Vanessa Schuster’s fascination for language and its unique ability to bring different peoples together across space and time is the impetus for her passion as an educator. Through the teaching of Spanish and German, she offers students an inspired form of learning that cultivates a deep appreciation for Geography, History, culture, and multicultural experiences.

Born in Venezuela, Vanessa moved away at 17 years old to seek a better quality of life. Her journey began in Germany, where she pursued her collegiate studies and fell in love with languages. She studied Deutsch and explored the country alongside a large, international group of peers. Vanessa learned about many other cultures, languages, and life stories, as she grew to understand German and could communicate more effectively with her classmates. She learned many first-hand accounts about Persian Culture, how Islam was enforced in the country, stories from Syrian refugees, and so much more.

This experience catalyzed Vanessa’s enchantment with language and its potential to nurture empathy and meaningful connections between disparate personalities. Full of inspiration, Vanessa decided to pivot towards becoming a language mentor. She then moved to Spain and traveled around Europe, where she taught German, Spanish, and English for five years to people of all ages and from all over the world. 

As our Spanish Specialty Mentor, Vanessa aims to engage learners with the language through a hands-on approach, compassionate inquiry, and exploring the importance of ‘How’ and ‘Why.’ Learning other languages is essential. She aspires to help students perceive that there is so much more to reality than we can see and sense and that people worldwide have many stories, experiences, and voices to learn from.