By Sian Wilkerson

As the only program of its kind in the state, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Spanish-English Translation and Interpretation certificate is offering students new educational and professional pathways in an increasingly multilingual world.

Offered by the School of World Studies in VCU’s College of Humanities and Sciences, the SETI program combines translation and interpreting theory with applied real-world practice, exposing students to interpreting in medical, legal, immigration, educational and other specialized fields.

SETI blends “linguistic proficiency, cultural understanding and humility, and translation and interpreting skills, equipping students with the knowledge and tools to ensure effective communication in diverse settings,” said assistant professor Indira Sultanić, Ph.D., director of the program.

Katelyn Williams, a medical education coordinator in the VCU School of Medicine’s Office of Medical Education, recently earned her SETI certificate after years of waiting for the right opportunity.

“I’ve been wanting to study this for a while,” said Williams, who minored in Spanish at James Madison University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. “I’m trying to get to the point of having a language services business where I can offer services like writing, editing and now translating and interpreting to clients. It just naturally fit with what my goals were for the future. And I’m really glad that I was able to make it work while working full-time.”

Williams said enrolling in the SETI program was a “no-brainer” because of the tuition benefit offered by VCU to eligible employees. She worked toward the certificate over three years, taking one class per semester and gaining experience through two internships.

“Normally you have to pay a good amount of money to take a weekend interpreter training course, and at the end of it, you’re not guaranteed a job,” Williams said. “So when I was looking into it previously, it just never made much financial sense. But the tuition benefit is a wonderful part of working at VCU, and it’s even built to where you can take a class during your work hours as long as your manager approves. We’re working in education, so it’s pretty cool to take advantage of that for yourself.”

To earn the SETI certificate, students must complete 18 credit hours and pass an exit exam.

“The SETI program embodies VCU’s mission and core values of real-world learning, interprofessional collaboration and community partnerships, and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion through language access,” said Sultanić, a Certified Healthcare Interpreter. In addition to skill development, opportunities for feedback and growth and practical experience, students are exposed to specialization and networking opportunities, as well as knowledge that can add value to career paths beyond translation and interpreting.

Since earning her SETI certificate, Williams has found freelance medical interpreting work with two companies.

“As it works with my schedule, I’m able to take jobs [with] physical therapy and other clinics around Richmond,” she said. “I can go implement what I’ve learned and do it as an actual, paid job.”

It was daunting, Williams added, to get out in the field for the first time – but ultimately, her time in the program instilled the confidence she needed.

“Interpreting is hard,” she said. “It’s not an easy skill to learn, and the professors do a beautiful job of making the classroom a comfortable space to become vulnerable and to make mistakes and to be OK with that. Ultimately, they prepare us so well to get out into the real world and actually do this job.”