Category: Language and International Health

March 3, 2024

The purposes of the Language and International Health Society shall include:

• Helping students succeed in the L&IH major and prepare for their future through contact with guest speakers, L&IH graduates, study abroad advisors and other campus and community resources;
• Serving as a forum where L&IH majors can meet and exchange information, ideas and concerns about internships, study abroad and other aspects related to the major;
• Providing opportunities where students can network with other students and professionals, explore career paths, and broaden their knowledge of global health issues and their cultural and linguistic contexts;
• Representing the L&IH major to Clemson University.

L&IH Society Officers (2024-2025)

President: Miah Bernard

Hi everyone! My name is Miah Bernard. I am a senior LIH major with a concentration in Spanish, and I will be graduating at the end of this semester. I love traveling and baking, and I spent my semester abroad in Quito, Ecuador. I am so excited to serve as President of the LIH Society for this semester!

Vice President: Yahir Nunez-Leija

Hey guys, my name is Yahir Nunez-Leija. I am currently serving as the Vice President this semester! I am a senior LIH major with a concentration in Spanish. I am going to Physical Therapy school right after graduation, and I went to Córdoba, Argentina for my semester abroad. I love playing sports, reading, and going to the gym.

Treasurer: Cecilia (CiCi) Viera-Atwell

“Hey guys! My name is CiCi and I am serving as this year’s Treasurer! I am a sophomore LIH major with a Spanish concentration and I’m so excited to be traveling abroad to Santiago de Compostela, Spain next year. In my free time I love to go to the gym, watch movies, and spend time with my friends! 🙂

Secretary: Valentina Perez

Hey everyone, I’m Valentina Perez, a sophomore LIH major with a Spanish concentration! I’m so excited to be going abroad to Spain next year to learn about their culture and health system! I enjoy baking, hiking, and playing with my dog!

Social Media Coordinator: Bella Hooker

Hi everyone! I’m Bella Hooker, a Freshman LIH major with a concentration in Spanish! I’m so excited to be serving as the Social Media Coordinator for the LIH Society this year! I am not sure where I am studying abroad yet, but I hope to go to Spain. I love hanging out with friends, going to the lake, and staying active!

Events Coordinator: Henry Soffronoff

Hey guys! I’m Henry Soffronoff a Senior LIH Major with a concentration in Spanish. I studied abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain this past year and absolutely loved it. After graduation, I’ll be working as a Medical Assistant and then hopefully heading to PA school! In my free time, I love playing soccer, traveling, and hanging out with friends.

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Arelis Moore, PhD.

“Hello! I’m Arelis Moore, an associate professor of community health in the Department of Languages. Since 2017, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the LIH Faculty Advisor. It’s truly an honor to work with such a dedicated group of Language and International Health Students. Their commitment to service and leadership inspires me, and I have no doubt they will make a positive impact in the world as they move forward in their careers.”

The Department of Languages is proud to acknowledge two LIH graduates, Madeleine Wolfe and Rund Adelnabi, both recently featured in Clemson News.

Both Madeleine and Rund will be receiving degrees in Language and International Health with a Spanish concentration. Their unique passions and talents have led them both in different and equally impressive directions.

Madeleine plans to focus her future efforts on combatting the health disparities that arise in rural communities. She has already had a positive and tangible impact on the local community. During her time at Clemson, she earned her EMS certification and has been working as an EMT with the Clemson University Fire Department. Her unique background in cybersecurity as related to healthcare systems combined with her research with Clemson Rural Health no doubt will allow Madeleine to continue making her mark as she heads off to medical school.

Rund’s approach is more language-driven. Fluent in three languages, Rund seeks to help Arabic and Spanish speakers access and navigate the complexities of the public healthcare system. Her firsthand experience working in a public health center in Argentina while completing her study abroad program gave her valuable experience in forging meaningful patient relationships, and her goal of becoming a physician’s assistant will allow her to integrate her talents, skills, and passion to make a difference in the experiences and lives of patients in the future.

The Department of Languages heartily congratulates these talented and impressive graduates as they take the next steps in their healthcare journey!

Department of Languages senior Natalie Ann Claypool received the Norris Medal at the University’s Spring Awards Ceremony on May 9, 2022.

The Norris Medal, which is awarded to the best overall student as determined by the University Scholarships and Awards Committee, is considered the most prestigious award for graduating Clemson seniors. Recipients of the award have demonstrated outstanding and exceptional leadership, academic, and personal qualities as the top scholar in their graduating class.

Natalie is a Language and International Health major with a concentration in Spanish. Her studies have also included four Creative Inquiry projects across different disciplines, which have allowed her to pursue ambitious research projects in sexual health, child development, public health, and education inequality. Some of her work has been published in academic journals, including a piece co-authored with Associate Professor of Spanish and Community Health Arelis Moore de Peralta which explores the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on Latinx children.

Natalie’s studies and research projects have led to an interest in combatting education inequality in the local community. Natalie combined her passion for education and community service by co-founding the Youth Scholars Program at Pendleton Elementary School with interim associate dean of undergraduate and graduate studies Mathew LeMahieu, The Youth Scholars Program seeks to motivate and inspire young students about their educational futures. Natalie’s outstanding commitment to service and betterment of the community, in particular for vulnerable children, will continue after graduation. She will be completing a year-long fellowship at Casa de Esperanza in Houston, where she will work with abused, neglected and HIV-positive children.

Natalie plans to graduate in August after completing her final undergraduate semester studying abroad at Universidad Blas Pascal in Córdoba, Argentina.

The Department of Languages congratulates this exceptional and inspirational scholar as her journey continues.

For more information about Natalie and her incredible achievements, please see the Clemson News release.