Departmental Newsletter for Modern Languages & Literatures at the College of William & Mary
[Original story by Cortney Langley] To John Riofrio, the day a student walked out of his class in frustration represents as large a teaching victory as the day a quiet conversation led another one to remain in William & Mary and later choose teaching as a career. That might seem a strange posture for an… Read More
Russian Senior Lecturer Bella Ginzbursky-Blum interviews new colleague Robert Mulcahy about his research and teaching. Prof. Mulcahy just started teaching at William and Mary in the Fall of 2014.
This past October, William & Mary alum Mike Crandol (’07) returned to campus to share with us what he’s been up to since he left. After graduating with a major in East Asian Studies, Mike entered the graduate program at the University of Minnesota, where he’s now finishing up his doctoral degree. Mike’s research concerns… Read More
Professor Monica Seger is our new faculty member in Italian Studies. In this interview, Professor Seger talks about her research, courses she’s teaching, and how her passion for the environment breathes life into both.
In the summer of 2014, Hispanic Studies majors Michael Le (Class of 2015) and Robert Bohnke (’17) worked as research fellows with Professor Francie Cate-Arries, supported by a generous grant by the Weingartner Fellowship for International Studies. Cate-Arries’ historical memory project seeks to record and digitally archive testimonies gathered in the province of Cádiz, Spain… Read More
In 2014, Prof. Bruce Campbell came out with a new book which he co-edited and wrote an article for. The volume, entitled Detectives, Dystopias, and Poplit: Studies in Modern German Genre Fiction, is a study of what Prof. Campbell describes as denigrated genres of popular fiction. Below is his discussion about the production of the… Read More
In the Fall semester 2014, Prof. Magali Compan taught a new course in the French section, a Freshman seminar entitled “Francophone Women Writers”. The course examined texts by women from around the Francophone World (Mauritius Island, France, Haiti, Guadeloupe, Reunion Island, Sénégal, Tahiti, Algeria). During the course of the semester, students examined how women from… Read More
Professor Jennifer Lee arrived at William and Mary in the Fall and has jumped into her duties in the Chinese program. Below is an interview with Prof. Lee about her teaching, research, and life at the College.
Chef Katsuya Fukushima, owner of Washington, DC ramen restaurant Daikaya and two-time winner of Iron Chef America came to William and Mary in the Fall to teach a class on Arabic cooking. Chef Fukushima cooked for students of Prof. Stephen Sheehi in the Arabic House, taught them about Arabic cooking and then answered some questions… Read More
Phi Beta Kappa scholar Kate Wessman (HISP ’13) is currently teaching 4th and 5th grade Mathematics, Science, and English at the bilingual Escuela Cristiana El Puente in Quepos, Costa Rica. After graduating with a major in Hispanic Studies, she went on to earn an MA in Elementary Education with endorsements for Spanish (preK-12) and English… Read More
Currently a J.D. candidate at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Hispanic Studies alumnus John E. Pence (’12) has recently co-authored a study on the history of corporate law practice in Brazil. His research, “Legal Elites and the Shaping of Corporate Law Practice in Brazil: A Historical Study,” is forthcoming (2015) in Law and… Read More
Hispanic Studies alumna Katie Brown (’13) recently published an article on orality and performativity in the 14th-century Libro de buen amor by Juan Ruiz, Archpriest of Hita. The article appears in the latest issue of the e-journal eHumanista. Journal of Iberian Studies: “La voz performativa y el voluntarismo en el Libro de buen amor“. eHumanista 28… Read More
Since graduating with a double major in Hispanic Studies and Linguistics, Kristin Giordano (’14) has been teaching English at the Liceo (High School) Pablo Neruda in Temuco, Chile. A Phi Beta Kappa Scholar who worked as a Teaching Assistant for the Hispanic Studies program, Kristin’s deep interest in the way language shapes our lives and… Read More
Traduttore, traditore (roughly, ‘translators are traitors’) is a phrase frequently invoked when discussing the art of translation. Why would the act of translating be considered analogous to treason? What lies behind the act of translating? Can we speak of an ‘original’ and a ‘subservient translation’ or ‘copy’? What are some of the challenges a translator… Read More
Dr. Tomoyuki Sasaki, History, Eastern Michigan University Japan’s postwar constitution renounces war as a sovereign right and stipulates that land, sea, and air forces will never be maintained, yet the country today possesses a large and powerful military. Join us as Dr. Tomoyuki Sasaki, of Eastern Michigan University, traces the development of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces… Read More
