Departmental Newsletter for Modern Languages & Literatures at the College of William & Mary
by Erin Zagursky | February 24, 2011 An academic colloquium is not usually where one would expect to see Hollywood stars, but the Camino de Santiago is said to have caused greater miracles to happen. The thousand-year-old Spanish pilgrimage is the setting for “The Way,” a new film written and directed by Emilio Estevez and starring Martin… Read More
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This workshop will introduce useful online tools for Chinese language teachers. These tools include virtual office, virtual classroom, tools of preparing for class, learning materials for students, tools for collaborative learning and working in group, etc. Taking advantage of these free or less expensive tools will make teaching more efficient and productive. Teachers should be… Read More
Location: Washington Hall 315 Wednesday, February 16, 4pm The Bellini Colloquium in Modern Languages and Literatures is pleased to invite you to a talk by Nicolas Médevielle, Assistant Professor of French & Francophone Studies “Maps of Desire: French Renaissance colonial Ventures and Cartography” Wednesday, February 16, Washington Hall 315, 4 pm From the 1530s on,… Read More
On June 5 I was ordained to the Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Richmond. I currently serve at a cluster of four parishes in Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia. I don’t use my French as much, but I put my developing Spanish to use regularly to serve our Latin American parishioners.
I taught French at the University of Richmond for over 20 years, retiring in 2000 I but did some night school classes for a couple of years after that. At UR, in addition to teaching, I was the Director of the Intensive French Program, hiring and training Drill Instructors, and I was also the Director… Read More
Would you believe that one can combine language skills with teaching skiing? Yes, it is possible. For a decade straight out of W&M I used French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish with private clientele at Keystone, CO, part of Vail Resorts. Then fell into international bike guiding with Vermont Bicycle Touring http//www.vbt.com headquartered in Burgundy, France…. Read More
Immigrated to Australia in 2004. Currently working as an R & D chemist for a scientific instrumentation company. Missed homecoming this year, but had a great time last year when I attended with my wife ( class of 1989)
Since graduation in 2003, I worked for two years as a legal assistant before returning to graduate studies in the language I love, French. I received my Master’s degree in French in 2007 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and am currently writing my dissertation in Geneva, Switzerland thanks to a dissertation fellowship. The Ph.D. is… Read More
This is a slideshow of the Summer 2009 W&M Study Abroad Program located in Tsinghua University, Beijing. Slide show was made by Tsinghua University Chinese instructor and 2009-2010 House Tutor Longzi Yang.
As part of the Asian Studies Initiative’s Spring 2011 Conference on the Silk Road, Prof. Victor Mair of the University of Pennsylvania, world-renowned literary scholar and archaeologist, will give a lecture entitled “The Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Background of the Silk Road.” A specialist on classical and medieval Chinese literature, Dunhuang excavations and… Read More
by Erin Zagursky | February 10, 2011 William & Mary junior John Pence signed up to study abroad in Egypt this semester because he was “ready for the next challenge.” “This was a challenge. I definitely learned a lot about myself, but it wasn’t the challenge I was expecting,” he said. Pence was one of hundreds… Read More
Shannon has just begun her masters in the Regional Studies-East Asia Program at Harvard University. Her research focus will be modern Chinese literature, which she also worked on for her Honors thesis. “On a side note,” she writes, “you and the other W&M professors may be intersted to know that 4 years of W&M Chinese… Read More
Devon is finishing his master’s in painting this coming spring at the University of Indiana. He plans to continue working in the art world, and hopes to teach painting.
John describes his travels and studies of the past year: “After completing a Chinese major at the College of William and Mary, including a summer and a semester studying abroad in Beijing, I was awarded the Chinese Government Scholarship. Through this scholarship, I was able to study Mandarin for two semesters at Sichuan University in… Read More
John spent the summer at the American Dance Festival at Duke University and performed as Tony in the mainstage production of West Side Story Suite while there. He is currently working as a free lance dancer in NYC and lives in Brooklyn.
Allie is currently working with ESL students and based in the Philadelphia area.
Megan graduated with majors in Chinese and English (High Honors). She is currently working towards a Ph.D in Comparative Literature with a focus on modern Chinese drama at the University of California, Davis.
Christopher is currently completing a master’s degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. He is writing a thesis on the popular press in Republican-era China.
