Viana Rodrigues is an Academic Year 2023-2024 undergraduate FLAS fellow studying Portuguese. Viana is pursuing a major in Public Health, a minor in Portuguese, and is currently on the Pre-Dental track.

"I am studying Portuguese to better my fluency. I am half Portuguese myself and have a lot of family there and would like to be able to speak/understand them with ease. To able to connect with my family and culture is very important to me. Being fluent in Portuguese would also help me confidently say I am trilingual, as I speak Spanish and English as well.

I am currently preparing to apply to Dental schools in the very near future and hope to become a dentist with my own practice. Knowing languages as a dentist, or as any healthcare professional, serves as a vital tool as it allows one to engage fully with a variety of patients, provide quality care, and maximize on professional opportunities."