Audrey Weber ’24 earns Fulbright to teach English in Ecuador</h1> <article> <h1>Audrey Weber ’24 earns Fulbright to teach English in Ecuador</h1> <p>dfrezza — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:36:08 +0000</p> <span>Audrey Weber ’24 earns Fulbright to teach English in Ecuador</span> <span><span>dfrezza</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-10-01T10:36:08-04:00" title="Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - 10:36">Wed, 10/01/2025 - 10:36</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>What have you been up to since graduating from �鶹��Ƶ?</strong></p><p>After graduation, I returned home to the Cayman Islands, where I’ve been working at a newly opened primary school as a learning assistant. I work primarily with nine to 11-year-olds, supporting them through reading and math interventions and introducing them to Spanish. The role felt like a natural extension of my experiences at �鶹��Ƶ, including my time as an ExCo instructor and teaching assistant in the �鶹��Ƶ department. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to help young learners grow in confidence and curiosity, but I’m also looking forward to stepping into my next adventure.</p><p><strong>How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your post-college life and career goals? </strong></p><p><a href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/">Fulbright</a> bridges my academic interests and my long-term goals. I’m deeply committed to cross-cultural communication, which has been at the heart of my work in both education and advocacy. My experience with Catholic Charities solidified my desire to pursue a career in human rights law, with a focus on nonprofit work alongside Latin American communities. The Fulbright fellowship will allow me to immerse myself in Ecuadorian culture, strengthen my language skills, and continue learning in dialogue with others. As an anthropologist, I believe that living and working in the community is one of the most meaningful ways to understand–and more justly represent–the people I hope to one day serve.</p><p><strong>Where specifically will you be/what will you be doing—and what are you looking forward to the most?</strong></p><p>I’ll be working as an English teaching assistant at a university in Ecuador. Outside of my teaching hours, I’m excited to engage in community life and continue exploring themes from my undergraduate thesis, which focused on Andean ontologies and indigenous resistance to extractive industries such as mining. Ecuador offers a vital context to further understand these dynamics, and I look forward to learning from the perspectives and lived experiences of those most directly affected.</p><p>I am most excited about forming relationships with my students and creating an environment for open discussion. Since I’ll be working with university students, I look forward to returning to the dynamic environment of a college campus and learning from their perspectives on language, identity, and contemporary Ecuadorian life. I am equally excited to volunteer with local organizations, explore Ecuadorian food, and see what sorts of sports I can get involved with! </p><p><strong>How did �鶹��Ƶ shape or influence you to pursue the Fulbright?</strong></p><p>�鶹��Ƶ encouraged me from day one to think deeply about the world and my place in it. Courses like Introduction to Cultural Anthropology with <a href="/baron-pineda">Professor Baron Pineda</a> and Society and Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean with Professor Karl Offen challenged me to approach questions of culture, politics, and power with a multidisciplinary approach, listening to the perspectives of those affected. </p><p>The summer before my third year, I interned in Cusco, Perú at a non-profit organization that works with indigenous people in the Andes. This experience undoubtedly influenced the trajectory of my �鶹��Ƶ career by inspiring numerous papers, and eventually my application to Fulbright. I’m especially grateful to my �鶹��Ƶ professors, <a href="/ana-maria-diaz-burgos">Ana María Díaz Burgos</a>, <a href="/sergio-gutierrez-negron">Sergio Gutiérrez Negrón</a>, <a href="/patty-tovar">Patty Tovar</a>, and <a href="/sebastiaan-faber">Sebastiaan Faber</a>, who supported me as I navigated interning in my second language and continually encouraged me to apply for this fellowship.</p><p> </p><hr><p><a href="/fellowships"><em>Connect with Fellowships & Awards</em></a><em> to learn more about the fellowships and awards opportunities available to students.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The young alum, from George Town, Grand Cayman, will serve as a teaching assistant in university-level English classes.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-10-01T12:00:00Z">Wed, 10/01/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Audrey Weber ’24 triple majored in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/anthropology">anthropology</a>, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies">�鶹��Ƶ</a>, and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/latin-american-studies">Latin American Studies</a> at �鶹��Ƶ. During that time, she volunteered as an <a href="/bcsl/programs/america-reads">America Reads</a> tutor and interned with <a href="https://www.ccdocle.org/">Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland</a> in the immigration legal services division. “There I had the privilege of listening to the stories of Latin American immigrants—people navigating displacement, legal uncertainty, and the legacies of political and economic upheaval,” she says. “My coursework helped me understand the broader structural forces behind those stories, while also reinforcing the importance of approaching such narratives with humility and care.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4080">Fellowships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After �鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=24656">Anthropology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25276">Latin American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Daria Keenan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Telling Complicated Stories</h1> <p>awillia2 — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 04:32:47 +0000</p> <span>Telling Complicated Stories</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-03-08T23:32:47-05:00" title="Saturday, March 8, 2025 - 23:32">Sat, 03/08/2025 - 23:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Sebastiaan Faber asked Spaniards how they deal with their country’s dictatorial past—and their answers explain the politically polarizing present.