Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus, April 2022: Dr. Nadia Avendaño

Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus, April 2022

The final HISP Faculty Focus of 2021-2022 features Dr. Nadia Avendaño.

Dr. Avendaño–a graduate of the University of California, Davis (B.A. in Spanish and French), as well as of the University of Arizona (from which she earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in 20^th Century Latin American Literature) first arrived at the College of Charleston in the fall of 2003, when she joined Hispanic Studies as an Assistant Professor of Spanish.

Since this time, she has come to form an absolutely essential part of the department, contributing in more ways than can be easily recounted in a feature such as this. To her students, she has generously given of her time and her talents, imparting classes on such engaging topics as the Spanish-American Boom, Chicano/a Latino/a Literature and Culture and Contemporary Spanish American Fiction, besides directing more than a few independent studies. Additionally, she has engaged in meaningful and fruitful collaborations with students and faculty of other academic programs and units, including the First Year Experience, History, Latin American & Caribbean Studies and the Honors College.

As for her scholarly research projects, as her participation in such a wide variety of academic programs suggests,  these are as diverse as they are fascinating. Recent works include her “The Road to Healing: Pilgrimage and the Vietnam War in Let Their Spirits Dance” (published in the journal, Confluencia [34.1, 2018]) and “Negotiating Identities: Growing Up Female, Jewish, and Mexican” (appearing in the prestigious Bulletin of Hispanic Studies [93.3, 2016]).

Finally, outside the context of Hispanic Studies, Dr. Avendaño has expertly guided the Latin American & Caribbean Studies Program since 2019, when she took over as its Director.

In her own words…

“What I love most about my position in Hispanic Studies is the freedom I get to teach courses that I am passionate about. I love meeting students every semester and connecting with them in class as well as connecting them to the Hispanic world through the study of literature, culture and the Spanish language. The pandemic reaffirmed for me that I do not want to be behind a desk. I want to be in the classroom engaging with students and on campus collaborating with my wonderful colleagues.”