Professor Susan Divine’s article “The Nature of Anxiety: Precarious City Lives in La piqueta and La trabajadora” has been accepted for publication in the journal Ecozon@: European Journal of Literature, Culture and Environment.
Author Archives: Mark Del Mastro
HISP Faculty Focus, October 2018: Professor E. Berenice Marquina Castillo
Prof. Berenice Marquina Castillo
A graduate herself from the College of Charleston with an M.Ed. in Spanish, Professor Marquina Castillo has taught every course in the Basic Spanish Language Program since she joined the Department of Hispanic Studies in August 2009. A native of Mexico, she also earned her undergraduate degree in Hispanic Language and Literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the same alma mater of renowned writers Carlos Fuentes, Octavio Paz and Elena Poniatowska, among others. Besides sharing her first-hand cultural perspectives in the classroom, she has also bolstered her pedagogical skills through her participation in the College’s Professional Learning Club and her certification in Distance Education Readiness, which in turn has enabled her to teach online Spanish courses for the department.
Beyond the classroom, Professor Marquina Castillo has also served the department and College in numerous capacities to include her role as a mentor for SPECTRA (Speedy Consolidation and Transition Program), member of the LCWA IT Advisory Group and Distance Education Committee, Co-Adviser of the Spanish Club, and a departmental mentor for new faculty, among other activities.
In her own words:
Being a part of the Hispanic Department has been a wonderful experience, I get to share my passion for the Spanish language with enthusiastic and inspiring students, and I am surrounded by talented and creative colleagues who constantly reinforce and fuel my interest in learning. I am fortunate to work with students as a mentor and advisor, but also, to learn and share knowledge with colleagues through committees and learning clubs.
The Department of Hispanic Studies congratulates Professor Marquina Castillo for her dedication to students, colleagues and programs at the College of Charleston, and for being selected for our October 2018 “Hispanic Studies Faculty Focus.”
Stay tuned for November 2018’s feature…
Dr. Garrett’s Book Published with Palgrave Macmillan
Professor Vicki Garrett’s book Performing Everyday Life in Argentine Popular Theater, 1890-1934, has been published by Palgrave Macmillan in the series “New Directions in Latino American Cultures.”
Dr. Gómez’s Study to Appear in _Anales Galdosianos_
Professor Michael Gómez’s article “Shedding Light on José Fernández Bremón’s ‘Un crimen científico’: Science and Science Fiction in Restoration Spain,” will be published in the December 2018 issue of the journal Anales Galdosianos.
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.
Hispanic Studies’ Student Focus, September 2018
Danya Firestone, a double major in Spanish and Foreign Language Education with minors in Linguistics and Anthropology ’19, is also the Linguistics Club President, Honors College Sustainability and Social Justice Cohort Senior Mentor, and an Honors College Student Ambassador. In addition, Danya is an active member of the Chucktown Trippintones A Cappella group, Otro Sur (the Latin American Music Ensemble), the Jewish Student Union, and the Honors College Scholar-Citizen Initiative. Despite these numerous activities, she also finds time to collaborate with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Carolina as a bilingual translator and wish granting volunteer.
In Danya’s own words:
My experience as a student in the Hispanic Studies department has served an integral role in giving me an amazing experience at CofC. This department is a tight-knit community bonded by a love for the Spanish language, Latinx culture, and Latinx people. Hispanic studies professors really care about their students’ individual success and interests, and the department offers tons of opportunities to get involved with the Spanish-speaking population of Charleston. Because of the department’s connections, I have become involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a bilingual translator and wish granter for the South Carolina chapter of the organization, and a summer intern for the Mid-Atlantic chapter in Washington, D.C. Because of the Hispanic Studies department’s curriculum and faculty, which emphasize culture and linguistics in addition to literature, I was able to find my passion for Spanish and English linguistics, and I plan to apply to graduate school for that next year, in pursuit of graduate studies that will lead me to one day become a professor. In my final year, I am serving as the Linguistics club president, active in the Spanish club, teaching undergraduate Spanish conversation classes, and bringing a renowned linguist that researches Latinx communities, Dr. Ana Celia Zentella, to campus in October to talk about language discrimination practices. I look forward to what comes after graduation, and know that I have the community of the Hispanic Studies faculty and students supporting me!
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 Sabio Books in late spring 2020.