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-03-21T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/21/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Aimee Levitt</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>It’s been nearly a half-century since the Spanish Nationalist general-turned-fascist dictator Francisco Franco Bahamonde died after close to 40 years in power. That’s a long time for a country to exist under a dictatorship. But even now, Spaniards can’t agree on what it all meant or what lingering effects it may have on Spain today — if they bother to discuss it at all.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4292">�鶹��Ƶ Research Review</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25276">Latin American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/sebastiaan-faber" hreflang="und">Sebastiaan Faber</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/latin-american-studies" hreflang="und">Latin American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-cte-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes (Individual Images)</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Valerie Chiang</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40684" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--distinguished" data-text-size-giant data-add-quotes> <p>The real challenge has been the fact that what story to tell about the past has become such a political weapon.</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40360" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"><p></p><figcaption><em>Exhuming Franco: Spain’s Second Transition</em> by Sebastiaan Faber</figcaption></figure><p>“A lot of the political struggle between right and left is fought over how to tell the story of the national past,” says Professor of �鶹��Ƶ Sebastiaan Faber. In this respect, Spain isn’t much different from other countries that have been dealing with painful histories that linger in living memory: Germany and the Nazis, for instance, or the American South and Jim Crow.</p><p>Faber’s latest book, <em>Exhuming Franco: Spain’s Second Transition</em> (Vanderbilt University Press, 2021; second edition, 2023), was inspired by the 2019 decision by the Socialist-led Spanish government to move the generalissimo’s body from the Valley of the Fallen, a public memorial erected by Franco to the soldiers who died in the Spanish Civil War, to a private family plot. Proponents of the move argued that a democratic country should not continue to honor a fascist leader. Right-wing opponents claimed that moving Franco would be tantamount to erasing history. The fight went all the way to the Spanish Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the exhumation. </p><p>For Faber, the debate echoed not just the 2017 protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, after the removal of a monument to the Confederate general Robert E. Lee, but also the rise of the American far right led by Donald Trump. The far-right Vox party, which began its rise in Spain in 2018, even borrowed one of Trump’s most popular slogans, vowing to make Spain great again.</p><p>“Generally, people in Spain who identify as conservative have a much more cavalier view of the legacy of Francoism,” Faber says. “They're not always convinced that it was bad for Spain to begin with.” The left, of course, feels otherwise.</p><p>These debates were not new to Faber, who frequently writes for American and Spanish media, so when his editor at Vanderbilt University Press suggested that he compile a book of interviews with academics, activists, and journalists about the current state of Spain after Franco’s exhumation, he jumped at the chance. “Using interviews as the basis for the book made it more readable,” Faber says, “and underscored the unresolved nature of these questions.” </p><p>Faber spoke to 35 people for the book. What surprised him the most in the interviews was how strongly people on the left disagreed about how much Francoism has impacted present-day Spain. Some of the people he talked to see many of Spain’s current political problems — the corruption, the closed nature of the Spanish party system, the complicated relationship between Madrid and the 17 regional governments — as direct results of Francoism. Others believe those problems actually existed before Franco, as far back as the 19th century, and the dictatorship just exacerbated them. Still others believe the current state of corruption started after Franco, during the Transition period of the ’70s and ’80s from dictatorship to democracy.</p><p>“The real conundrum these days,” Faber says, “is how to explain the rise of the far right in Spain.” The Vox party isn’t Francoist, he argues, although it sometimes uses Francoist language and nostalgia for the dictatorship; notably, Vox, along with the Franco family, was one of the chief opponents of moving the generalissimo’s body. Instead, Faber says, it’s more like other far-right parties in Europe today, which aren’t totalitarian as much as geared toward protecting the interests of the rich.</p><p>Still, the rise of the right does remind people of Spain’s not-so-glorious past and makes them wonder about the best way to acknowledge and commemorate it. In that respect, Spain is a lot like France or Germany or Faber’s home country of the Netherlands. But because Spain’s history is so much different from the history of those countries — it didn’t participate in World War II, and Franco’s dictatorship lasted until 1975 — Spaniards tend to see the gap between themselves and other Western Europeans as larger than it actually is.</p><p>“I try to propose that Spain is not necessarily behind,” Faber says. “Spain has actually achieved much more than it thinks by grappling with these issues of what to do, how to think about the past, how to teach it, how to process it. The real challenge has been the fact that what story to tell about the past has become such a political weapon.” This new Transition, then, may be about what story Spain decides to tell.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40355" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em>Sebastiaan Faber’s research focuses on contemporary Spain and Latin America. He is the author of multiple books and is a frequent contributor to Spanish and U.S. media. Faber earned his doctorate in Spanish and Spanish American literature with a designated emphasis in critical theory at University of California, Davis.