Since graduating in May 2013, Kate Furgurson has been trying to ameliorate the lives of farmworkers in North Carolina. A double major in Environmental Policy and Hispanic Studies, Kate joined Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) in order to work on helping farmworkers access health care services. Her proficiency in Spanish (which she uses on a… Read More
Since the Middle Ages the Camino de Santiago has been a major goal of pilgrimage in the Christian West, but its role in shaping a distinct Galician identity in our age is still a matter of research. Thanks to the generous endowment of the Philpott-Pérez Award, professor George Greenia and Hispanic Studies major Ryan T…. Read More
When she was 17, Sarah Caspari (’15) decided she would apply to William & Mary and spend a semester abroad in La Plata, Argentina. During the fall semester of 2013, Sarah was finally able to realize her dream. She prepared herself as much as she could taking several classes in Hispanic Studies and Latin American… Read More
Terrence Mack ’15, a double major in German studies and international relations, has been awarded the Gates Scholarship for study abroad, generously donated by Chancellor Robert M. Gates ’65 and his wife, Rebecca. Mack will study abroad this summer in Potsdam, Germany, with William & Mary’s faculty-led program there. For Mack, a Hampton (Va.) High… Read More
I would have never guessed as a Freshman at William & Mary how much of an impact studying Italian would have on my life. I began college wanting to double Major in Hispanic Studies and Business, however after taking my first Italian class and spending so much time in the Italian House even before my… Read More
The Japanese section is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Kinyo Prizes for Excellence in Japanese. The Kinyo Prize has been established through the generous support of Mr. Kazuo Nakamura of Kinyo Virginia, Inc., to recognize the hard work and achievement of the top student at each level of William and Mary’s Japanese program…. Read More
Congratulations to the eight new members of the Japanese National Honor Society! Among this year’s graduating class, eight students have been inducted into the society. The inductees have met several demanding criteria: completion of five semesters of Japanese language study (or their equivalent), all taken for a grade (rather than audited or pass-fail); a grade-point… Read More
The Japanese section is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Kinyo Prizes for Excellence in Japanese. The Kinyo Prize has been established through the generous support of Mr. Kazuo Nakamura of Kinyo Virginia, Inc., to recognize the hard work and achievement of the top student at each level of William and Mary’s Japanese… Read More
Student presentations at a conference on April 12 showcased a wide range of interests in Japanese culture and society, as well as the possibilities for student research at William and Mary. Graduating seniors in the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) Program presented the results of year-long research projects at the AMES Undergraduate Student Conference. … Read More
Sophie Kosar is a graduating senior with a Russian and Post-Soviet Studies major, who had very rich and fulfilling experiences both at William & Mary and in her studies abroad. Over the course of her studies she published two articles about history and modern day urban development of St. Petersburg. One of her articles appeared… Read More
Preston Heinlein transferred to W&M at the beginning of his junior year. He knew that he wanted to study linguistics and the French language in particular. He spent a summer in Montpellier, taking courses at the Université Paul Valéry and working on an independent research project about the local LGBT community, which he then presented… Read More
Is there such a thing as a universal language of film? The students in German 206 “Intermediate Composition and Conversation, team-taught by Visiting Assistant Professor Jennifer Gülly and German House Tutor Carolin Wattenberg, ” were about to find out: thirteen movies covering almost 100 years of German and Austrian film history. Thirteen movies, that’s thirteen… Read More
In fall 2013, seniors majoring in Chinese took Prof. Calvin Hui’s course CHIN 428 Advanced Seminar in Chinese, which focused on fashion, media, and consumer culture in post-socialist China. By the end of the course, they did research and produced a paper relating to the course’s major concerns. They also presented their research outputs in the 2014… Read More
The French & Francophone program has just awarded three graduation prizes: The St.Onge prize is awarded annually to the student in French & Francophone Studies who shows the most promise for graduate-level work. It was established in May 2010 to honor Professor St.Onge’s forty years of dedication to the College. This year the St. Onge prize goes to Preston… Read More
Russian Studies Program of the MLL Department is happy to announce that The 2014 MLL Outstanding Achievement Award in Russian Studies (formerly MLL Russian Book Award) goes to Sophia Kosar. The award seeks to recognize a graduating Russian Studies major for her contributions in research and language studies. Congratulations Sophie!
