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Hispanic Studies June 2017
Send us your updates! Department of Hispanic Studies Illinois Wesleyan University PO Box 2900 Bloomington, IL 61702 www.iwu.edu/hispanic
Newsletter editor Emilee Monken ‘18 right
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Women’s Power, Women’s Justice As part of Illinois Wesleyan's strategic initiatives and commitment to a strong intellectual campus environment, we continue to enhance the use of intellectual themes in curricular and co-curricular programming…This year, the theme was Women’s Power, Women’s Justice. The theme crossed, intersected, and transcended borderlands in the ways we think about others and ourselves by deconstructing notions of gender and identity. We explored the concepts and realities of Women’s Power, Women’s Justice. Michelle Huls Rice ‘01 gave a talk titled “Cultivating Your Leadership Potential” in November 2016
Connections in Our Courses Our professors do an excellent job ensuring that their classes relate to the IWU Annual Theme. This year, Professor Carolyn Nadeau connected deeply to the theme. In the class “Medical Spanish and Cultural Competency for Health Care,” her students attended the Martin Luther King Jr. “teach in” as often as possible, enjoyed presentations at the John Wesley Powell undergrad research conference, and some students focused their research projects directly to this year’s theme. In Professor César Valverde’s class “Latin American Literature,” students read many stories related to gender differences in Latin American countries and studied works by authors such as Isabel Allende. 2
Jenny Nordberg, author of “The Underground Girls of Kabul” (IWU Summer Reading 2016)
HISPANIC STUDIES
Student Experiences
2016-2017
Sarah O’Rourke ‘18
My favorite memory in a Hispanic Studies course at Illinois Wesleyan would have to be during my first Although our students study in the same course here, Professor Ferradáns took my class to El classrooms, their memories and favorite courses Portón (Mexican restaurant) for lunch as well as vary tremendously. Cross Roads Fair Trade Market to check out the intricate items made by hand in other countries. Of course this was a memorable moment as we left the classroom, but the reason that it is one of my favorite memories is that Professor Ferradáns told the waiter that we were not to speak in English to them, we must order in Spanish. This was the first time that I had spoken to a native speaker outside of the classroom. This experience instilled the confidence in me to continue to speak with native speakers, at restaurants or in other settings. Ever since that day, I have enjoyed going to other Mexican restaurants and speaking to the staff in Spanish and applying what I have learned in the classroom in the real world. Because of this experience, I have stepped up in in situations where someone who did not speak Spanish was trying to communicate with someone who spoke little English in places such as shopping malls or stores. If I did not have my first experience of speaking with a native speaker during my first semester at IWU, I am not sure where my confidence in doing so today would be. (Left)
Kaitlyn O’Brien ‘19
This past semester abroad has been a thrilling, whirlwind adventure. One of my favorite memories from the past couple months is when we hitchhiked during a weekend hiking trip in Cajón del Maipo, a canyon and mountain reserve in the Andes, about an hour and a half away from Santiago. Six of us crammed in the back of an empanada van, while old traditional Chilean tunes blared from the speakers. Our driver took us as close as he could to our destination, the Embalse del Yeso reservoir, and then we packed in the back of a pickup truck, hitchhiking a second time. We rode along the side of the mountain, right on the very edge. Then we walked a few miles, eventually stumbling upon the reservoir. The view was well worth the impromptu, potentially unreliable rides. The water was a bright turquoise, mountains and glacier tops reflected on the surface. It sparkled in the sun -- the water looked like glass. We just stood there in shock, not sure if what we were experiencing was real. The scenery looked like it belonged on a postcard. I’ve always appreciated nature, but have never been exposed to such beauty before. (Right) 3
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Alumni News Chloe Staub ‘14 volunteered at Los Hogares Santa Maria de Guadalupe in Santa Apolonia, Guatemala. There, she taught English to teenagers she met as children on her first visit to Santa Apolonia in 2008! (Center)
After graduating from IWU, Jim Fahey ‘12 started at Loyola University’s School of Medicine. As part of his program, he worked in clinics for two months in Bolivia and Peru. Diana Hammer Tescheschlok ‘01 received the Robert M. Montgomery Outstanding Young Alumna Award. She is a Community, Natural Resource & Economic Development Educator for the University of Wisconsin—Extension, Fond du Lac County. (Above Right)
Julie Lewis ‘16 was granted a position as Cultural Ambassador: North American Language and Culture Assistant with the Spanish Government’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports for the 2016-17 academic term in Valladolid, Spain. She will continue for another year.