All films will be shown at the Kimball Theater on Duke of Gloucester Street For more information visit the Film Festival website here: http://frenchfilm2011.blogs.wm.edu/
February 19, 2pm All films will be shown at the Kimball Theater on Duke of Gloucester Street For more information visit the Film Festival website here: http://frenchfilm2011.blogs.wm.edu/
February 18, 2011, 7pm All films will be shown at the Kimball Theater on Duke of Gloucester Street For more information visit the Film Festival website here: http://frenchfilm2011.blogs.wm.edu/
Japanese Section News: Professor Rachel DiNitto and student Teaching Assistant Pam Kennedy team up to provide a rich collaborative experience for students while producing a valuable web resource for Japanese scholars. **Video
Michael Roberts (’10) works for the government. (update: 2010)
Erin O’Grady (’10) works for the government. (update: 2013)
Rosa Mutchnick (’10) teaches English in Samoa (Teach for America) (update: 2010)
Seth Lacy (’10) works for the State Department. (update: 2010)
Richard Jordan (’10) is a Ph.D. student at Princetion University. (update: 2010)
Pete Giannino (’10) received Fulbright Scholarship and will be spending the next year in Germany. (update: 2010)
Sarah Argodale (’10) is a graduate student. (update: 2013)
Jacob Shier (’05) Received Fulbright and taught English in Ekaterinburg and Perm (Russia). Received M.A. in translation from Columbia University. “Right now I am in Daegu, South Korea on a one-yera teaching contract with Chungdahm Learning. I’ve been doing lots of hiking and weekend traveling, and still read in Russian regularly, Anna Karenina being my… Read More
Sarah Hutchison (’00) currently works for the Department of State. She got back from Turkmenistan in September 2008 and will be working at the embassy in Bulgaria from summer 2008 until summer 2010. Sarah used to work at one of the institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy. (update: 2008)
Karen (Dause) Romanovich (’02) “I think the last time I saw you was perhaps after my first year in Kazakhstan? I spent a total of three years in Kazakhstan, the first in Karaganda and the last two in Kokshetau. Then I moved to Wheaton, Illinois for grad school in Biblical Exegesis (where I was pleasantly… Read More
Larisa (Nargi) Gervasi (’08) works for Chesapeake Regional Healthcare Foundation (update: 2010)
Linda Crossman (’08) works for the Defense Security Service (update: 2013).
Mikhail Zeldovich (’97) received a law degree from Harvard University and is currently practicing law for the US government in DC. (update: 2013)
Nicole Radshaw (’97) received her Masters degree in Slavic Languages and Literatures from the University of Virginia. (update: 2008)
Melissa Preston Horwitz (’95) Foreign Service Officer for the US Dept. of State. Stationed in China (update: 2010).
Jenne Powers (’97) teaches in Boston area. (update: 2009) Got her MA in Russian Lit from UNC, Chapel Hill. She was recently awarded a Fulbright Grant to do dissertation research in Moscow in the Fall and Winter of 2005-06. (update: 2008)
Jen Otterbein (’97) “After teaching Spanish for seven years in high school in New Jersey, I quit my job this summer to go back to school. I am currently getting my Masters of Divinity at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY. One of the families that is in my program spent a summer teaching English… Read More
Rachel Mikeska (’99) recently finished a Master’s degree in Historical Preservation at the University of Texas, Austin, and is now on an Alpha Bank fellowship program in Moscow, where she will be working with local government organizations concerned with preserving historically significant architecture. For more information about this program, go to http://www.cdsintl.org/fromusa/alfa.htm. (update: 2008)
Pamela Mahony (’95) teaches HS social studies and special ed. (update: 2010)
Don Holt (’95) is currently the Vice President of Institutional Sales for TD Ameritrade (update: 2010)
(BA English, German): I have used my language skills extensively since graduation – I have been active in the SAP software and business process field for 20 years, first in consulting, and have now worked directly for SAP for over 11 years. I am currently a Senior Director, focusing on solution marketing, and use my… Read More
(BA, MA, ED French/Elem.Ed., Museum Education): Currently I am a French Tutor ! 🙂 (Updated 2010)
(BA Hispanic Studies & International Relations): I graduated from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in May ’10 and was admitted to practice law in Indiana on October 15th. I work at a law firm near my home town and am currently applying to the Illinois bar so that I can be licensed in both… Read More
(BA International Relations & French): Foreign Service Officer serving in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia until summer 2011. (Updated 2010)
(BA Spanish & Government): Enjoying living in Austin, Texas with my husband Eric, my 4 year old son, Will and our black lab Jake. I’m afraid my Spanish has been limited to foreign films as of late, but we did have our son in a bilingual co-operative preschool for some time, so I had some… Read More
(BA Spanish): I’ve opened my own solo legal practice in Arlington Virginia, focused on guardian ad litem work for children and criminal defense work (mostly court appointed) for Spanish speaking immigrants. (Updated 2010)
(BA Spanish/Government): My family was recently profiled here: http://www.holycrosshealth.org/newsletters_story_pregnancy.htm (Updated 2010)
(BA German): I am not using my German major very much these days, though occasionally I’ll tutor a student in German. After graduation I had a Fulbright to Germany – an awesome experience! I studied at the Teacher’s College in Freiburg. After my time there, I arranged to student teach at the American International School… Read More