The RPSS Executive Committee is happy to announce that the RPSS Excellence Awards for the year 2014 went to Jessica Parks and Hannah Kitchen. The RPSS Excellence Award seeks to provide recognition for the best Russian Studies senior majors and minors who made a major contribution to the Russian Studies program in the areas of… Read More
Sierra Barnes (German Studies and History ’14) has been awarded an English Teaching Assistantship by the Austrian Ministry of Education and Women’s Affairs and Austrian-American Educational Commission (AAEC), sponsored and administered by the Fulbright Commission, for the academic year 2014-2015. This award includes travel expenses and a substantial monthly stipend to teach at two schools… Read More
Congratulations to Elisabeth Bloxam (’15), the latest recipient of the McCormack-Reboussin scholarship in French & Francophone Studies! Starting this summer, Elisabeth Bloxam will research an honors thesis entitled ”Le Mythe et la Mémoire : Les séquelles de la deuxième guerre mondiale en France à travers ses monuments nationaux.” This research will focus on the lasting effects… Read More
Congratulations to Preston Heinlein (’14) for his election to Phi Beta Kappa! And congratulations to our many seniors who have been selected to teach English in France through the French Embassy’s TAPIF program: Laura Bolger (’14) and Emily Eyestone (’14) have been placed in Bordeaux Samantha Fansler (’14) will be going to Lille Preston… Read More
Following in the steps of a successful Career Panel held last year, Hispanic Studies majors and students welcomed our successful alums back on campus for a conversation. On March 24, Ben Boone (HISP ’07; Ph.D. Candidate, Dean of Students Office at W&M), Maybelline Mendoza (HISP ’07; MBA Candidate), and Sarah Parks (HISP ’03; Master in… Read More
German Studies and IR student Terrence Mack has received the prestigious Robert Gates Scholarship for Summer Study from the College. Terrence will spend the summer studying German language, literature, and culture at the Universitaet Potsdam. Upon hearing the news, Terrence said this: “The Robert Gates Scholarship news was amazing. When I applied for it and… Read More
Sierra Barnes (German Studies and History, ’14) has been accepted to the Helix Project Yiddishkayt for the Summer of 2014. This four-week intensive program begins in July with an intensive course of cultural and language education in L.A. Then Helixers spend two weeks exploring the heart of Jewish Europe, learning and discussing with two leading… Read More
The event will be held on Saturday, March 22nd, 12:00 -4:00 pm, McGlothlin Street 20. The Russian Language Olympics are a newly born tradition at the College of William and Mary. It gives an opportunity to students taking Russian to demonstrate their language skills in both an engaging and creative atmosphere. Level 1 students will… Read More
Professor Yanni Kotsonis (Department of History, New York University) will give his presentation on Thursday, March 20, 4:00-5:30 pm, Washington Hall 201. Taxes secure revenue but taxes are equally tools that reshape societies. In Russia this was a movement away from regimes of privilege where only the lower orders paid, to systems of income and… Read More
Professor Russel Zanca (Northeastern Illinois University) will give a talk on Thursday, March 13th, 5:00pm, Tucker 127A.
