Lupe Villicana

Lupe Villicana began her career at South Mountain Community College (SMCC)  as an Adjunct Faculty member in the fall of 1981. The following school year she became a Residential Faculty member and joined Belen Servin as co-coordinator of SMCC’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Lupe focused on the reading aspect of ESL, using a strict learning style but also demanding high standards from her students. 

Future Audio File [Wanted to Teach 16:30]

In the late 1970’s Lupe Villicana began teaching fourth and fifth grade students but struggled to feel fully satisfied when it came to the demands of teaching. In 1981, Villicana heard about a new college being built in South Phoenix, and that they were hiring faculty! She immediately applied to teach in the yet-established English as Second Language Program as an adjunct. When she was hired, Villicana was elated. Instantly, she knew this is what she had been looking for, the opportunity to teach adults. She ended up working at SMCC for nearly forty years, and felt like every day she said to herself, “This is where I want to be.” \

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Villicana felt inspired by the the adults she taught who valued and respected education and were eager to learn. She discovered how much enthusiasm the students showed toward learning. Lupe expresses one reason she found such joy teaching the ESL students by saying, “…ESL students are eager students who respect and value education.” Villicana knew that the ESL students had made great sacrifices in their lives, with many coming from other countries, leaving behind family and work. They attended South Mountain not only to better themselves but also to provide more opportunities for their families. The chance to help students meet their goals was extremely gratifying. She said that although she expected the best from her students and was a tough teacher, her students knew she would do anything possible to assist them and help them pass the class.

Future Audio File [Pre ESL classes 19:24]

At the time, South Mountain Community College offered a Pre-ESL class. This provided an opportunity for Spanish speakers in need of basic literacy skills to be taught in their native language. After completion, the Pre-ESL students would be filtered into the basic ESL classes. The ESL grew rapidly, eventually enrolling upwards of 500 students. So many students were involved that SMCC began offering four levels in the ESL program, which included day and evening classes. Realizing some students had difficulty attending regularly scheduled classes, the ESL program adapted by offering once a week classes on Friday or Saturday evenings. This showed that Lupe and the other professors would, in any way possible, help the ESL students pass their classes. According to Professor Servin, Lupe was “loving, but stern” towards her students. With a well-known open-door policy, Lupe’s students knew that she was willing to offer extra help.

Future Audio File [Administration supported the program 22:30]

TAKE THE PROGRAM ON THE ROAD

The college’s administration was very supportive of the ESL program and encouraged the staff to make the program the best it could be, often commenting that Lupe should “take the program on the road” to show it off. Trips were taken to other cities with high achieving ESL programs, not only in the United States, but also out of the country. This enabled the SMCC ESL staff to learn and bring home techniques the other programs used for their success. Visiting other ESL programs was obviously beneficial to help grow the program. But South Mountain Community College’s ESL developed its own techniques to expand the students’ skills. The higher-level ESL students, those who demonstrated enough fluency and literacy in English, were offered computer classes in the regular school curriculum. Music classes were also presented as a way to further enhance the students’ fluency. The innovative thinking SMCC’s ESL program developed throughout the years enhanced the students’ learning.

Future Audio File [Change is good 47:08]

In the many years Lupe Villicana taught at South Mountain Community College, she witnessed the maturation of South Phoenix, just as she watched the growth of the school’s ESL program. Lupe viewed the expansion of South Phoenix as a good thing. The college is no longer bordered by a narrow Baseline Road and the surrounding citrus orchards have been replaced by homes. But in Lupe’s eyes this was definitely a positive change. It is difficult to estimate how many students Lupe guided through SMCC’s ESL program. But there are many success stories in the school’s history that have Lupe’s fingerprints all over them.

Lupe Villicana and Belen Servin Index

Role / Occupation:	Residential Faculty Member and Co-coordinator of South Mountain Community College’s English as a Second Language program
Date Interview Conducted:	February 5, 2020
Location Interview Conducted:	Via phone
Interviewed By:	Yvonne [Last Name?] and Dr. Summer Cherland

Belen Servin and Lupe Villicana Index

Narrator	Lupe Villicana
Birthdate
Place of Origin
Place of Residence
Years Active in South Phoenix	1983-2019
Occupation	Residential Faculty Member and Co-coordinator of South Mountain Community College’s English as a Second Language program (Retired)
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: Thomas Rodriguez