Jordan Hosier ‘15 is in the PhD in Linguistics at Northwestern University.
Nora Peterson ‘14 is enrolled in the Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree in Women’s and Gender Studies (GeMMA) in Granada, Spain.
Kathy Woods ‘12 was a bilingual instructional assistant at an elementary school doing a volunteer program in 11 countries in 11 months (The World Race), and was an intern and EFL teacher at a leadership academy in Mijas, Spain. “My incredible education at IWU prepared me so well for all of those experiences! I've never stopped learning more about the Spanish language, other cultures, and am so grateful to have a liberal arts education.” Her next step is now a Transition to Teaching program (Indianapolis Teaching Fellows)/Masters of Teaching Program.
Erin Howes ‘12 and Kevin Seske ‘12 were engaged last May and will say their vows this July! Best wishes to them and their future together. (Above Left) John Frueh ‘14 was accepted into the CIEE teach abroad program and is currently residing in Santiago where he is teaching at DUOC, San Bernardo, Chile. Thalia Novoa ‘16 presented a talk at IWU about her experiences working with the Immigration Project and her personal experience with the immigration process.
Katie Rothas ‘14 is at the University of Michigan, School of Orthodontics. 4
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Hispanic Studies in the Community The Hispanic Studies Department constantly encourages students “to engage in cultural and social activities in communities beyond our campus.” Community Health Care Clinic Larisa McCoy ‘18 is completing an internship at the Community Health Care Clinic during May Term and the summer. She works full time at the clinic, interpreting for patients and doing intake in preparation for their appointment with the doctor or nurse practitioner. In addition she is creating a pamphlet in Spanish on sexually transmitted diseases with a focus on Spanish-speaking young adults. (Left)
Immigration Project: Fundraiser A group of professors and alums attended an event supporting the efforts of the Immigration Project, an agency that provides legal services to immigrants in the state of Illinois (south of I-80). The event was held in Champaign, Illinois. It went very well: delicious food, wonderful drinks, and fabulous company. Almost $20,000 was raised for the organization…a great success! (Right)
Rock Your Meds
Kyle Serafico ‘17 is the winner of a $500 mini-grant to help launch a medication adherence campaign aimed at patients at the Community Health Care Clinic (CHCC). Serafico’s funding will help launch the new ‘Rock Your Meds’ campaign for CHCC. The campaign is dedicated to increase patients’ adherence to their medication regimens, and the grant will help establish a medication adherence protocol that includes producing education materials in both English and Spanish for CHCC staff to use during patient interactions. (Left) 5
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Faculty Accomplishments Here at Illinois Wesleyan University, we have been lucky to have such a knowledgeable and gifted group of faculty members. Each year, they continue to serve as role models by “expanding their own instruction, research, and scholarship.” Dr. Nadeau, Martha Aguirre ‘17, Dr. Flores-Rodríguez, and Dr. Isabelli at commencement
Professor Carmela Ferradáns Dr. Ferradáns presented the film “Even the Rain” (2014) directed by Icíar Bollaín as part of the International Film Series. In April of 2017, Dr. Ferradáns celebrated 25 years at Illinois Wesleyan University. How lucky we are to have had such a wonderful and passionate professor! (Left)
Professor Daynalí Flores-Rodríguez In September, Dr. Flores-Rodríguez participated in a Dialogues Across the Disciplines lecture on Language Politics and Latino Culture in the Spanish Classroom with Sarah O’Rourke ‘18 and Amber Stringer ‘18. Additionally, on October 20, 2016, she presented the film “Ixcanul” (2015) directed by Jayro Bustamente as part of the International Film Series. (Right)
Professor Mauricio Parra This fall, Dr. Parra taught three classes that help give a strong Spanish base to students. His classes included Intermediate Spanish, Conversation and Composition, and Introduction to Literature. These classes all help students in their ability and confidence in later classes.
