Learning a language opens doors to new cultures, perspectives, and opportunities. The Kevin Cessna-Buscemi Global Citizen Scholarship (KCBGC) transforms this idea into reality by offering students an extraordinary chance to immerse themselves in the Spanish or Portuguese language and culture through week-long programs that go far beyond the traditional classroom.

What is the Kevin Cessna-Buscemi Global Citizen Scholarship?

The Kevin Cessna-Buscemi Global Citizen Scholarship is an award by AATSP Exams, designed to recognize student achievement and promote language proficiency in Spanish and Portuguese studies. This year, winners could participate in residential immersion experiences at either the Spanish or Portuguese Village at Concordia Language Villages in June, or join a virtual Spanish language immersion program with United Planet in July. The scholarship reflects our commitment to providing students with opportunities to deepen their language skills and cultural understanding through learning experiences.

Inside the Virtual Quest: A Week of Discovery

What makes this program special is its interactive nature. For five days, students participated in small language learning groups focused on different countries, followed by whole-group cultural activities that included making horchata alongside a guide from Mexico, learning the steps to Costa Rica’s Swing Criollo dance, preparing Peruvian causa, and playing games that explored Colombian culture. Each day builds toward a final presentation where students share their reflections, learning goals, and favorite moments from the week.

A Look into a Student’s Virtual Experience:

Larry, one of our virtual scholarship winners, shared his experience: 

“My learning goals were to broaden my knowledge of Latin America and its cultures. My goals were met by visiting those countries to learn about aspects of their culture. I now know what to put on an Ofrenda, the blue zone in Costa Rica, and that music is very important in Latin America. I had some successes and little challenges in this program. A success I had was in making an Ofrenda. Learning about Costa Rica and Colombia. The challenge was learning to dance salsa. It was hard to move my legs and feet right. A takeaway was that Costa Rica is happy, has a very high biodiversity in a small area, they have a cultural dance, and really like coffee. A highlight is the game of hangman that my group played in Colombia about its culture. Meeting other people who were interested in Spanish Culture was cool. I learned some fun facts, like Costa Rica has one of the only blue zones in the world, and that Latin America has a very wide variety of food.”

His key takeaway?

“Overall, throughout the whole experience, I learned about different aspects of Spanish cultures, like holidays, food, and dance. It has increased my knowledge of Spanish culture.”

Residential: Concordia Language Village

At the residential location, students are transported to an authentic Spanish village complete with a traditional central plaza and fountain. The village features Spanish architecture throughout, creating an immersive environment where language and culture come alive. Here, students enjoy traditional foods while participating in cultural activities.

Residential Experience

Jacob L., another of our scholarship winners, attended the residential program at Concordia Language Villages’ Spanish village, El Lago del Bosque. He reflected on his experience:

“The camp was a great experience and offered me valuable insight into the Spanish language, culture, and cuisine. I experienced a full immersion into a Spanish environment, and had fun partaking in the many activities throughout the day. Overall, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish, whether it be speaking, comprehension, or culture.”

Here are some images that Jacob shared with us from his time

Both students’ experiences demonstrate the transformative power of immersive language learning, whether virtual or residential. Each pathway offers unique benefits while delivering the same outcome: deeper language proficiency and genuine cultural understanding.

More Than Just Language Learning

The Kevin Cessna-Buscemi Global Citizen Scholarship does more than teach vocabulary and grammar. It cultivates global citizenship by helping students understand the rich diversity of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking cultures. Whether through residential immersion at Concordia Language Villages or the virtual exploration with United Planet, scholarship recipients gain perspectives that transform how they see the world and their place in it.

Students develop practical language skills, yes, but they also build cultural competency, adaptability, and a genuine appreciation for the communities they explore. They learn that language is a bridge to understanding and connection.