Our congratulations to Rachel Faith who has been awarded the 2014 National ACTR Post-Secondary Russian Scholar Laureate Award. Way to go, Rachel!
The William and Mary French and Francophone Film Festival brings every year award-winning french language films. The program starts this year on Friday January 31 and will run until February 28. For more details about the program, consult the festival website (wm4f.wm.edu). You can also watch the trailer:
The Hispanic Studies program hosted the U.S. premiere of two films by Oneyda Gonzalez in October. “The Elf” and “Waiting for the Wild Boar to Fall” were screened in the Botetourt Auditorium. The newly reconfigured space was filled to capacity. Students had several opportunities to meet with the Cuban filmmaker, scriptwriter and poet during her… Read More
The first handbook of fashion studies and a work that has been heralded as “essential” reading by folks at some of the top design schools, among others, is hot off the press. At almost 700 pages, it can be added to the list of books published by members of our department. This project began in… Read More
German Studies and International Relations major Tyler Bembenek (’15) has been awarded the first Gates Scholarship for Summer Study Abroad. The scholarship, made possible by William and Mary Chancellor Robert M. Gates (’65) and his wife Rebecca, is a merit-based award that enables outstanding W&M students to pursue their field of study during the summer…. Read More
Hard sciences the ‘natural’ choice in annual Raft Debate Dressed as Charles Darwin and armed with an erupting bottle of “science juice,” Dan Cristol scored a victory for the natural and computational sciences on Wednesday night at William & Mary. The biology professor was this year’s winner of the annual Raft Debate, held on Oct…. Read More
Francie Cate-Arries was just about to leave the stage after giving a lecture at the College of Charleston on Sept. 12 when she was stopped by Mark Del Mastro, the executive director of the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society. He had an announcement to make, he told the audience: Cate-Arries, a member of William &… Read More
1) MLL Book Prize in Japanese The prize is awarded to a student who has shown overall excellence in Japanese studies. This student is often an East Asian Studies major. This year’s award goes to Soyoung Kim. Soyoung Kim was born and raised in South Korea. She started learning Japanese in high school, and continued… Read More
On Saturday, March 23rd, students and faculty of the Russian Language department congregated for the first ever Russian Language Olympics at the College of William and Mary. The games, held in honor of Russia’s hosting of the 2014 winter Olympics in the city of Sochi, were the site of fierce, but fair, competition by Russian… Read More
Hi, everyone. I’m Chris Bubb, a 2010 graduate of the College and former W&M Japanese student. Recently, I was excited to have passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test top level N1 exam. Below I share some of my experiences with the Japanese language at W&M and post-graduation, as well as suggestions for improving your Japanese… Read More
Students of the German Studies Program at William and Mary have had remarkable success in winning major international fellowships over the last decade. This year, Judd Peverall (German Studies and Philosophy, ’13) and Libby Hennemuth (Hispanic Studies and Government, ’13) were awarded the highly prestigious Fulbright ETA Fellowship to Germany, and Brandon De Graaf (German… Read More
On February 25, 2013, the Hispanic Studies Program hosted a career-panel for majors and potential majors. The panel, which was the result of engaged dialog between the Cohen Career Center and faculty in Hispanic Studies, featured four outstanding Hispanic Studies alums: Sara Gilmer (State Department), John Cipperly (National Center for State Courts), Jennifer Primeggia (physician)… Read More
Science has played a key role in Chinese conceptions of what it means to be modern. Inspired, dazzled, and even threatened by the West’s scientific revolution and its pivotal role in spurring industrial modernity, Chinese thinkers sought to bring the concepts and methods of Western science into Chinese society, industry, and statecraft. The insistence upon… Read More
Jennifer Gülly received her Magistra from the University of Vienna, Austria, and her PhD in Comparative Literature from UCLA. She has previously held positions at Pomona College, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of South Florida before coming to William and Mary. Her research lies at the intersection of language policy, translation theory, and literary… Read More
The Sociology Department, German Studies, and Charles Center are pleased to sponsor a lecture by Prof. Rudi Leiprecht, who is a professor of Diversity Education at the Universitaet Oldenbourg in Germany. Currently, he is Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC. Professor Leiprecht will present a lecture entitled “Young People in… Read More
Judd Peverall (German Studies and Philosophy, ’13) and Brandon De Graaf (German Studies and History, ’13) have all received Fulbright and Austrian English Teaching Assistantships respectively for 2013-2014. Both will be placed in a >Gymnasien where they will serve as teaching assistants in the English programs of the schools and assist in curricular and non-curricular… Read More
Senior Evan French, currently in Professor Leventhal’s GRMN 202 class, is headed to Hamburg. Evan scored a DAAD RISE paid internship with a software engenieering firm for six months beginning in June 2013. Congratulations, Evan!
