Dr. Owens’ Essay Published in _Women in Colonial America, 1526 to 1806: Texts and Contexts_

Professor Sarah E Owens’ study “Sor Ana’s Travel Excerpt from Mexico to Manila (Mexico and Manila, 1620)” has been published in the edition Women in Colonial Latin America, 1526 to 1806: Texts and Contexts with Hackett Publishing Company.

HISP Faculty Focus, September 2018: Dr. Vicki Garrett

Dr. Vicki Garrett

After obtaining her Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures at the University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Vicki Garrett moved east where she spent four years as a Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of Latin American Studies at West Virginia University.  In August 2015, she joined the College of Charleston’s Department of Hispanic Studies as an Adjunct Instructor, and in 2016 she transitioned to her current position as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish.  In her 3 years to date at CofC, she has already managed to teach an impressive range of courses to include basic Spanish language through advanced literature for the Spanish major, Spanish literature in translation, and classes for the Latin American and Caribbean Studies and First Year Experience programs. Dr. Garrett has also contributed to the College outside the classroom through her service on the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Executive Committee and Curriculum Review Committee as well as the Hispanic Studies Student Awards Committee.

Also an active scholar, Dr. Garrett researches Latin American theater and cinema; Argentine cultural studies; disability studies, violence, and the body; and the intersections of gender ethnicity and the environment.  Since joining the College of Charleston faculty, she has enjoyed multiple publications, yet her most ambitious scholarly project to date is her book Performing Everyday Life in Argentine Popular Theater, 1890-1934 that will be published with Palgrave Macmillan in late 2018.

In her own words:

It is so inspiring to teach students who are passionate about social and environmental justice in an institution that empowers faculty to address these pressing 21st-century issues within our areas of expertise. One of my favorite things about teaching at CofC is that students are so eager to explore different perspectives on social issues through Latin(x) American literature and culture.

The Department of Hispanic Studies congratulates Dr. Garrett for her multi-layered contributions to our academic community at the College of Charleston, and for being selected for our September 2018 “Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus.”

Stay tuned for October 2018’s feature…

CofC’s M.Ed. in Languages ESOL Now Completely Online!

The College of Charleston’s M.Ed. in Languages ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), which is currently directed by Dr. Emily Beck of Hispanic Studies, has just become the first all-online master’s degree offered by the Graduate School of the University of Charleston, SC.  For more details, click here for The College Today’s official news release.

HISP Faculty Focus, August 2018: Dr. Silvia Rodríguez Sabater

Dr. Silvia Rodríguez Sabater

Professor Rodríguez Sabater earned her Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics at Indiana University prior to starting her career in the College of Charleston’s Department of Hispanic Studies, where she is currently an Associate Professor.  Since joining the College’s faculty in 2000, she has taught at every level in the Spanish curriculum to include basic language through graduate courses for the M.Ed in Languages (Spanish) program, and she has taught for the Honors College.  In addition to her impressive teaching record and tireless dedication to students, she has an extensive and sustained record of successful leadership with curriculum management and development through her past roles as Basic Spanish Language Program Coordinator (2009-2011), Director of the M.Ed. in Languages Program (2015-2018), and her current assignment as Chair of the Hispanic Studies Distance Education Committee, which has been responsible for the department’s proactive response to the growing demands for online learning.

Of Dr. Rodríguez Sabater’s countless contributions at the College of Charleston during her 18 years to date, her initiative with curriculum development and pedagogical innovation has been especially noteworthy and impactful.  In 2015, for example, she co-founded the Hispanic Studies Teaching Discussion Series as a professional development platform for language teachers in the School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs, and she has distinguished herself as one of the department’s foremost experts on distance education.  As a pioneer of second language teaching, Professor Rodríguez Sabater’s ongoing work is leading us all through the ever-changing academic landscape of the 21st century.  In her own words:

I am an advocate for learning languages and cultures at all levels. I enjoy teaching because of the close connection I develop with students and faculty in Hispanic Studies and other disciplines. But what I love the most is the creative process of teaching! I enjoy reflecting on my teaching, developing new curriculum, helping students in the learning process, and creating realistic assessments. I also have a passion for adapting the use of new technologies to the learning of languages and cultures.  I am also particularly proud of my time as Director of the M.Ed. in Languages. I have been fortunate to serve this program and its students during a period of growth and achievement when we implemented several changes and initiatives such as the digital portfolios, the new online ESOL program, the expansion of the curriculum, and more efficient communication with students.

