Belen Servin

Dr. Belen Servin was the founder of the English and Second Language (ESL) program at South Mountain Community College.

Belen Servin started working at South Mountain Community College in 1982, making her one of the original faculty members at the school in South Phoenix. Before she joined the faculty at SMCC, Servin taught younger kids in the Littleton Elementary School District. Though she loved the job, she was interested in moving into higher education so she could work with older students.

Servin felt like she “fell in love instantly” when she started teaching at South Mountain. Her career was fulfilling and rewarding, and she felt she was impacting the lives of students. She often harkened back to the Mark Twain quote, “”If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.”

In her work as ESL director, Servin took on the responsibility of teaching many Spanish speakers and students from other language backgrounds to command the English language so they could excel in their classes and careers.

At the time, second language and immersion programs were gaining popularity throughout the United States, and Servin and her colleagues were often asked to consult or provide training for other teachers. They believed their work was creating better lives for the students and community of South Phoenix.

[Insert Clip 23:16] Belen talks about how the main administration was always very supportive of the goals that they were trying to achieve.

One of their first students was a woman named Cristina Godinez. The interview was conducted by Ivonne Godinez, Cristina’s daughter, nearly forty years later.

[Insert Clip: 5:02] Belen talks about keeping in touch with everyone over the years.

After building a successful program at South Mountain Community College, Belen Servin retired in [insert date]

Belen Servin and Lupe Villicana Index

Narrator	Belen Servin
Birthdate
Place of Origin
Place of Residence
Years Active in South Phoenix	1983-Present
Occupation	Faculty Emeritus, ESL
Recording Duration	1:13:53
Date	February 5, 2020
Location	Virtual
Interviewed By	Student Researcher: Ivonne Godinez Faculty Researcher: Dr. Summer Cherland
Story Written By	Student Researcher: Carter Krosky