In the run-up to Chinese New Year, producers and reporters from Chinese Central Television came to William and Mary to report on New Year’s festivities celebrated by WM students. The students displayed their impressive language skills, practiced calligraphy, wore traditional Chinese outfits, and even sang in Chinese! The reports were aired on the news program “Morning News” (Zhaowen tianxia) on CCTV… Read More
Yanfang Tang is an Associate Professor of Chinese Studies in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at the College of William and Mary. She is the Director of the Chinese Studies Program and also serves as the Director of the Confucius Institute at the College. She received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University… Read More
An annual “Fête de la Recherche” (faites de la recherche!) features the student research that takes place at the core of the French & Francophone Studies program. Students often present projects from their studies abroad in Montpellier, France, as well as longer papers written in association with I.F.E internships in Paris, Bruxelles, and Strasbourg. Other talks frequently showcase independent Monroe… Read More
William and Mary ’10 alumna Loretta Scott was named “Next EDU Guru” by YouTube in October, 2012. Loretta Scott, an English/Japanese bilingual “edupreneur”, recently joined an international panel of 10 individuals known as the “Next EDU Gurus”. Loretta was chosen for her YouTube channel “KemushiChan: Bringing You Some Japan”, where she shares her tips and… Read More
Research is at the center of the French & Francophone Studies program. Students are able to conduct research projects in many different ways, as the annual Fête de la Recherche demonstrates: short projects done while studying in Montpellier; longer projects conducted while studying and doing an internship through the I.F.E program in Paris, Strasbourg, or Bruxelles; Monroe projects; and honors theses…. Read More
When I came to William and Mary I never imagined that by the time of my senior year I would be completing a research paper in Italian. I took only the bare minimum required by my high school, and as a result was required to complete 4 semesters at the College. At first, it was… Read More
J. Richard Guthrie believed strongly in the undergraduate study of German language, literature, and culture. As part of his estate, he endowed a scholarship fund to assist undergraduates to carry out semester or summer research in German Studies. Because of this generous endowment from his estate, the German Studies Section at W&M is able to… Read More
Erin Alpert graduated from the College in 2007 with a degree in Russian and Post Soviet Studies. During her time at W&M, she studied abroad in Russia thanks, in part, to a scholarship she received from the Reves Center. “One of the highlights of my college career was definitely my summer study abroad in St…. Read More
Thursday 4th, October at 3:30pm in Washington 315 Throughout the eighteenth century, trees stood at the intersection of numerous and often competing discourses of value. Across Europe and North America, they were viewed both as precious commodities and as ‘the true monuments of nations’, as Bernardin de Saint-Pierre noted in 1784,underscoring the imposing and inescapable… Read More
The time I spent at the College greatly influenced both my career path and who I am as a person. The people I met there, both friends and professors, continue to be a significant part of my life. I think it’s important for alumni to remain connected to the College and to help foster those… Read More
The following story originally appeared in the summer 2012 issue of the William & Mary Alumni Magazine – Ed. Many come to the College of William & Mary to pursue degrees that they think will lead them to careers. Julian Oreska ’09 didn’t think his education would someday lead him to designing toys on… Read More
A community of 3,466 international relations scholars from 20 countries believes that East Asia is the world’s region of greatest strategic importance to their nations today. That was a key finding from the 2011 TRIP survey, published recently by the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations (TRIP) at the College of William… Read More
Eleonora plans to become a Hispanic Studies professor, having been accepted to Spanish programs at UVA and American and having been shortlisted at Johns Hopkins. Last spring she won the undergraduate research prize for her paper on Martín Fierro and the poetics of suffering which she subsequently presented at the Middle Atlantic Council of Latin… Read More
Casey Swann ’12 spoke to me a few days before graduation this May about her self-designed Italian Studies major, her study abroad research in Rome, Italy, and about her plans for after graduation.
