Historically, Spanish heritage language (SHL) scholarship has had connections to communities with established Spanish-speaking populations (Rivera-Mills, 2012). Regional SHL course offerings expanded in tandem with increases in Spanish-speaking populations, and little is known about students' experiences in these new and emerging SHL programs. This study investigated the experiences of college students enrolled in SHL courses in the Midwest. Findings suggested a disconnect between the self-reported, sociolinguistic needs of students and the curriculum presented in their SHL classes. For example, some participants believed a link to future careers was missing from the SHL curriculum. Pedagogical implications and future research are discussed.