2015 Volunteer Abroad Scholarship Winners Announced

Spirit is pleased to announce our 2015 Volunteer Abroad Scholarship winners, Rita Hess and Alex Elizarraga.
Rita Hess is a Spanish Linguistics and Pedagogy master’s candidate at Illinois State University (ISU). She currently serves on the executive board of ISU’s Sigma Delta Pi chapter (Spanish Honor Society) as secretary and has over 150 hours of community service and outreach. Hess studied abroad in Granada, Spain and has taught English as a second language to 120 students from Mexico through a university program.

Alex Elizarraga is currently studying Psychology and Spanish at Concordia College. On campus, he serves as president for the Concordia Swim Club and debate captain for the Concordia Forensics. In his free time, Elizarraga volunteers as an elementary Spanish teacher for youth. He also remains active in his local community as a camp counselor, private Spanish tutor, and small group leader for various organizations. He aspires to become a high school counselor near his hometown in Oregon.  

Check back on this page next month for more information about their individual volunteer project placements.