UC Davis Students Help City Translate Documents for Local Spanish Speakers

In a new internship with the City of Davis, UC Davis students are helping the city better meet the needs of its Spanish speaking residents. A cohort of five students spent months working with city staff, learning best practices when it comes to translating content such as city documents, press releases, public service announcements and social media posts.  

During a presentation at the City of Davis Community Chambers, students reflected on the profound impact working with the City had on them. It was clear the internship had changed how the students experienced the Spanish language, city government, civic engagement and community work. They learned technical skills but also built confidence and learned what they might be able to expect from a job post-graduation.  

“In a professional setting, I've never had the most confidence and now I do, and I feel like if I am working with the city or working in a government job or even if I'm just translating for somebody in public, I can do that confidently,” said Julianna Aguilar-Quintero, a student double-majoring in English and Spanish. “I feel more prepared for when I hit the job market.” 

Collectively, the students worked 60 hours over the course of a quarter and translated more than 60 documents and graphics from Spanish to English, providing integral support for the City of Davis.

But for Aguilar-Quintero and others, the internship went beyond what they might put on any future resume.  

“Their work will help make City information more accessible to Spanish-speaking residents and strengthen communication with our broader community,” said Jenny Tan, director of public affairs and internship supervisor with the City of Davis. “We are grateful to the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis, especially Department Chair of Spanish and Portuguese Robert Newcomb and Associate Professor of Spanish Agustina Carando, for their partnership and for providing students with this valuable hands-on public service experience.” 

This article was originally published in the UC Davis Letters & Sciences Magazine and can be read in its entirety here