Kelly Houck ’12 sat down with me a couple of days before graduation to talk about her experiences in the Arabic program at the College, her study abroad in Morocco, and what her plans are after graduation.
Bridget Carr, one of our graduating seniors in French and Francophone Studies, was kind enough to sit down and talk with us right after she defended her Senior Honors Thesis on French relations in Senegal. Prof. Nicolas Medevielle and I talked to Bridget about her study abroad research, how she used that research to develop… Read More
Modern Languages and Literatures and Global Studies Graduates celebrated with family, friends, and faculty on Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, in graduation ceremonies at Phi Beta Kappa Hall (Global Studies and International Relations) and on the Wren Lawn (Modern Languages and Literatures). Here is a selection of photos from the events.
On March 17, four Russian Studies students – along with professors John Lyles, Alexander Prokhorov, Elena Prokhorova, filmmaker-in-residence Jes Therkelsen, and Russian House Tutor Viktoria Kim – participated in the Third Annual Slavic Forum at the University of Virginia. For the past few years, the Slavic Graduate Program at UVa has held student-organized conferences designed… Read More
Jacob Lassin recently won the American Council of Teachers of Russian’s (ACTR) Post Secondary Russian Scholar Laureate Award. This award, according to the ACTR newsletter, “honors those students who embody a love for and dedication to things Russian that is unparalleled among their peers.” Each college or university where Russian is taught may nominate one… Read More
Sarah Salino, who designed her own major at the College and will graduate with Honors Sunday, May 13, has been awarded a Fulbright in Germany for the academic year 2012-2013. Although she has not yet been placed yet, Sarah will be teaching at a Gymnasium, working with students and other teachers and providing curricular support… Read More
German Studies and Psychology Major Grace Brennan (’12) has received a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship to Berlin for the academic year 2012-2013. Brennan is one of two Fulbrights to Germany this year. Grace is also being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa on Friday, May 11, as a result of her stunning academic achievements at the College… Read More
In November 1989, pictures of jubilating East and West Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall went around the world. Chanting “We are the people”, East Germans had demanded their freedom and finally brought down the authoritarian GDR regime during the Peaceful Revolution. The Fall of the Berlin Wall, which led to the reunification of Germany… Read More
On March 11 last year, northeastern Japan was struck by a threefold catastrophe—a massive, 9.0 magnitude earthquake, a devastating tsunami, and level-seven nuclear meltdowns at three reactors. Sixteen thousand people perished in the disaster, and the country sustained economic losses equivalent to $235 billion, making it the most expensive natural disaster in world history. The… Read More
From her first semester at William and Mary, Sara Caudill threw herself into the study of Japan. “I had wanted to study language for many years before college,” she recalls. “I lobbied for on-line course in high school, but it didn’t happen. William and Mary gave me the opportunity.” Sara has since taken full advantage… Read More
by Beth Stefanik and Megan Shearin The College of William & Mary officially opened its Confucius Institute on Monday, April 16, with a day-long celebration of events involving William & Mary faculty and administrators, as well as delegates from Beijing Normal University (BNU), the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) and the Embassy of… Read More
On Saturday evening, we will screen the classic Japanese film Gojira (dir. Honda Ishirō, 1954), better known to Americans in the very different version released here as Godzilla. The screening will include introductory remarks placing the film within the context of Japan’s nuclear history. The screening will be followed on Sunday by a student conference… Read More
Join us Sunday, April 15, for a conference on the response to the catastrophic earthquake, tsunami, and on-going nuclear crisis that hit northeastern Japan on March 11th last year. Students will present research papers in two panel and in a bilingual poster session. Following this, Alex Bates, Assistant Professor of Japanese at Dickinson College, will… Read More
