Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus, September 2023: Dr. Joseph Weyers

Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus, September 2023: Dr. Joseph Weyers

For the month of September 2023, Hispanic Studies is proud to be able to spotlight Dr. Joseph Weyers as its Faculty Focus feature.

Since arriving at the College of Charleston in 1995 with an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico and a doctorate in Romance languages from the same institution in his back pocket, Dr. Weyers has distinguished himself both as a teacher and a scholar, being recognized for his considerable instructional skills by way of no less than two ExCel Outstanding LCWA Faculty Awards (in 2014 and, again, in 2021), as well as by publishing extensively in linguistics in top journals in his field—e.g., in Hispania (with his “Linguistic attitudes among Antioquian (Colombia) teachers: Vos and its role in education”), in the Southern Journal of Linguistics (see his “A tale of three languages: Spanish, Guaraní, and English in Asunción, Paraguay”) and—though, this by no means exhausts the list—in Spanish in Context (“Vos and tú in the linguistic landscape: Attitudes toward their use in Medellín, Colombia”).

Dr. Weyers has also assumed more than a few leadership roles—both within the context of the College and beyond this—serving as Hispanic Studies Chair (2005-2010), as Co-Director of Global Scholars (2008-present) and (again, not exhausting the list) as President of the South Carolina chapter of the nation-wide organization, the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

So as not to devolve September 2023’s Faculty Focus feature into a curriculum vitae, let it be said, by way of conclusion, that Hispanic Studies and the College of Charleston have benefited immeasurably from Dr. Weyers’ association since he joined the faculty all those years ago. For this, he has—to be sure—his colleagues’ sincerest admiration and appreciation.

In his own words…

“I will always remember the last class of the semester in SPAN 381 many years ago. I completed my final syntactic tree on the board and dramatically concluded, ‘And that, my friends, is why syntax is important’! One student gasped and applauded. (Corina, I hope you’re reading this!) While I’ve not been able to repeat that moment of applause, I keep trying. Seeing that ‘lightbulb’ go off is an incredible feeling. It’s what I love about teaching. The possibility of inspiring my students is awesome. I constantly remind myself that I, too, was a Spanish student in high school and college. I sat at my desk in awe of the language and culture of amazing parts of the world, delivered by dedicated, passionate educators. Being able to share that enthusiasm with my students – to pay it forward — is a true pleasure. And when my students are inspired (even if they don’t applaud), it makes it all worthwhile.”