Current and Future Efforts
Today, professors like Dr. Rocio Delgado and Dr. Katherine Espinoza carry forward Trinity’s bilingual legacy. Through the oral histories I conducted, we hear how they reflect on the continued challenges of institutional support and the creative ways they sustain equity-driven pedagogy within education programs. To this day, a majority of the work in Bilingual Education continues to be done through individual faculty and staff efforts and their partnerships with one another, community organizations, and local school districts. There remains to be no formal Bilingual Education Undergraduate or Graduate Program; however, students in the Undergraduate Education Program and Master of Arts in Teaching Program are encouraged to pursue a Bilingual Education Endorsement through additional classes (in the Education Department and cross-curricularly), and more specialized practicum placements in Bilingual Classrooms.
Despite its current status, both Professors share throughout their interviews the need for additional program modifications and further institutional support. (See More below.)
Dr. Rocio Delgado
Biography and Accomplishments:
Dr. Rocío Delgado is a professor of education at Trinity University whose work has been central to shaping bilingual teacher preparation in San Antonio. She mentors future educators through courses on inclusive practices, language development, and multicultural education, often within the context of Trinity’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Dr. Delgado has also contributed to broader university initiatives that connect local classrooms with global learning, always emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive, community-centered teaching. In her oral history, she reflects on her own bilingual and multicultural upbringing, the development of her work in bilingual special education, and her perspectives on evolving language policies and partnerships within the San Antonio education landscape.
Oral History Interview
On Thursday, June 26, 2025, I had the honor of conducting an oral history interview as part of the Conmemorando la Comunidad: Digital Humanities Project with Dr. Rocio Delgado. In our interview we focused on Dr. Delgado’s own bilingual and multicultural upbringing, the development of her work in bilingual special education, and her perspectives on evolving language policies and partnerships within the San Antonio education landscape. Below I have included a quote from our conversation.
"I see myself as a community educator, and as a researcher, [on] what happens in the community as it pertains to education, if I'm making sense. So what I would like to see Trinity do more of is just continuing to share the stories of how amazing teachers are, and how, yes, it is the most challenging profession you'll ever have. But it's, it's the most rewarding one. I would like us to continue supporting each other."
Link to Campus Directory to read more:
Dr. Rocio Delgado
Dr. Katherine Espinoza
Biography and Accomplishments:
Dr. Katherine Espinoza is an Assistant Professor of Education at Trinity University and a San Antonio native who grew up speaking both English and Spanish, providing her with a lived bilingual perspective that enriches her teaching. At Trinity, she leads courses in bilingualism, language acquisition, and inclusive pedagogy, guiding MAT and undergraduate students to develop culturally responsive classrooms. In her oral history, Dr. Espinoza shares on her own experiences with language and identity, and how educational practices, such as translanguaging and biliteracy, have influenced teaching, learning, and empowerment in her classroom and beyond.
Oral History Interview
On Monday, June 23, 2025, I had the honor of conducting an Oral History Interview on the part of the Conmemorando la Comunidad: Digital Humanities Project, with Dr. Katherine Espinoza. In our interview we focused on the shaping and impact of bilingual/bicultural education in San Antonio, Dr. Espinoza’s own experiences with language and identity, and how educational practices, such as translanguaging and biliteracy, have influenced teaching, learning, and empowerment in her classroom and beyond.Below I have included various quotes of our conversation.
"I'm in a space where I can still continue to do this work and hopefully impact students who will go into the community and serve these students. And I want to make a positive impact as much as possible because I know I have colleagues that are literally in the same city that are no longer able to do this type of work. And that's a weight that I carry, right, that I have to continue finding ways to make as much impact even though, even though Trinity's education program isn't as big."
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"It's important to have that relationship with the school where it's not just we're coming to help, like we're actually like building a partnership...I like to think of Vicky Ruiz's work on... cultural coalescence and what it means to build something new, where you're coming together and you're creating something in tandem with what not only what we want our students to experience, but also what Hawthorne needs."
Link to Campus Directory to read more:
Dr. Katherine Espinoza