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HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Faculty Accomplishments
Professor Christina Isabelli Dr. Isabelli co-published “Language learners’ characteristics, target language use, and linguistic development in a domestic immersion context,” which appears in Foreign Language Annals volume 49. In August 2016, Dr. Isabelli gave an invited lecture titled “Origins of Spanish in/of the United States” as part of the Middlebury College Round Table panel, “Spanish in the U.S.: Myths and Realities.” Next fall she will be leaving IWU to begin a new position as professor and chair of the Modern Languages and Literature Department at Gonzaga University. She has taught here for 17 years and has come to know many of you very well. She says thank you for your enthusiasm and great Titan memories. (Left)
Professor Carolyn Nadeau Dr. Nadeau co-edited the festschrift, Self, Other, and Context in Early Modern Spain, Essays in Honor of Howard Mancing, with Isabel Jaén and Julien Simon (Juan de la Cuesta Press, 2017). Her article, “‘Se le secó el celebro’: Food as an Empathetic Response in Don Quixote,” appears in that volume. She also published two other articles, a creative essay, and was invited to lecture at U Texas, Austin and Wabash College on her current research on Francisco Martínez Montiño’s 1611 cookbook. (Right)
Professor César Valverde This school year, Dr. Valverde kept busy teaching engaging and interesting classes. In the fall, he taught a student favorite, Studies in Film and Media. He also taught Latin American Literature in which students studied short stories from talented Latin American authors. In the spring, Professor Valverde taught courses such as Advanced Conversation and Advanced Grammar and Composition. Additionally, he taught Latin American Culture and Civilization, a fun course that all students found helpful and surprising. 7
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Student Accomplishments John Wesley Powell Martha Aguirre ‘17 presented her research titled “Building Global Citizens: The benefits of teaching towards communicative language teaching.” Her research discussed how a more natural approach to language learning is effective when trying to teach a second language because it is more authentic, student centered, and fun. (Right)
Eckley Scholar This summer Rebekah Nulty ‘19 is one of five Robert S. and Nell B. Eckley Scholars and Artists. Her research project is “Spanish Translation of Living Kidney Donors Network Website.” The LKDN is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that aspires “to partner with all transplant hospitals and save lives by increasing the number or living kidney transplants.” Bekah is translating their entire website to Spanish and in this way will make this resource accessible to Spanish-speakers who are considering donation and/or are in need of one. Her faculty sponsor is Dr. Nadeau. (Left)
Academic Internships Guadalupe Hernández ‘18 completed an internship at the Western Ave Community Center during the spring semester, 2017. Taylor Nimrick ‘17 completed one at the McLean County Public Health Department. (Right)
Work and Internships Nathaniel Wilkins ‘17 will begin work this summer as a bilingual legal intern at the Chicago law firm, Tapia-Ruano & Gunn, P.C, that focuses on immigration law. Emily Dunlap ‘18 interned at PriceWaterhouse Coopers in Peoria during the spring semester 2017. She has been offered a job there upon graduation and hopes to continue to use her Spanish in her upcoming job! (Left) 8
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Campus Events Former President Felipe Calderón On March 23, 2017, Felipe Calderón visited campus. Calderón served as president of Mexico from 2006 to 2012. He is internationally recognized as a president who strengthened the rule of law and made possible the economic recovery of Mexico following the world economic crisis. During his tenure, Mexico became one of the world’s biggest exporters, accounting for 60 percent of the total manufacturing exports in Latin America and the Caribbean. He presented an address titled “Better Growth or Better Climate: Do We Need to Choose?” as part of the Stevenson Lecture Series. (Right)
International Studies Colloquium Series
In April 2017, the International Studies Colloquium Series, sponsored by the Latin American Studies team leader Dr. Flores-Rodríguez, hosted ISU professor, Dr. Juliet Lynd and doctoral student Ana Roncero Bellido for a talk on the work of Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña. They discussed how Latin American women contribute to the artistic, political, and cultural revolutions around them. This talk was a nice transition between this year's IWU theme Women’s Power, Women’s Justice and next year's theme The Evolution of Revolution. (Left)
Barrio Fiesta On February 18, 2016, the IWU SALSA (Spanish and Latino Student Association) had a presentation of Latin American countries. This year they celebrated Venezuela, Uruguay, Mexico, and Guatemala! There were special performances by Tamborazo El Pueblo and the Ballet Folklorico of Central Illinois, as well as student-led dances and poetry. Students learned how to dance common Latin American dances. There was food, music, and dancing galore. (Right) 9
HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017 The government is an extremely large sector that employs individuals with advanced language and culture knowledge. Besides careers in the foreign service, department of state, or CIA, one can work in law enforcement, teachers in the department of defense, homeland security, US trade representatives or educational consultants. There are many internships available for undergraduate and graduate students in these government agencies that can lead to permanent positions or at least open the doors to other possibilities.