The Department of Hispanic Studies congratulates Dr. Silvia Rodríguez Sabater for being selected for our August 2018 “Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus.”  Stay tuned for September 2018’s feature…

Dr. Del Mastro to Address North American Academy of the Spanish Language

On Wednesday December 5, 2018 at 7:00pm at the Spanish Benevolent Society in New York City, Professor Mark P. Del Mastro will address the North American Academy of the Spanish Language as invited speaker for his formal admission as a “miembro numerario”/full member of the same academy.  Dr. Del Mastro’s presentation “Sigma Delta Pi y su historia en la vispera de su centenario (1919-2019)”/”Sigma Delta Pi and its history on the eve of its centennial (1919-2019)” will be based on his forthcoming book  Sigma Delta Pi: Rediscovering a Century (1919-2019) to be published by Juan de la Cuesta Hispanic Monographs in late spring 2020.

Dr. Viñas-de-Puig’s Article to Appear in the _Southern Journal of Linguistics_

Professor Ricard Viñas-de-Puig’s article “Perception of expletive negation in Catalonian Spanish and Catalan: Evidence of language divergence between two otherwise converging varieties” has been accepted for publication in the Southern Journal of Linguistics.

Hispanic Studies’ Professors Participate in 100th AATSP Conference in Spain

At the Centennial Conference of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) in Salamanca, Spain on June 25-28, 2018, Professors Mark P. Del Mastro, Susan Divine and Devon Hanahan had active roles in various sessions:

On Monday, June 25, Professors Divine and Hanahan co-presented “High impact practices during study abroad: Portfolios of Trujillo, Spain” during a 75-minute session.  This presentation was based on Divine’s and Hanahan’s experiences co-directing CofC’s Maymester program in Trujillo for two consecutive summers in 2017 and 2018.

Dr. Del Mastro organized and chaired the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society’s Best Practices and Informative Session that featured the presentations of student leaders from four different universities from across the U.S.   He also hosted the reception for Sigma Delta Pi members and guests and directed the event’s presentation of various awards and recognitions, to include the initiation of Dr. Frank Nuessel of the University of Louisville into the Order of Don Quijote.  Del Mastro also presented reports to the AATSP’s Board of Directors in his role as AATSP Finance Committee Chair and Executive Director of Sigma Delta Pi, which is a partner of the AATSP.

Dr. Sarah Owens Gives Multiple Lectures in Spring 2018

Professor Sarah Owens was invited to give three different lectures during the first half of the 2018 calendar year:

Plenary Lecture, “Religious Spaces in the Far East: Women’s Travel and Writing in Manila and Macao.” Attending to Early Modern Women. Milwaukee, WI. June 14-16.

Invited Lecture, “La boticas de los conventos peruanos coloniales.” Museo Nacional del Virreinato. El Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Tepotzotlán, Mexico, March 15.

Invited Lecture, “El mundo de las medicinas en los conventos femeninos de Arequipa, Perú.” Seminario: Los conventos de monjas, arquitectura y vida cotidiana del virreinato a la postmodernidad. El Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Coordinación Nacional de Monumentos Históricos. Museo Franz Mayer, Mexico City, March 14.

Dr. Avendaño Presents Research in Salamanca, Spain

Professor Nadia Avendaño presented her study “Viet Nam and the Chicano/a Casualties of War in Names on a Map” at the XI International Conference on Chicano Literature and Latino Studies in Salamanca, Spain, May 28-30, 2018.