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Learning a language is like building yourself a bridge that takes you to new people and places, according to Jeff Ruth, Ph.D., professor and chair of the modern language department at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. He opened the modern language awards ceremony, which was held on April 14, by explaining to those in attendance the importance of excelling in foreign languages.

“Students who take on another language end up seeing themselves differently, especially when they spend a few weeks or months in another country,” he said. “In the workforce, students who are fluent in other languages are bringing unique skills to the job.”

Six new seniors were inducted into the international foreign languages honor society, Phi Sigma Iota, including Brendan Cross, from East Stroudsburg, Pa., Evan Hardwick, from Bethlehem, Pa., Adamaris Marcial, from Kunkletown, Pa., Karim Saadoune, from Tunis, Tunsia, Cadia Woods, from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Thomas Zayac, from Newton, N.J.

In addition to inducting new members, the department awarded seven Outstanding Service Awards to Chantal Fulgencio, a junior majoring in political science from Stroudsburg, Pa., Nicole Glasgow, a senior majoring in business management from Northampton, Pa., Ryan Morrison, a freshman majoring in Spanish from Springfield, Pa., Brigitte Polo-Pagano, a senior majoring in biology and Spanish from Albrightsville, Pa., Richard Simeone, a senior majoring in psychology from East Stroudsburg, Pa., Cadia Woods, a senior majoring in economics and French from Tannersville, Pa., and Thomas Zayac, a senior majoring in Spanish from Newton, N.J.

Over one-hundred awards for Outstanding Academic Achievement were also given to high performing students in the department’s language courses during the 2014-15 academic year. These students had taken one or more courses in Chinese, French, Latin or Spanish.

For more information contact Dr. Ruth at 570-422-3419 or jruth@esu.edu.