Looking to the Future: Where can your Spanish Skills take you? Luckily, many students can embrace a variety of rich opportunities offered through IWU to learn and enhance their Spanish language skills. Yet, when thinking about the future, one does not always know what they can do with those skills. Historically, students who majored in Spanish followed traditional career paths in language teaching, or perhaps something in the translation or interpretation fields. While those professions are still very important, there are many other options to consider. In today’s global society, and in particular, living in the US with 41 million Spanish speakers (and rising), whatever career you choose, being bilingual will greatly benefit your employment opportunities. That being said, there are certain fields and professions that lend themselves more to those with advanced level language abilities. This article will explore some possibilities to think about as you advance in your academic career. Keep in mind that it’s OK not to know what you want to do in the future, and that you will probably change careers a few times in your life. Also remember that some of the jobs you might do in the future don’t even exist yet. You never know where life will take you, but here are some career paths that you might enjoy along your journey.
Many of these jobs will allow you to travel to other countries, or are based overseas. An area that many language students have already experienced but might not have considered as a career option is the large and ever-growing field of study abroad. Being a study abroad advisor, international student services administrator, global program coordinator, international student recruiter, or on-site director provide great opportunities to use Spanish language skills and remain connected with an international environment. Considering the large Hispanic populations in the US, Spanish is in high demand for many fields, but in particular those related to the medical profession. A patient's’ ability to communicate directly with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, EMT responder, or medical receptionist rather than through an interpreter can be fundamental for a successful interactions, or even save lives. Remember, that even if the job doesn’t require you to have language skills, it can certainly help you advance in your field or make you a more desirable candidate.
Do you love technology? Do you like gaming? Companies like Nintendo hire game translators and programmers to develop games ready to sell in other countries and in languages other than English. If you would like to combine your technological skills with an educational focus, consider creating content for online based activities such as those that accompany textbooks. Publishers need bilingual educational consultants, editors, sales associates, technical support staff, and managers, and often in overseas offices such as Madrid or Buenos Aires.
I encourage you to look into the Language Flagship (www.thelanguageflagship.org), whose mission is to advance language learning in the US by combining education and government opportunities. Their website has valuable information on more career paths to consider. Hopefully these ideas will spark some interests in areas you might not have thought about. In the end, follow your dreams, keep your options open, and above all, share your love for languages and cultures with others.
If you are interested in writing, journalists, content writers, public relations writers, and others are needed for the large market of written materials produced in Spanish in the US. Your oral skills are also fundamental for conducting interviews and reporting in similar fields. A career as travel writer, photographer, or foreign news correspondent can take you all over the world as well. Are you more business oriented? Thinking of doing your MBA? International business and relations provide a wealth of opportunities that range from international banking, law (very important today are immigration lawyers), executive representatives for US firms abroad, fashion buyers, import-export staff, marketing experts, and many more.
Written by Dr. Jean Janecki ‘89 Director of Language Resource Center Mount Holyoke College jjanecki@mtholyoke.edu
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HISPANIC STUDIES
2016-2017
Luis Leal Endowed Scholarship The Department of Hispanic Studies at Illinois Wesleyan University is able to offer competitive scholarships to qualified students who carry out Hispanic Studies research off-campus in the U.S. or abroad while enrolled in an IWU-affiliated program. Two awards are available annually for approximately $1000 and for $250, respectively, depending on the market value of the endowment. Students awarded scholarships commit to documenting and sharing their research during and/or after the off- campus experience. Luis Leal was one of the foremost critics of Mexican, Chicano and Latin American Literature. He was born in Mexico to a modest family, but decided to further his education in the United States. He was always grateful for the institutional support he received. The 2017 winner is Connor Simmons ‘19 (above). He will conduct research on human rights and social movements next spring in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
IWU Luis Leal Scholarship Fund The Luis Leal Scholarship Fund supports IWU students’ study abroad experiences in Spanish-speaking countries. In appreciation for your donation, you will receive a copy of Mitos y leyendas de México, Myths and Legends of Mexico a bilingual collection of 20 popular legends recreated by the author, Luis Leal, and edited by Dr. Mauricio Parra. The book also includes original illustrations from acclaimed Mexican painter Álvaro Ángeles Suman. To make a donation and receive a copy, please fill out the form found at: https://www.iwu.edu/hispanic-studies/luis-leal/luis-leal-scholarship-fund.pdf Questions or comments? Email Dr. Parra at mparra@iwu.edu
Mitos y leyendas de México, Myths and Legends of Mexico