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Vanessa Clarkson

Vanessa Clarkson (BA 2006 Spanish)

"Both the Spanish and the Cuban culture were instilled in me from a very young age," Vanessa Clarkson recalls. Stemming first from her heritage-Clarkson's mother was Cuban-this connection to language and culture now shapes her career. As a member of the Santa Ana Police Department in California, the 2006 IUPUI graduate with a degree in Spanish puts her love of language to use on a daily basis.

Clarkson found many opportunities to study the Spanish language and culture when she arrived at IUPUI. Not only was there the class work and support from her instructors, but she also found out of classroom experiences to help her grow. She spent two months abroad in Santander, Spain, immersing herself in the Spanish society as well as visiting family. She visited Puerto Rico, speaking Spanish and staying with a friend's family.

After graduation, Clarkson begin work with the Santa Ana Police Department. The hiring process was long and strenuous, she recalls. "It involved a written exam, an oral interview, a bilingual interview, an extensive background investigation, another oral interview, a medical exam, a psychological evaluation and a polygraph exam. I passed all those and was given the position. I was also required to attend a two month academy once I was appointed to the position."

The job gives her the perfect opportunity to use her degree on a daily basis. At one point in the 1990s, Hispanics made up nearly 65% of Santa Ana's population. While the number has declined this decade, Clarkson estimates Hispanics still make up more than 50% of the city's citizens. "We deal with a lot of immigration inmates who do not speak any English," she says. "Most of the arrestees that we inquire are non-English speaking people. Spanish is a key asset in my field of work."

Clarkson says her time with IUPUI helped prepare her for her life and work. "IUPUI prepared me by allowing me to get the essential materials and values needed to be successful in a professional field, and by having professional and good relationships with my professors," she says. "My experiences and relationships at IUPUI are ones I will never forget."

--Josh Flynn, BA English 2007

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