Faculty support, encouragement paves way, sparks confidence in the classroom, beyond

As Casa Latina, Davenport University’s innovative bilingual education program, enters its second year, students are already seeing the difference—at work and in their communities.

For two students in particular, the experience goes beyond just earning a degree. With a bilingual approach that weaves both English and Spanish into the curriculum, Casa Latina is helping them grow into professionals who are ready to lead.

Francisco Javier Martinez-Roman, a first-generation college student, enrolled in Davenport’s Casa Latina program in the Fall of 2024. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on marketing while he serves as a community and event coordinator at the Hispanic Center of West Michigan. He will be part of Casa Latina’s first graduating class next spring.

Martinez-Roman was born and raised in Grand Rapids to parents from Mexico and El Salvador. After graduating high school, he secured his associate’s degree, then moved to Chicago for a short stint before returning to Michigan. It was while he was doing volunteer work at the Hispanic Center that he heard about Casa Latina.

“I always wanted to do something with Hispanic businesses,” said Martinez-Roman. “Now, I want to help Hispanic businesses grow and share resources to help them succeed. My mom just opened a small pastry business. She only attended high school but wasn’t able to finish. Through my experience with Casa Latina, I can help her now.” 

While he often spoke Spanish at home, English was his first language. 

“Many of the classmates I’ve gotten to know are Spanish-speaking students. For me it’s the opposite – English is easier. We all come from different backgrounds,” he said. 

Martinez-Roman shared that the coursework comes with challenges. 

“It does seem like a hard program and switching languages can seem scary, but it’s a challenge that’s well worth it. It has helped me engage with our community in a better way. If you’re determined and disciplined, anything is possible.”

 

Isela Alvarez was 15 when she moved to Grand Haven with her family from Mexico. Her dad had come to Michigan to work on a blueberry farm and was able to secure green cards for Alvarez and her siblings. 

“When I got here, my siblings and I didn’t speak English. Our community was all Mexican workers, there was no need to learn. In school, I didn’t speak any English because I thought other kids would make fun of me but in my math class, I always got an A+.”

After 13 years working on blueberry farms in West Michigan, Alvarez moved to Shape Corporation. 

“At Shape, I was by myself; there were no other Hispanic people at the company. And I didn’t understand a lot of words. I learned through talking with my coworkers. I observed how to write words, and what they mean. I wasn’t able to use my phone, which made it more difficult.”

Her managers saw her potential and gave her more responsibilities and opportunities. Alvarez took on a training role, teaching workers in both English and Spanish. By translating the training programs into Spanish, Alvarez helped the company bring in more Hispanic workers to fill open positions.

Last year, 12 new Spanish-speaking workers came onboard. 

“I feel so proud of them,” said Alvarez. “They’re really good workers. Before, we weren’t able to do a welding class because of the language. I taught them. I feel like they’re my kids.”

Alvarez learned about Casa Latina from Carlos Sanchez, executive director of Casa Latina, at an event in Holland. He shared the bilingual aspects of the program and the scholarships available. 

“I then asked my company if I could get tuition reimbursement – and they said yes. I decided, I’m going to do it.”

Alvarez initially explored human resources but is now pursuing a bachelor’s in business administration degree. In addition to her work at Shape, she runs her own Mexican snack cart business. “My idea is to have food exactly how we cook it in Mexico.”

“It’s an adjustment for someone who hasn’t been in school for a while to dive back in,” said Alejandra Guillén, director of Marketing & Recruitment, Casa Latina.

“We’ve found that first generation students thrive with relevant culturally aware support,” said Guillén. “Casa Latina gives students a sense of belonging. And we’re seeing real changes already happening in our community.”

Davenport recently announced it’s expanding its Casa Latina degree offerings to include three additional associate degrees and two graduate certificates, available to students in fall 2025.

“It’s not just about enrollment; it’s about creating a bridge. We’re working to reach students that are traditionally left out – first generation, bilingual and underrepresented students. We want these students to see themselves reflected in the university experience from day one.”

The program includes bilingual, bicultural student support and services. This includes admissions, financial aid, advising, counseling, bursars’ services, tutoring and library services. 

“I’m not going to lie, it’s hard,” said Alvarez. “But what I like is the support of the teachers. They say ‘We know how stressful this can be, but you can do it. We can explain exactly how it works.’ I had a lot of questions.”

Martinez-Roman said the faculty within Casa Latina go above and beyond to provide help.

“I feel fully supported here at Davenport. If I need to talk something out, I can count on any of them. It’s helped me so much,” he said.

For Alvarez, Casa Latina equals possibilities. With her degree from Davenport, Alvarez sees herself having her own catering company. “If I work at Shape though, I’ll be in the office,” she said.

“When I got my grades in December, I cried,” said Alvarez. “I’m doing something different than just work, work, work. I called my dad in Mexico and told him, “I won’t be working on the farms anymore.” 

For more information about Casa Latina at Davenport University, visit https://www.davenport.edu/casa-latina.