(BA French): I have my own greeting card and design business (Fast Snail Greetings & Design). One of my “specialities” is French motifs. People love the Eiffel Tower! (Updated 2010)
(BA Middle Eastern Studies): I might be starting graduate school at Georgetown next semester! (Updated 2010)
(BA Spanish): I’m currently getting my Spanish licenciatura here at the University of Valencia. I’ve lived in Valencia for 12 years and would love to help any W&M students who are here and need an American contact. (Updated 2010)
(BBA Marketing, German Studies): Married Scott Wirgau in July 2010 (Updated 2010)
(BA Middle Eastern Studies, Psychology): I am currently an M.A. Candidate in the Arab Studies program at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. (Updated 2010)
(BA French): Getting to homecoming at W&M is never easy. I am an Associate Professor of French at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. I am also currently serving as the Chair of the Foreign Languages and Literature Department. I can only imagine all the work gone into setting up this website –… Read More
(BA Spanish) I received my Ph.D. in Spanish literature from Catholic University this May. I am working as an assistant professor of Spanish at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria. I hope to join you at Homecoming another year. (Updated 2010)
(BA Global & East Asian Studies): In the fall, Chris will be heading to Shika, Ishikawa, Japan to teach English in Junior High and Elementary schools.(Updated 2010)
(BA French): I work with several American study abroad programs in Aix-en-Provence, France. Enjoy seeing W&M students in my groups! (Updated 2010)
(BS Biology and Hispanic Studies): I’m in the process of applying to graduate school for Latin American Studies and planning on going to Brazil in January for six months. (Updated 2010)
(BA French & History): After teaching English for two years in France, I returned to the U.S. for grad school. I finished my master’s degree in 2004 and am nearly finished with the coursework for my PhD in education.
Starts: February 8, 2011 at 3:45 PM Location: Cohen Career Center Presentation Room Contact: Professor Jonathan Arries, Hispanic Studies, 757-221-1393, jfarri@wm.edu Professor Ellen Mayock Washington and Lee University 2010 Recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award, State Council of Higher Education of Virginia Lecture presentation: “Higher Education Networks, Connections Among English, Spanish and TESOL”. Reception to… Read More
Location: Washington Hall 201 Dr. Robert Moynihan presents a public lecture “Moscow and Rome: Latest Developments in Vatican-Russian Relations in a Geopolitical Context.” Dr. Moynihan edits the magazine “Inside the Vatican” and has been a key player in the ongoing dialogue between Vatican and Russian Orthodox Church since 1999.
February 11, 2011, 7pm All films will be shown at the Kimball Theater on Duke of Gloucester Street For more information visit the Film Festival website here: http://frenchfilm2011.blogs.wm.edu/
“The Lighter Side of Russia” Thursday February 10 at 5 pm in Washington 301 The Russian and Post-Soviet Studies Program presents the last in a series of contemporary Russian comedies that will definitely make you laugh and maybe change your perceptions about modern Russian culture. The films are Piter FM (Jan 27), Plus One (Feb 3), and… Read More
Story by Leslie McCullough Luck, chance, or fate? Maybe some combination of the three. During a summer 2002 undergraduate research trip to South America, Sarah South Parks ’03 suggested an exploratory side trip to La Plata, Argentina. The rest is history. Sarah was finishing her junior year as a Hispanic Studies major and jumped at… Read More
Professor Regina Root’s scholarship and role in Latin American fashion was the recent subject of a program on “Mujeres exitosas” (Successful Women) for a culture and education channel in Colombia. Program host Angélica Romero highlighted Root’s role as president of Ixel Moda (Latin America’s fashion congress that attracts designers and academics from around the… Read More
by Megan Shearin There are more students enrolled in foreign language courses than any other department within the Arts & Sciences at William & Mary, making the College a leader in a nationwide trend that’s sweeping across higher education in America. According to the recent report, “Enrollments in Languages Other Than English in United States… Read More
‘Couture & Consensus: Fashion and Politics in Postcolonial Argentina’ by Regina A. Root Story By Lillian Stevens Couture & Consensus, a new book by Regina Root, offers a history of fashion and its influence on the political climate following Argentina’s revolution of independence in 1810. In her book, Root explains how dress served as a… Read More
By invitation of the German Studies Section of Modern Languages and Literatures, Professor Sander Gilman, Distinguished Professor of the Liberal Arts and Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry at Emory University, was a guest at the College of William & Mary Wednesday, November 17th. Professor Gilman gave a more informal talk with the title “Whose Body… Read More
By Erin Zagursky Over the past decade, William & Mary’s students and alumni have been very successful in obtaining Fulbright Scholarships to teach and study in countries around the world. This year alone, a record 13 students and alumni were selected. But the students who have obtained the highly competitive scholarships did not get there… Read More
This past fall, Dr. Tomoyuki Sasaki joined the Japanese program as an Associate Professor. We spoke to him recently about his research and teaching. Q: Professor Sasaki, Welcome to William & Mary. I hope you are enjoying the campus and getting to know the town of Williamsburg. You started at W&M this August. Do you… Read More