next?

Fill out this form to let us know you’re interested.

Then, enroll in one of the courses below (re-starting Fall 2026)

To prepare you for the work we will do, you will need to enroll in one of these courses:

1. HIS3687 - Historia, Memoria e Identidad: The Latinx Experience through Oral Storytelling

Professor Leandro Benmergui

Spanish Heritage Speaker students learn skills in the field of oral history to produce histories of the Latinx experience in the US. Students study theories and methodologies of oral storytelling and collect family and community histories to contribute to the production of a digital archive on Latinxs lives, developing community identity, history, and memory. Students practice language skills in Spanish.

2. HIS3875: Digital Histories Studio: Oral Narratives and Archives in Production


Professor Leandro Benmergui

This hands-on course invites students to transform oral histories into captivating digital projects. From archiving and transcribing interviews to producing video and audio clips, podcasts, and interactive maps, participants will learn the art of narrative production. Students work on uncovering the past and the present by amplifying voices, and creating a lasting legacy through the lens of modern technology.

3. SPA2030 - Spanish for Heritage Speakers I

For native speakers of Spanish who have had little or no formal training in the language. The focus is on expanding each student’s ability to read and write fluently, in preparation for the challenges of upper-level Spanish courses.

Questions?

Please contact Professor Leandro Benmergui