Professional and social impacts of Viterbo University’s undergraduate community interpreting certificate program: Perceptions of recent graduates and community partners

Although community interpreting has professionalized significantly in the US in recent decades, the depth and effectiveness of training and education in the field has been varied and difficult to measure. This study examines the Community Interpreting Certificate at Viterbo University and its influence on graduates and community stakeholders. Surveys of both alumni of the program and community partners are analyzed via mixed-methods to better understand the impact of this program on regional, national, and immigrant populations. Results reveal that a curriculum that incorporates High-Impact Practices (HIP) and formative assessment has the potential to empower communities to center the voices of the underrepresented in public and private spheres. Thus, trained interpreters are positioned as powerful community agents, instruments of cultural change, and direct contributors to language justice.