CAM P US N EWS
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MEET… JULIANNE LOPÉ Z World Language Department Chair
You’ve been teaching at Brewster for 18 years. What do you appreciate most about your work here? Without a doubt, what I appreciate the most are all the students I teach and have taught. Walking into the classroom at Brewster every day is dynamic, and I am guaranteed to learn something new. I also appreciate my colleagues and the fact that I can laugh and find so much enjoyment in what I do that every day never seems like a job or hard work. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge how much I appreciate the opportunities I have had over the years to contribute in different ways as an advisor, teacher, parent, department chair, team leader, and club advisor. Finally, as a parent of four Brewster alumni – James ’04, Stephen ’06, Jonathan ’08, and Daniel ’12 – I am grateful for the education they each received here. What is the World Language department up to these days? As a department we are looking to bring greater clarity around promoting communicative competence in both Spanish and French and the global competence that comes with learning about the cultures where these languages are spoken. Teaching language out of context is always as much of a challenge for the teacher as for the students. I would love to see Brewster embrace the opportunities to build a global education program and to promote and support immersion programs for both students and teachers alike.
BRE WSTE R ACADE MY
How do you spend your summers? I am fortunate to spend my summers working in the Royal Thai Scholars Summer Orientation Program. Working side-by-side with Christine Brown ’87, we direct the program, which hosts 50 to 70 of the top students in Thailand who come to study in America. We work with talented teachers and teaching assistants to prepare the Thai scholars for success in prep school and higher education, to teach them the English skills necessary, and build a
sense of community among the students. It is an incredibly rewarding experience and an honor to be part of this program. You have four sons. Are any of them teachers? Yes, my oldest son James has followed the family tradition in academics and is currently teaching at the Perkiomen School in Pennsylvania where he is a dorm parent and coaching soccer and basketball.
Favorite Latin American singer? I would have to say it is a toss up between Placido Domingo and Ricardo Arjona, depending on my mood. What is the last book you read? The Vital Question by Nick Lane. This book presents a thesis about what might possibly be the origins of complex life as we know it. It was not an easy read but it pushed me to revisit some concepts in biology that had been resting dormant in the recesses of my mind.