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div class="field field--name-field-bio-card-el-biography field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="biography-card"> <figure> </figure> <div class="biography-card__content"> <h2><span>Sebastiaan Faber</span> </h2> <ul class="item-list list--clean" style="margin-top: 0px;"> <li class="professional-title">Professor of �鶹��Ƶ</li> <li class="professional-title">Program Director, Latin American Studies</li> </ul> <a class="view-more" href="/sebastiaan-faber">View Sebastiaan Faber’s biography</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40382" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div style="padding:56.25% 0 0;position:relative;"></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script><hr><h2 class="small-headline" style="margin-top:1.25rem;">About the Illustration</h2><figure class="captioned-image obj-right" style="margin-bottom:1.75rem;" data-cte><p></p><figcaption><em>Click the image to expand</em></figcaption></figure><p class="subhead" style="color:var(--darkgray);margin-bottom:0;">Illustrator: Valerie Chiang</p><blockquote data-add-quotes data-no-attribution><p>The Franco dictatorship tore Spain apart during his decades-long reign, so I wanted to approach this illustration with the idea of fragmentation. I love using negative space in my work and don’t normally get the opportunity to play with that when doing commissions. For this piece, I relegated Franco to the very edge of the frame, reducing his prominence while using cut up historical photographs of the Spanish people to emphasize the devastating consequences of Franco’s rule.</p></blockquote><p class="icon-text"><span class="icon-text__icon fas fa-fw fa-link" style="color:black;" aria-label="Phone"></span><a href="https://rappart.com/artists/valerie-chiang/" target="_blank">Valerie Chiang’s portfolio</a></p><p class="icon-text"><span class="icon-text__icon fas fa-brands fa-instagram" aria-label="Instagram"></span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ninebagatelles" target="_blank">@ninebagatelles</a></p><hr class="hr--light" style="clear:both;margin:1.25rem 0;"><p><a class="view-more" href="/node/488025">Return to <em>�鶹��Ƶ Research Review</em></a></p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40356" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p class="header-tag no-show" id="header-tag">�鶹��Ƶ Research Review</p> <style> .no-show { display: none } </style> <script> (function() { var header = document.querySelector(".story-header"); var headerTag = document.getElementById("header-tag"); header.insertBefore(headerTag, header.firstElementChild); headerTag.classList.remove("no-show"); })(); </script>  <script> (function() { var credit = document.querySelector(".top-combo__figure .figure__credit"); credit.innerText = credit.textContent.replace("Photo credit","Image credit"); })(); </script>  <style> aside .list--clean li { margin-bottom: 0.25rem; } aside ul.list--clean { margin-top: .5rem; font-family: var(--font-sans-serif); font-size: 0.875rem; } aside .basic-box { margin: .5rem 0; max-width: 240px; } aside .basic-box .small-headline { font-size: 1rem; } </style>  <style> .biography-card blockquote { display: none } .body-centered-layout blockquote.blockquote--distinguished { margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: -1rem; } </style> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Phoebe Brown ’24 Earns Fulbright to Spain</h1> <p>mreed — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:22:40 +0000</p> <span>Phoebe Brown ’24 Earns Fulbright to Spain</span> <span><span>mreed</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-06-06T14:22:40-04:00" title="Thursday, June 6, 2024 - 14:22">Thu, 06/06/2024 - 14:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Phoebe Brown ’24 has earned a <a href="/node/467299">Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship</a> (ETA) to Spain for the 2024-2025 academic year, giving her the opportunity to teach English in an early education school in the Canary Islands. “I have never been to Spain – let alone the Canary Islands – so I am very excited to venture there and learn more about the diverse culture of the Canaries,” says the <a href="/node/79086">biology</a> major, who earned minors in <a href="/node/3206">Spanish</a> and <a href="/node/70706">dance</a> and had concentrations in <a href="/node/322311">global health</a> and <a href="/node/25226">education studies</a>. “I’m also looking forward to teaching and applying what I have learned at �鶹��Ƶ while exploring new teaching methods at the local primary schools.”</p> <p><strong>How did �鶹��Ƶ influence you to pursue the Fulbright? </strong></p> <p>I realized that the teaching and mentoring opportunities built into �鶹��Ƶ’s curriculum set up students well for grants such as Fulbright. Like many �鶹��Ƶ Fulbright grantees before me, my language teaching began through a program started by <a href="/node/5831">Kim Faber</a>: <a href="/node/166296">Spanish in the Elementary Schools</a> (SITES). As part of SITES, I took a Language Pedagogy course, which explores various pedagogical techniques and provides students with a groundwork of language through phonetics, culture, and bilingual education. I attribute much of my interest in language teaching and learning to that class and SITES, as they gave me plentiful opportunities to draft lesson plans, teach, reflect, and try again!</p> <p>I am also grateful to have taken many wonderful Spanish courses at �鶹��Ƶ. I took Elementary Spanish I, taught by Kim Faber on Zoom during my freshman year, mainly to fulfill my diversity credit. Despite the online class, this was the first time I realized that language learning could be fun; it spans more than grammar and conjugation charts! Whether I knew it then, I think that experience planted the seed for my interest in (language) pedagogy and encouraged me to continue taking Spanish language classes within the <a href="/node/3206">Hispanic studies department</a>. </p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Photo Credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</figcaption> </figure> <p>One of my other biggest mentors throughout my four years has been <a href="/node/6546">Holly Handman-Lopez</a>. Aside from my studies, I love to <a href="/node/70706">dance</a>! Holly is one of those professors who endlessly cheers you on and advocates for you from the start. She is someone who has contributed significantly to my growth as an artist, as she has overseen many of the dance-related projects I have been involved in. </p> <p>I recently took a Dance Pedagogy course with <a href="/node/6581">Alysia Ramos</a>, and I realized there is much overlap between teaching a language and dance. Both involve breaking down steps, memorizing patterns, and figuring out ways to communicate. I love watching Holly and Alysia apply this in their teaching; having such skilled mentors has been wonderful. Dance — and the support I’ve received from the �鶹��Ƶ dance environment — are things I hope to bring with me abroad! </p> <p><strong>How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your post-college life and career goals?