Students in the Department of Languages, Literature and International Studies (LLIS) gathered for a fall kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 4 to meet fellow LLIS students while enjoying pizza and games.

Professors in the department greeted students at the door of the Whitman Commons, ready to play games and mingle with participants. Many students studying a language came to the event because they recognized the importance of collaborating with other students who are passionate about language learning.

“I came to practice signing and be around other students,” said Donovan Taylor, a psychology major studying American Sign Language (ASL).

Another ASL student, Mackenzie Blume, said she enjoys talking about her future career with like-minded students.

“I think [showing up to these events] helps you learn more about what you can do with the path you’re pursuing,” Blume said. “I’ve learned [about] a lot more career options, and it’s great to hang out with other people who are also studying ASL to get practice.”

Amy Orf, an assistant Spanish professor, agreed that it is important for students studying languages to meet each other and get comfortable communicating with each other. She explained that language learning, especially for Spanish, is extremely important in America because of the melting pot of different cultures.

“In the United States, we don’t think of ourselves as a Spanish-speaking country, but in terms of the numbers, we are the third largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world,” Orf said.

Orf also said the LLIS department is hosting faculty-led trips to China, Spain and Austria this year.