The Bilingual Education Student Organization at Texas A&M University
Aggie B.E.S.O. was a proud co-sponsor of the Carlos Cantú Latinx Policy Lecture Series
What is B.E.S.O.?
A professional association for supporters of diversity and Bilingual Education.
What is our mission?
To advocate for language minority students to maintain their native language and master English while succeeding academically.
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We do this by:
· Promoting awareness (both on campus and in our community) of our organization, program, T.A.M.U. and most importantly, Bilingual Education and its benefits.
· Following important legislation affecting Bilingual Education, ensuring that members are kept up-to-date and take action to share/maintain a grass-roots advocating efforts when necessary.
· Offering volunteer and community service opportunities for the benefit of our community with a focus on Hispanic families.
· Practicing the Spanish language among members.
· Promoting social ties and networking among members.
What is B.E.S.O.'s vision?
Our vision is for B.E.S.O. to be a tight-knit community of passionate, enthusiastic and committed future bilingual leaders that will grow professionally together, serve together, collaborate in projects together, and share in meaningful experiences together. This will expose us to a variety of individuals who share in our love for teaching, creating for a lasting support system that extends beyond our time at university and that we can take with us for the remainder of our careers.
What do B.E.S.O. members do?
B.E.S.O. members partake in the following four (4) main areas: Professional Development, Committee Involvement, Social Events and Service to the surrounding community. We take pride in our Hispanic culture, so we also participate in cultural events on campus, including Bienvenidos a Aggieland, Hispanic Heritage Month, Dia de los Muertos, and Fusion Fiesta.
We consider ourselves a small family, so we enjoy mixing in a little fun into our semester! Events we've had in the past include:
-Dia de los Muertos Social
-Winter Potluck
-Amigosgiving
-Galentine's Day
-First Annual Yard Sale
B.E.S.O. took its first Explorations Trip to Austin, Texas this semester and we had a blast!
How often are meetings held?
Meetings are held every other week on Thursdays at 6:00 P.M. in EDCT 725.
Are there point requirements?
Yes. We take pride in being involved, so our members are required to obtain the following points in order to be granted "active member" status. As an active member, you are eligible to receive a B.E.S.O. graduation sash.
These points are:
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Professional Development - need 4 points
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Each professional development meeting is worth 1 point
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Networking/Social - need 3 points
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Each social meeting is worth 1 point
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Service Involvement - 5 points
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Each hour of service is worth a point
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Fundraisers - 2 points
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Each fundraiser is worth 1 point
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Cultural Events - 2 points​
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Each event is worth 1 point​
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Miscellaneous Events - can be any combination of the above to cover the remaining 4 points
Total Points Required: 20 points
In addition to these points counting towards "active member" status for a graduation sash, points also earn you goodies! Every month, the member with the highest number of points is the "B.E.S.ito del Mes" and gets a prize!
How much are dues?
$35 for the year or $20 for the semester
Do members have to speak Spanish?
No, speaking Spanish is not a requirement, though most of our members do since they are Interdisciplinary Studies - Bilingual Education majors.Being as Spanish is in such high need right now, we do think that it is an important skill to have, so we will be working towards improvement.
Do members have to be Bilingual Education majors?
While the majority of our members are, being a Bilingual Education Major is not a requirement and anyone who is hoping to gain professional development and improve their Spanish language skills by having peers who they can practice with is welcome to join us! We host events that anyone could enjoy, such as our culturally engaging socials, but do keep in mind that a requirement of membership is participation in our professional developments and committee meetings, which a non-bilingual education major may not find is what they are looking for. We encourage you to look into the Spanish Conversations Club if Spanish practice is more what you want to focus on. Nonetheless, we welcome anyone who wants to be a B.E.S.ito with open arms!