</strong></p> <p>I plan to work in healthcare as a nurse or a physician assistant. I think the core of Fulbright is breaching cultural barriers, which is an essential part of working in health. A huge part of <a href="https://vimeo.com/878790928">being a healthcare worker</a> involves being a compassionate patient educator. Being a part of the Fulbright program will allow me to understand what being a compassionate educator means — and how that can be applied across many disciplines.</p> <p><strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received from your �鶹��Ƶ faculty mentor?</strong></p> <p>Take advantage of �鶹��Ƶ’s expanse of activities. Don’t be afraid to take the random courses that sound exciting, but don’t fit into your major. You never know what you might learn; don’t be afraid to be curious.</p> <p><strong>Activities Phoebe was involved in at �鶹��Ƶ:</strong> Co-founded and co-presided the Adopted Obies Club; <a href="/node/62401">Ballet �鶹��Ƶ</a> Teacher; <a href="/node/451852">Vibe Dance Company</a> Member; <a href="/node/10251">SITES </a>Instructor (2022-2023), <a href="/node/10701">OWLS </a>Clear Mentor (2023-2024).</p> <hr> <p><em>If you’re a rising or graduating senior interested in Fulbright, connect with <a href="/node/4526">Fellowships & Awards</a> to learn more about pursuing research or an arts project, obtaining a graduate degree, or teaching English in a foreign country of your choice following graduation.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The biology major will be teaching English in an early education school in the Canary Islands.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-07-11T12:00:00Z">Thu, 07/11/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3831">Fulbright</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/holly-handman-lopez" hreflang="und">Holly Handman-Lopez</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/kim-faber" hreflang="und">Kim Faber</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alysia-ramos" hreflang="und">Alysia Ramos</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance" hreflang="und">Dance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Sophia Gliatto ’24 Earns Fulbright to Mexico</h1> <p>mreed — Wed, 22 May 2024 18:05:26 +0000</p> <span>Sophia Gliatto ’24 Earns Fulbright to Mexico</span> <span><span>mreed</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-05-22T14:05:26-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 14:05">Wed, 05/22/2024 - 14:05</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Sophia Gliatto ’24 has earned a <a href="/node/467299">Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship</a> (ETA) in Mexico for the 2024-2025 academic year. A double major in <a href="/node/3206">Hispanic studies</a> and <a href="/node/3216">comparative American studies</a>, Sophia will teach English to students. “[This] will be a really huge challenge as I primarily have experience teaching Spanish. I’m looking forward to using language lessons to forge personal connections with my students.”</p> <p><strong>How did �鶹��Ƶ influence you to pursue the Fulbright?</strong><br> It was a culmination of many factors. I began taking classes in Spanish during my first year. I ended up not only loving the language learning process in college, but also the <a href="/node/3206">�鶹��Ƶ</a> department as a whole, as I had met so many awesome professors who wanted to support my growth. (Special shoutout to <a href="/node/68921">Patty Tovar</a> and <a href="/node/5826">Ana María Díaz Burgos</a>!) Spanish just happened to become really important to my academic trajectory and personal growth.</p> <p>While I have had extensive experience working with kids, I went abroad to Argentina during the spring semester of last year and took a philosophy seminar at the local university, where we facilitated philosophy lessons with students at a local elementary school. This seminar reconfigured how I thought about teaching, and motivated me to pursue it even further once I returned to �鶹��Ƶ.</p> <p>Over this past year, I have worked closely alongside <a href="/kim-faber">Kim Faber</a>. Her Language Pedagogy class continued to pique my interest in teaching, and additionally introduced me to language education, a field of study that I had not previously engaged in. Volunteering through the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/sites">Spanish in the Elementary Schools </a>(SITES) program, and working as her teaching assistant and writing tutor for her Spanish 101 and 102 students, gave me diverse opportunities to hone my language teaching capacities. I have come to deeply care about language education and accessibility of learning materials, which has motivated me to pursue a Fulbright ETA. I feel very fortunate to have had a really strong academic support network to get me here.</p> <p><strong>How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your post-college life and career goals? </strong>While I really value language pedagogy and seek to improve how I engage with language teaching, I still face a lot of unknowns about how an ETA Fulbright will contribute to my personal career trajectory. Even still, I think that pursuing a Fulbright will grant me important skills for facilitating relationships with local communities and develop my Spanish-speaking skills in ways that can be carried through in any facet of my life.</p> <p><strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received from your �鶹��Ƶ faculty mentor?</strong><br> Professor <a href="/patty-tovar">Patty Tovar</a> once told me to leave insecurity aside and just go for it. And that has motivated me to keep pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, not only academically speaking, but also in terms of my own interests and personal motivations. I have a lot of gratitude that she told me this very early in my college career, because I really wouldn’t be where I am if I didn't learn to cultivate confidence in myself during my first couple of years at �鶹��Ƶ.</p> <p><strong>Activities Sophia was involved in at �鶹��Ƶ:</strong> <a href="/node/74841">�鶹��Ƶ Resource Conservation Team</a>; Third World Cooperative; <a href="/node/166296">Spanish in the Elementary Schools</a> (SITES); <a href="/node/364231">Spanish Writing Tutor</a>.</p> <hr> <p>If you’re a rising or graduating senior interested in Fulbright, connect with <a href="/node/4526">Fellowships & Awards</a> to learn more about pursuing research or an arts project, obtaining a graduate degree, or teaching English in a foreign country of your choice following graduation.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Hispanic studies and comparative American studies major will be teaching English to students.