Benefits
There are many advantages to being a B3 scholar. Learn about some of the many benefits below.
B3 Scholars are prepared to serve and contribute to the Rio Grande Valley and beyond :
- In the Rio Grande Valley approximately 91.9% of the population is Hispanic and approximately 77.2% speak Spanish. B3 scholars are prepared to serve and contribute to our local community in many important ways.
- At the same time, bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate students are prepared for various opportunities presented in our increasingly interconnected world, expanding their job opportunities and making them more competitive in the job market.
B3 Scholars have cognitive advantages :
- Understanding math concepts and solving word problems
- Using logic
- Focusing, remembering, and making decisions
- Thinking about language
- Learning other languages
- Problem-solving skills
- Thinking more creatively
- Being productive
- Multitasking
- Processing information
- Reading
- Abstract thought
- Blocking out irrelevant information
- Improves overall brain function and health
- Increases grey matter and density
- Improves working memory
- Strengthens connections between neurons
- Slows cognitive decline
- Shields individuals from the effects of dementia
B3 Scholars have social and emotional advantages :
- Enhanced cultural awareness
- Strong self-perception
- Sense of belonging
- Strong ties with their family, culture, and community
- Heightened empathy
- More open-minded outlook
- Better social skills
- More prosocial behaviors
- Better communication and conversational skills
- More socially maturity
- Heightened popularity
B3 Scholars have academic advantages :
- Better school performance
- Higher test scores
- Better attendance
- Fewer behavioral problems
- Higher parent engagement
- Better academic performance in reading, math, and science than peers in traditional classes
- Heightened cognitive advantages compared to bilinguals who don’t take bilingual courses
- Increased sense of belonging and parent involvement as they “ tend to feel that their home language is heard and valued.”
B3 Scholars have economic advantages and are more competitive in the job market :
- Increase your competitiveness
- Increase your salary
- Expand job opportunities
- Make your resume stand out
- Increase your job interviews
- Increase your job offers
- Result in a promotion
- The US Census Bureau projects that by 2060, 30% of the U.S. census will be comprised of Hispanic individuals, 82% of whom speak fluently both English and Spanish.
- Demand for bilingual employees more than doubled between 2010 and 2015, and this trend is expected to continue.
- Since 2020, there has been a 30% increase in bilingual remote jobs.
- 9 out of 10 employers rely on employees who can speak languages other than English
- 56% employers report that their demand for bi/multilingual speakers will increase in the next 5 years
- 1 in 3 employers report a language skills gap
- 1 in 4 employers has lost business due to a lack of foreign language skills
- 85% of employers report that Spanish is the most in-demand language for their business
- 42% of employers report a shortage of employees who speak Spanish.
- Currently, there are 630,000 job postings aimed at bilingual workers.
- Bilingual employees earn 5-20% higher salaries.
- College graduates who speak two languages already make an average of 2% more than those who do not.
- Over time, the extra earnings could mean an additional $67,000 in your retirement account.
- Bilinguals in the US earn on average $7000 more per year or 5-20% more per hour because they can speak another language.
- Knowing a second language may allot to an additional $128,000 over a 40-year career.
