Trinity Summer Language School, Introduction
The Summer Language School was the first study abroad program at Trinity University. Starting in 1944 in San Luis de Potosi and ending in 1950 in Mexico City, the objective was to engage students with the neighboring country by learning the language and culture and interacting with a diverse faculty. It was an open initiative, meaning that not only Trinity students were welcome, but anyone that was interested in learning and visiting Mexico. In its different iterations, the Language School offered classes in Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and courses about Mexican history, folklore, art, and literature.
Although short-lived, it was an attempt at international collaboration, especially by highlighting the relationships between San Antonio and Mexico. In the following pages, you will learn more about how the Language School was conceived, who the faculty and administration involved, what were the goals of the summer school and how it represented an effort toward intercultural and interdisciplinary education representative of the times it was conceived.