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-05-22T12:00:00Z">Wed, 05/22/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4066">Spanish in the Elementary Schools</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25311">Comparative American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Aaliyah Bilal ’04 Named National Book Award Finalist</h1> <p>tapplega — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 20:47:17 +0000</p> <span>Aaliyah Bilal ’04 Named National Book Award Finalist</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-09T16:47:17-04:00" title="Monday, October 9, 2023 - 16:47">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 16:47</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Aaliyah Bilal ’04 has been named a 2023 National Book Awards finalist. Bilal, who earned a degree in <a href="/node/3431">African American Studies</a> and <a href="/node/3206">Spanish</a>, was nominated in the fiction category for the debut short story collection <em>Temple Folk</em> (Simon Schuster, July 2023). </p> <p>National Book Awards winners will be announced on November 15.</p> <p><em>Publishers Weekly</em> <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/92393-untold-stories-pw-talks-with-aaliyah-bilal.html">describes</a> <em>Temple Folk</em> as a book that “depicts African American Muslims exploring their faith and seeking liberation in the 1970s.” In an <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/07/05/1186099005/a-new-short-story-collection-showcases-the-diversity-of-the-black-muslim-experie">interview</a> with NPR’s All Things Considered, Bilal notes the community featured in the book “is a collection of African Americans who were once upon a time members of the Nation of Islam, though they have moved on to Sunni Orthodoxy. And the majority of the stories depict these individuals reflecting back on their times in the Nation of Islam, from the perch of, again, Sunni Orthodoxy.”</p> <p>Born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Bilal also earned a master’s degree at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. <a href="https://www.aaliyahbilal.com/">Her work</a> has appeared in <em>The Michigan Quarterly Review</em> and <em>The Rumpus</em>. She also has a forthcoming graphic memoir, <a href="https://www.cloudcountrythebook.com/"><em>Cloud Country: A Black Life in East Asia</em></a>.</p> <p>Read more about the 2023 National Book Award Finalists at the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/books/national-book-award-finalists-2023.html"><em>New York Times</em></a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Short-story collection “Temple Folk” shares reflections of former Nation of Islam members.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-09T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=181496">Journalism</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/journalism" hreflang="und">Journalism</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>South-of-the-Border Second Home</h1> <p>eburnett — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:37:28 +0000</p> <span>South-of-the-Border Second Home</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-06-16T11:37:28-04:00" title="Friday, June 16, 2023 - 11:37">Fri, 06/16/2023 - 11:37</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Anna Sheik makes no secret of her love of languages, teaching, and culture.</p> <p>Born in Philadelphia, she spent a transformative year in Cuernavaca, Mexico, prior to beginning studies at �鶹��Ƶ. The gap year presented immense challenges: After all, she had studied German—not Spanish—throughout middle school and high school. Yet Sheik immersed herself in the culture: enrolling in a local school, living with a host family, and forging enduring bonds. </p> <p>“When I first arrived in Mexico, I didn’t speak any Spanish,” she says. “But by the end of the year, I had gained a new language and formed lifelong friendships. I also developed a deep appreciation for Mexican culture and realized that I love traveling and exploring new places and communities. I’ve wanted to return to Mexico ever since.”</p> <p>In May, Sheik graduated from �鶹��Ƶ with majors in <a href="/node/70776">history</a> and <a href="/node/3406">Latin American studies</a> and a minor in <a href="/node/3206">Hispanic studies</a>. A former resident advisor in �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/node/4086">Spanish House</a> residence hall, she’s now set to return to the country that originally sparked her fascination for Latin American culture and teaching: This summer, she embarks on a year-long adventure as an English Teaching Assistant in Mexico, an opportunity made possible through the <a href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/fulbright-us-student-program">U.S. Fulbright Program</a>.</p> <p>Throughout her four years at �鶹��Ƶ, Sheik worked with <a href="/node/55496">America Reads</a>, serving as a literacy tutor at the local elementary school. The experience allowed her to witness the transformational power of education: From guiding young minds as a tutor to her tenure as a student-leader, she found that teaching became a rewarding facet of her college experience.</p> <p>It’s a feeling she also sensed during her gap year, when she volunteered to teach the string section of an elementary school orchestra. With her own limited Spanish proficiency at the time and her students knowing little English, she used a combination of languages, hand gestures, sounds—and above all, music—to fashion an effective means of teaching. The experience cemented her belief in the value of music as a language-teaching tool, a skill she looks forward to utilizing once again in the year ahead.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Anna Sheik returns to Mexico to follow her love of language, history, and teaching.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-06-16T12:00:00Z">Fri, 06/16/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3501">Teaching & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25276">Latin American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25226">Education Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=245971">International Affairs</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/yorki-encalada" hreflang="und">Yorki J. Encalada Egúsquiza</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/pablo-mitchell" hreflang="und">Pablo Mitchell</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/latin-american-studies" hreflang="und">Latin American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32092" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-large data-text-size-giant> <p>I’ve had so many incredible professors at �鶹��Ƶ, but I’m especially grateful to these two for believing in me from the beginning.”