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From Bilingual Engagement

to Real-World Impact

A Replicable Collaborative Model for Public Health and Education

Zenén Salazar, MPH

Director, Health Care Partnership

Alma Tejeda Padron, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Practice & International Dual-Degree Coordinator

Department of Psychology, College of Science | University of Arizona | 3rd Annual Bilingual Initiatives Symposium, 03.20.2026 | Work-in-Progress

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Psychology Department

  • Diverse student population: Hispanic and non-Hispanic heritage (>30% Hispanic heritage), including international students
  • Range of Spanish proficiency: from emerging bilinguals to native speakers
  • Limited structured opportunities: developing bilingual skills in professional, real-world settings
  • Spanish-English bilingualism: a cultural asset and a professional workforce skill

"These are the students we had in mind when designing this model, and the communities they will go on to serve."

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HealthCare Partnership (HCP)

  • Bridges research, training, and community health practice
  • Develops culturally and linguistically responsive materials for health professionals
  • Focus areas:
    • Commercial tobacco
    • Smokeless tobacco
    • Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
    • Nicotine pouches

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The Collaborative Model

Co-design: Not working in parallel; ongoing collaboration between teaching faculty and the HealthCare Partnership — bridging academic and community-facing functions

Structure: Independent research · Directed research · Internships

Output: Active since Spring 2024, student work feeds directly into real training materials

Support: Seed grant funding · UA Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) designation, Fall 2025

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Why This Matters

  • Growing need for a bilingual public health workforce
  • Limited culturally and linguistically responsive training materials
  • Few experiential learning opportunities for bilingual psychology students
  • For Hispanic heritage students: language and culture recognized as professional assets
  • Beyond skill-building: affirmation, confidence, and a sense of belonging in academic and professional spaces

"This work prepares all students for diverse communities — and for Hispanic heritage students, it also affirms that their language and culture are professional strengths."

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Student Impact: Skills + Identity + Career Readiness

  • Strengthened professional communication skills in Spanish — for all proficiency levels
  • Applied research experience in a real-world setting
  • Increased confidence navigating bilingual professional contexts
  • Preparation for careers serving linguistically diverse communities
  • Affirming for Hispanic heritage learners — meaningful for all students

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Program & Community Impact

  • High-quality Spanish-language training materials developed
  • Implemented in healthcare professional trainings in California
    • Ventura County Public Health Office

Tobacco Education & Prevention Program

  • Expansion under consideration in:
    • Arizona
    • Florida
    • Minnesota

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Why This Model Is Replicable & Transferable

There is Need & Opportunity Across Systems

  • Psychology: demand for meaningful experiential learning
  • Students: opportunity to develop bilingual professional skills in a structured, real-world setting — with their identity honored in the process
  • HealthCare Partnership: need for evidence-based bilingual materials
  • Community: need for culturally responsive tobacco prevention aligned with Healthy People 2030

What Makes This Model Replicable

  • Clear student roles tied to real-world outputs
  • Integrates into existing academic structures and aligns with institutional and community priorities

Built on Reciprocity

  • Psychology ← → Students ← → Health Care Partnership ← → Community
  • Every partner contributes, every partner benefits, and ultimately, the community is served

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Lessons Learned & Where to Start

  • Start where you are, but start right: defined roles and expectations matter more than scale
  • Meet students where they are: bilingual proficiency varies widely
  • Invest in coordination : it strengthens the model and pays off
  • Plan for timeline differences: academic and real-world calendars rarely align
  • Align student work: connect it directly to real community needs
  • Build partnerships around shared priorities: alignment makes them sustainable

"We hope this sparks a conversation — and we'd love to hear what you're building."

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Thank You!

Zenén Salazar, MPH

Director, Health Care Partnership

zenen@arizona.edu

healthcarepartnership.arizona.edu

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Alma Tejeda Padron, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Practice & International Dual-Degree Coordinator

almatejedapadron@arizona.edu

Department of Psychology, College of Science | University of Arizona