Viena Ballesteros

Viena Ballesteros is a Lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages at Ursinus College. A native Spanish speaker, she combines her medical expertise (Doctor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery) with linguistic scholarship to develop interdisciplinary teaching approaches. Her work bridges cultural gaps in healthcare through innovative courses like the new Spanish Health Professional course.

• Doctor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery, University of Guayaquil
• Master in Linguistics, University of Jaen
• Master in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language, Universidad Internacional Interamericana

Research focuses on eclectic methodology for language instruction, scaffolding techniques in second language acquisition, and cross-disciplinary integration of medical knowledge with Spanish language education. She teaches courses ranging from SPAN 101 to SPAN 308, emphasizing practical language skills for healthcare professionals.