</p> <p style="text-align: right;"><em>—Anna Sheik, on professors Encalada and Mitchell</em></p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27736" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>Sheik returned to Mexico in 2022 for research made possible through an Artz Grant earned through �鶹��Ƶ’s History Department. “My honors project, on representations of La Malinche—the infamous Mexican translator for Cortés—in Mexico and the Borderlands from 1960-1980, led me deep into histories of Mexico and U.S.-Mexico relations that I hope to observe further in my year abroad,” she says. She credits a longtime �鶹��Ƶ mentor, Professor of History and Comparative American Studies <a href="/node/5906">Pablo Mitchell</a>, for guiding her development in research throughout her time at �鶹��Ƶ. “This past year, he advised my honors project, which I could not have completed without his wisdom and encouragement,” she says.</p> <p>Sheik also credits Hispanic studies professor <a href="/node/122501">Yorki Encalada Egúsquiza</a> for nurturing her interests in Spanish language and teaching. By her senior year, she served as his teaching assistant for two intermediate Spanish courses—an experience she calls “instrumental in my role as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant."</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Professor Pablo Mitchell (left) was instrumental in guiding Sheik's research on Mexican history and U.S.-Mexico relations. (photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97) </figcaption> </figure> <p>“I’ve had so many incredible professors at �鶹��Ƶ,” she says, “but I’m especially grateful to these two for believing in me from the beginning.”</p> <p>As she steps into the next chapter of her life as a Fulbrighter, Sheik is filled with anticipation to return to a part of the world she loves so deeply.</p> <p>“I’m hoping my upcoming year will shed some light onto what I want to pursue next, whether that is teaching and education, foreign relations or immigration work, or going back to school for history or Latin American studies.</p> <p>“I’m really excited to explore more of Mexico,” she says: “See old friends, make new ones, and to soak up more Mexican history wherever I go.”</p> <hr> <p><em>The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries by sponsoring students and scholars to study, teach English, and conduct research overseas. The U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program, Fulbright supports exchanges between the U.S. and more than 150 countries around the world. In February, �鶹��Ƶ was named a <a href="/news/oberlin-top-producer-fulbright-students-2022-23">top producer of Fulbright students</a> for the 14th consecutive year. It ranks third among U.S. colleges and universities on the all-time list, with more than 260 Fulbright recipients.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Teachable Moments</h1> <p>eburnett — Fri, 19 May 2023 16:31:55 +0000</p> <span>Teachable Moments</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-19T12:31:55-04:00" title="Friday, May 19, 2023 - 12:31">Fri, 05/19/2023 - 12:31</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Nicolas Zamora’s �鶹��Ƶ life became grounded in teaching and service. In four years as a Bonner Scholar with the <a href="/node/4416">Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Research</a>, he served as a literacy assistant, a tutoring leader for America Reads, and as a teacher of Spanish at the nearby Kendal retirement community.</p> <p>He even co-taught six semesters of an Experimental College (<a href="https://www.oberlin-exco.org/">ExCo</a>) course on astrology—beginning in his first year on campus.</p> <p>“Being a <a href="/node/55501">Bonner Scholar </a>helped me understand how to use my leadership skills and become aware of issues faced by my communities," says the fourth-year <a href="/node/3391">politics</a> major from Miami.</p> <p>Now Zamora is preparing for the next step in his journey: Over the next year, he will teach English language and lead a Model United Nations program at a high school in Madrid, Spain. It’s an opportunity made possible through a Fulbright Fellowship. </p> <p>“Being able to work in a school throughout my time in �鶹��Ƶ has given me the opportunity to help positively influence children’s minds and grow close with them,” he says. “There are children I have known for four years now and will have to say goodbye to, but I want to form that bond with the new students that I will be teaching.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Nicolas Zamora’s �鶹��Ƶ experience prepared him for the classrooms of Spain.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-22T12:00:00Z">Mon, 05/22/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25416">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/claire-solomon" hreflang="und">Claire Solomon ’98</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics" hreflang="und">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32088" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>Spain called me, and I picked up the phone.”</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27725" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>For Zamora, the process of applying for a Fulbright was instrumental in sorting out his aspirations.</p> <p>“I started to think about what I wanted to do after I graduate,” he says. “The main answer I had was that I wanted to live abroad and immerse myself in a new culture—experiencing intercultural exchange has become a main life goal of mine.” Zamora got his first taste of this goal when he studied away in Amsterdam during his junior year. A year later, he accepted his Fulbright award with an opportunity to once again venture across the pond and immerse himself in that European culture he fell in love with.</p> <p>As he puts it: “Spain called me, and I picked up the phone.”</p> <p>During his time at �鶹��Ƶ, Zamora became involved with the <a href="/node/320546">Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion</a>, serving as a trainer for the Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct (<a href="/node/127941">PRSM</a>) program and helping with mandatory Title IX training for students. He completed an internship in advocacy and public policy at the Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation in his hometown, where his work involved research and creation of resources to educate low-income citizens on how to advocate for themselves and their communities. This role deeply enriched his understanding of community needs and ignited a passion for using education as a tool for empowerment.