After realizing how accessible the Spanish major was at the University of Iowa, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences student Isabella Weber decided to switch from being a Spanish minor to a triple major in Spanish, International Studies, and Linguistics. 

“As a triple major, I especially value the flexibility of the Spanish program in planning my schedule and selecting courses,” Weber said.  

Being in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese has given her the opportunity to study abroad, conduct research, and engage meaningfully in campus life.  

In the summer of 2025, Weber studied abroad through the Iowa Hispanic Institute.  

“[It] was one of the best experiences of my life,” she said. “The program was both academically enriching and personally transformative.”  

Under the guidance of Dr. Becky Gonzalez, Weber worked as a research fellow through the Office of Undergraduate Research to design an independent project exploring shared syntax in Spanish heritage speakers. 

“As a heritage speaker myself, studying Spanish at a deeper academic level has allowed me to strengthen my connection to my own background, while developing a scholarly perspective on language,” Weber said.  

Long term, Weber hopes to become a language educator, either in Spanish or English as a second language. 

“I feel that my coursework and my experiences at Iowa have prepared me with the skills and confidence I need to achieve my goal,” she said.