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Cultural Bridges - Connecting Cultures

November 07, 2025

Lewis & Clark college students

Mahatma Gandhi International School students

Students from SPAN 251 and SPAN 351 at Lewis & Clark College participated in an enriching cultural exchange with students from Mahatma Gandhi Bilingual School in Villa Mercedes, San Luis, Argentina.

During this first Cultural Bridges session, students introduced themselves and shared aspects of their daily lives, school experiences, interests, and preferences—spending 30 minutes communicating in English and 30 minutes in Spanish. The event fostered language development, intercultural awareness, and meaningful dialogue between both groups.

The exchange was led by Prof. Darío Mastelone from Mahatma Gandhi School and Lic. Camila Palacio, Cultural Ambassador of Argentina, Fulbright Scholar, and Spanish Language Assistant at Lewis & Clark College, who also teaches the intermediate and advanced Spanish conversation courses.

Special thanks to Principal María Elena Gurruchaga of Mahatma Gandhi School and Dr. Freddy Vilches, Head of the Spanish Section at Lewis & Clark College, for their support in making this collaboration possible.

Through initiatives like Cultural Bridges, students continue to strengthen connections across borders, building understanding through language, respect, and shared learning.

Hispanic Studies Program is located in Miller Center on the Undergraduate Campus.
MSC: 30

voice 503-768-7420
fax 503-768-7434

Section Head Freddy Viches

Hispanic Studies Program
Lewis & Clark
615 S. Palatine Hill Road
Portland OR 97219

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