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Among Zamora's numerous �鶹��Ƶ mentors was Susan Pavlus (left), director of education outreach at the Bonner Center. (photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones '97)</figcaption> </figure> <p>Zamora doesn't have a clear vision of his career plans post-Fulbright, and he’s comfortable with the uncertainty. “I want to see if I enjoy teaching high-schoolers or if I want to pursue further education,” he says, adding that he’s interested in graduate studies in political communication or public policy. “But I hope to continue living in Europe and making new connections wherever I end up.”</p> <p>He is effusive in his thanks to the faculty and staff who supported him through his �鶹��Ƶ journey, among them professor <a href="/node/5856">Claire Solomon</a> in <a href="/node/3206">Hispanic studies</a>—one of Zamora’s two minors, along with <a href="/node/3431">Africana studies</a>—and the staff of the Bonner Center, most notably Director of Education Outreach Programs <a href="/node/31811">Susan Pavlus</a>.</p> <p>“I also want to thank my mom and all my friends,” he adds. “It takes a community, and they are mine.”</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Ana María Díaz Burgos Earns Excellence in Teaching Award</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 18 May 2023 15:30:23 +0000</p> <span>Ana María Díaz Burgos Earns Excellence in Teaching Award</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-18T11:30:23-04:00" title="Thursday, May 18, 2023 - 11:30">Thu, 05/18/2023 - 11:30</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ has recognized six faculty members with <a href="/news/six-faculty-receive-2021-2022-excellence-teaching-honors">Excellence in Teaching Awards</a> for the 2021-22 academic year. The annual Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes faculty in the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in their teaching at the college and conservatory.</p> <p>Associate Professor of �鶹��Ƶ <a href="/ana-maria-diaz-burgos">Ana María Díaz Burgos</a> specializes in Spanish and Spanish American early modern literature and culture with an emphasis on gender studies and social history. Her research explores the impact of institutional practices and legal systems on the creation of female subjectivities in Hispanic territories. Her work has appeared in a variety of academic journals and edited volumes.</p> <p>Most recently she published the chapter “Marital Pains, Heterodox Cures: Alternative Economies of Sorcery and Witchcraft in the Inquisition of Cartagena de Indias” in <em>Women Facing the Inquisition</em> (2021) and co-edited the dossier “Yo llana estoy’: jerarquías, transgresiones y despliegues de género en América hispana colonial (1492-1898)” for Revista de Estudios de Género y Sexualidades (2022). Her book <em>Tráfico de saberes: Agencia femenina, hechicería e inquisición en Cartagena de Indias 1610-1614</em> (Iberoamericana-Vervuert 2020) studies the first inquisitorial prosecution of female sorcery in early seventeenth-century Cartagena de Indias. </p> <p>“Associate Professor Ana María Díaz Burgos brings her superb pedagogical skills to a wide range of language, literature, culture, film and history courses in �鶹��Ƶ, while making the most of our extraordinary Special Collections and Allen Memorial Art Museum resources,” says Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka. “Ana has a rare talent for highlighting the contemporary relevance and significance of centuries and cultures often far removed from our students’ present-day experiences.”</p> <p>Díaz Burgos teaches Spanish language classes and early modern literature and culture courses in the Department of <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies">�鶹��Ƶ</a>, some of which are cross-referenced with the Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies Program. Collaborating with the Special Collections and the Allen Memorial Art Museum has played an essential role in her courses to increase students' opportunities to engage with class material. For instance, students in her classes this spring have written bilingual labels and are planning public programming initiatives for the exhibition “What is in a Spell?: Love Magic, Healing and Punishment in the Early Modern Hispanic World,” which she and Hannah Kinney, Curator of Academic Programs, are curating.</p> <p>"I am truly honored to receive this award along with this amazing group of peers, Díaz Burgos says. “I am thankful to my students' curiosity and willingness to explore topics that at times seem completely foreign to them. I am inspired by the generosity and openness of my colleagues inside and outside my department and from the Special Collections and the Allen Memorial Art Museum, from whom I continuously learn how to create spaces for conversation and debate with and for students. This recognition is a motivation to continue building bridges that go beyond the classroom."</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Díaz Burgos teaches Spanish language classes and early modern literature and culture courses in the Department of �鶹��Ƶ.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-18T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/18/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2576">Excellence in Teaching Award</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3501">Teaching & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25361">Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/ana-maria-diaz-burgos" hreflang="und">Ana María Díaz Burgos</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jennifer Manna</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Students Find Creative Spanish Immersion in �鶹��Ƶ’s Casa Hispánica</h1> <p>anagy — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 20:12:16 +0000</p> <span>Students Find Creative Spanish Immersion in �鶹��Ƶ’s Casa Hispánica</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-11-22T15:12:16-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 22, 2022 - 15:12">Tue, 11/22/2022 - 15:12</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ College, a campus filled with international and domestic students speaking an array of languages and practicing a spectrum of cultures, has affinity houses for different communities. One such place is the Harvey House, or <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies/la-casa-hispanica">La Casa Hispánica</a>, which regularly organizes social and cultural events, workshops, and talks. Filled with students who are native-Spanish speakers of Hispanic heritage and non-Hispanic students wanting to immerse themselves in a Spanish-speaking environment, one of the house’s most notable components is its language table—El Rincón.