Will Heikkinen -Three Reasons to Learn Spanish

Will Heikkinen is fluent in Spanish and is close to mastering Italian. He has lived in Madrid, Spain, and has taught non-native speakers English in both Madrid and the area near where he lives in Kennebunk, Maine. He is attending the College of Will and Mary and plans on majoring in Hispanic Studies with a minor in Government when he decides on a major. Here are three reasons why it’s a good idea to learn Spanish like Heikkinen:

• Spanish is no longer foreign. Will Heikkinen grew up in New England, not an area known for its high Hispanic populations, but even there, Latin and Hispanic communities are growing. About 16% of the US population spoke Spanish in 2010. By 2050, the percentage is expected to rise to 30. Some analysts predict that by 2060, there will be 128.8 million Spanish-speaking people in the US, likely making it the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.
• You’ll get a better career. Learning Spanish can help you expand your career. As more corporations around the world are trying to expand into the Latin American market, they’ll need more people who can speak the language. Foreign investment in Latin America was a record $174 billion in 2012, and that figure is only expected to rise.
• You can travel to more places. The next time you go to Cancun, you’ll be able to leave some of the touristy places behind and get a better feel for the country and the surrounding area. There are 329 million native Spanish speakers in the world, and as Will Heikkinen found out, you’ll be able to connect with these people abroad if you speak their language.

Will Heikkinen is from Portland, Maine.
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Will Heikkinen - Skills for Organizing Events

Will Heikkinen worked for two summers near his home in Andover, Massachusetts organizing several 7v7 football tournaments in the area. He worked with Scouts, Inc., the national sports prospect evaluation and recruiting company used by ESPN and many major college sports programs. The tournaments were just for fun, but they showcased much of the local high school football talent in the area. Heikkinen himself was a two-time all-state wide receiver for Andover High School during his time there. Heikkinen worked hard to organize these tournaments. Even though they were small and featured only seven-on-seven action, they still required many hours of work and organization to put on.

Will Heikkinen was active in school events and clubs in high school, but he had never taken a leadership role in the organization of events quite like the tournaments he helped put on for Scouts, Inc. One of the first skills he had to develop was communication with people who are more experienced and qualified than he was. He had to work with park and city officials to find places to play for these events and schedule the right events at the right places. Part of working with people with more experience is all about confidence, and Will Heikkinen, with his goals clear and attainable in his mind, exuded the kind of confidence that one needs to make these tournaments happen. He also had to work with school administrators and team officials from all over the state to get enough players and teams.

Will Heikkinen is currently attending the College of Will and Mary.
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