Engagement in Action: DLIELC hosts Fiesta showcase

  • Published
  • By Agnes Koterba Strategic Communications Specialist
  • 637th Training Group
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  

The Defense Language Institute English Language Center recently connected international students to the local San Antonio community through multiple Fiesta celebration events.

The Fiesta events highlighted the spirit of the historic festival, bringing together tradition, education, and community while reinforcing the long-standing connection between the military and the city of San Antonio. Fiesta goes beyond just a celebration; it serves as a citywide effort to raise funds for charities that support the community year-round.

“Learning is most effective when it’s lived, not just taught,” said Col. Dustin Hart, DLIELC commandant. “As an organization charged with building military partnerships in an academic environment, it’s vital to create opportunities like this where we’re not only developing our students, but also connecting them with key elements of the local community. That’s how we grow, and that’s how the DLIELC mission remains strong and unique.”

To demonstrate the sights and sounds of Fiesta, DLIELC partnered with the community to host a Fiesta Showcase April 15. The event included traditional Hispanic music, dancing and a historical presentation on the local festival.

Fiesta had simple beginnings with one parade, the Battle of Flowers, honoring those who fought at the Alamo and during the Battle of San Jacinto. Over time, it has grown into a notable tradition encompassing more than 100 events, each contributing to causes such as higher education scholarships, military programs, and youth initiatives.

The Conservation Society of San Antonio is just one example of an organization that hosts its own event, A Night in Old San Antonio, transforming a small area downtown called La Villita into 14 themed areas across the historic grounds. During the Fiesta Showcase, DLIELC students and staff gained a deeper understanding of the organization’s role in preserving San Antonio’s history and supporting the community.

“NIOSA is a four-night festival in the heart of downtown San Antonio that celebrates the city’s diverse cultural legacy and welcomes more than 85,000 attendees annually,” said Lewis Vetter, President of the Conservation Society of San Antonio. “NIOSA is the top fundraiser for historic preservation in the nation and lives up to its motto as a ‘Celebration for Preservation.’”

Events like these demonstrate how celebration and service intersect, directly benefiting the community. DLIELC students and staff experienced first-hand the intersection of celebration and service, engaging in an educational opportunity that brought classroom concepts into a real-world setting.

“I was excited for our international military students to experience Fiesta firsthand and not just see it in a video, but truly be part of it. Watching them engage with and see the emphasis on education and helping others is incredibly meaningful,” said Emily Purificato, DLIELC Advanced English Instructor. “This shows how much our community values education and how powerful learning becomes beyond the classroom. From the Danzantes de San Antonio organization demonstrating heritage through dance to the Conservation Society preserving and sharing history, it was inspiring to see organizations come together with a shared purpose. Being here allows our students to engage, participate, and understand what it means to be part of something that gives back.”

The event fostered dynamic learning and created opportunities for growth, while strengthening connections between students and local neighbors and partners.

DLIELC students continued their community engagement experiences by marching in the Fiesta Flambeau Parade on April 25. Over 80 international students proudly represented their nations’ flags at the parade alongside DLIELC leadership and staff. “By sharing these experiences, San Antonians and visitors become more connected with their neighbors and embrace what the city is about,” Vetter remarked. “As the president of the Conservation Society of San Antonio, I like to say, VIVA FIESTA!! VIVA NIOSA.”

Through DLIELC’s Field Studies Program, International Military Students experience history and American life directly. As one of 11 Field Studies objectives, students continue to learn about the historical and local impacts of Fiesta from its early beginnings in 1891 to present day.

DLIELC, the 637th Training Group aligned under the 37th Training Wing, builds security cooperation capability through English language training and cultural immersion. DLIELC serves more than 100 countries and provides support to more than 30 non-resident locations worldwide.

 

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