<br> <br> Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during lunch time, native Spanish speakers, students from Spanish 101 classes, and everyone in between gather in a conference room in Stevenson Dining Hall to take advantage of their peers’ willingness to help learn the language. Wayleen Arrieta Ariza, the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies">�鶹��Ƶ</a> program assistant, says,“I like that you can practice your Spanish or the fact that you can take a topic from class and you can apply it to the table.”</p> <p>While the Spanish table is one of the more visible learning opportunities offered by the house’s community, Harvey House does a lot more. Events have included trivia and movie nights, celebrations of different holidays, and an annual Latino Festival. The most recent Latino Festival was hosted at a local retail store, Ben Franklin, in early October. Students and faculty showed up to taste home-cooked cuisine, hear Portuguese and Spanish music, and enjoy the opportunity to speak Spanish to peers and professors.</p> <p>The cultural immersion at �鶹��Ƶ College doesn’t stop there. For Día de los Muertos, Harvey House organized an event where they put up traditional <em>ofrendas</em> (altars) and invited the community to share in the tradition of the holiday with hot chocolate and <em>pan de muerto</em>, a type of sweet bread prepared for Day of the Dead.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>A Day of the Dead ofrenda (altar) in La Casa Hispánica. Photo credit: Madelenne Arredondo '26</figcaption> </figure> <p>Hispanic House also offers a variety of ways for students to engage with the Hispanic community. There are 30 students residing in the house, and according to Ariza, students are required to organize one event during the year. Her favorite house event is <em>almuerzo yuno</em> (brunch) organized by the resident assistant, program assistant, and the director of Harvey House, Yorki Encalada. All events are open to the public, except this brunch, which Ariza says is a great way to bond within the smaller community.</p> <p>Harvey House is a space for students who wish to integrate themselves into a community they want to learn about, or those looking to live in a familiar environment while speaking the language. As Ariza says, “it’s Spanish immersion in a creative way.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Harvey House offers a variety of opportunities for students to be integrated into a Spanish-speaking environment.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-11-22T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/22/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Maja Saveva '26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2379">Student Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2404">Cultural Celebrations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">A concert performed on the patio of Harvey House for the annual Latino Heritage Festival in 2021.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jonathan Clark '25</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Mikaela de Lemos ’21 Receives Fulbright to Spain</h1> <p>anagy — Wed, 18 May 2022 15:11:34 +0000</p> <span>Mikaela de Lemos ’21 Receives Fulbright to Spain</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-05-18T11:11:34-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 18, 2022 - 11:11">Wed, 05/18/2022 - 11:11</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Mikaela de Lemos will continue her work as a service-oriented educator in the Hispanic community as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in the Canary Islands. </p> <p>De Lemos graduated in May 2021 with a major in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology">psychology</a> and a minor in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies">Hispanic studies</a>. She currently works as a research assistant in the Chicago Healthy Adolescent Transition Study (CHATS) Lab and Children Adapting to Stress and Adversity (CASA) Lab at Loyola University Chicago. With assistance from the CHATS lab, she started the first virtual support group for teenage siblings of those with spina bifida, and will be conducting a study assessing the feasibility of the program this summer. She is also volunteering as an English language teacher at the Muslim Women Resource Center for refugee families affected by the crisis in Afghanistan.</p> <p>In Spring 2020, de Lemos studied abroad in Alicante, Spain, but the semester was cut short due to the pandemic. At �鶹��Ƶ, she volunteered at El Centro de Servicios Sociales as an English Language Tutor for those preparing for their U.S. citizenship exam.</p> <p>“I wanted to continue my work with the Hispanic community in a culturally-immersive setting,” says de Lemos, who is from Southlake, Texas. “Furthermore, I hadn't appreciated the privilege it is to speak English until I lived in another country. Using the skills I have developed as an English language tutor at El Centro de Servicios Sociales and the Muslim Women Resource Center, I want to give back to the community that welcomed me when I studied abroad. In addition to teaching, I'll be leading an intergenerational community engagement project to bring back together those who have been isolated due to the pandemic.”</p> <p>Her Fulbright grant starts in early September 2022 and ends in mid-June 2023. She will be placed on one of the eight Canary Islands, where she will teach English at an early childhood or elementary school. </p> <p>“I'm looking forward to building meaningful relationships with my students and getting to know the local community,” she says. “I've never been to the Canary Islands, so I'm excited to explore a new place and culture. I’ve read that the Canary Islands are one of the best places in the world to go star-gazing.”</p> <p>In addition to volunteering with El Centro, DeLemos played on the �鶹��Ƶ women’s soccer team, was inducted as a member of the �鶹��Ƶ College Chapter of Sigma Xi (the Scientific Research Honor Society), and worked as a research assistant in Professor <a href="/cindy-frantz">Cindy Frantz</a>’s social and environmental psychology lab. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Fulbright will take de Lemos to one of the Canary Islands, where she will apply her experience as an English language tutor.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-05-18T12:00:00Z">Wed, 05/18/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2413">Social Sciences</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25286">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology" hreflang="und">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">May 2021 graduate Mikaela de Lemos is a recipient of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in the Canary Islands of Spain.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of de Lemos</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>