Professor David Herman, Chair of the Slavic Department at the University of Virginia, will be giving a lecture about Tolstoy and his fiction on February 17th at 3 pm in Washington 315. His lecture is titled: “Tolstoy in Eden.” Here is a brief description of the content of the talk: ”Virginia Woolf famously called Tolstoy the… Read More
The theme of this year’s Global Film Festival is Film and the City, and the Pre-Festival series kicks off Wednesday night with a award-winning animated feature from Japan, directed by American Michael Arias: Tekkon Kinkreet (Tekkon Kinkurīto, 2006). Two young brothers, Black and White, roam through the streets and soar across the canopy of the… Read More
(Moscow, 24 Dec., 2011) Today we went to Andrei Sakharov Avenue to participate in the rally for fair and just elections. About 100000 people came to the rally. It was the biggest political manifestation since the demonstrations of the early 1990s. We saw people of all walks of life and political preferences: from those who… Read More
During the summer of 2011, Hispanic Studies major Katherine Brown (’13) travelled to Peru to study the political uses of Quechua in the construction of national, regional, and class-based identities in present-day Peru. Under the auspices of the Christian-Ewell Scholarship granted by the Charles Center, Katie spent seven weeks in Cusco and Lima studying Quechua… Read More
Students in Jennifer Taylor’s Freshman Seminar, “The Berlin Wall,” are researching cinematic and literary depictions of life in the former German Democratic Republic and finding some surprises. Many texts they are reading paint a bleak picture of oppression and state control behind the iron curtain that is familiar to readers in the post-Cold War era…. Read More
We had a great time at the Modern Languages 2nd Annual Homecoming Reception this year, which was once again held in the Reves Room at the Reves Center for International Relations. The turnout was good, with plenty of alumni, many faculty members and some of our best current students to round out the party. I… Read More
A new project at William & Mary is the Virtual Library of Freedom, a group started by William & Mary alumna Hannah Thornton ’10. Melissa Woods, a student at William & Mary, writes: The Virtual Library of Freedom (VLF) is a student organization founded in 2010 that aims to promote cross-cultural discussion online between American… Read More
The Arab world has witnessed a series of political upheavals this past year which would have been difficult to imagine in past years. The events have affected the faculty and students of the Arabic section in many different ways. Several students found themselves in Egypt or Syria as the revolutions were getting underway, and had… Read More
Students of French & Francophone studies have done original research for years. In order to recognize students who embarked in such projects and inspire other students to do the same, the French & Francophone studies section decided to create an annual Student research conference in 2010. In this video interview, Stephanie Kumah, a senior (French… Read More
by Cassie Prena Last Spring, I spent an unforgettable semester abroad at John Cabot University in Rome. Although my courses at the university and my daily life in a foreign country allowed a certain level of immersion, I was nevertheless determined to experience the more intimate aspects of Italian culture. I decided that an internship… Read More
by Jes Therkelsen The documentary filmmaking process requires a tremendous amount of patience, discipline, creativity, and flexibility. You need to deal with people, but know how to troubleshoot technology; you must be organized, but open to spontaneity; you should be prepared for everything, but comfortable working in the unknown. For the eight students who studied… Read More
by Leslie McCullough | November 7, 2011 Nicaragua is often thought of as “a nation of poets.” National poets such as Rubén Darío and Ernesto Cardenal have made significant contributions to world literature. Less known but also significant is the transformative role poetry has played in educating Nicaraguan youth in resource-scarce schools and in adult… Read More
by Leslie McCullough | October 17, 2011 Kranbuehl Travel Award In late 2009, Chemistry Professor David Kranbuehl established a charitable remainder trust to support travel for Modern Language’s continuing faculty who teach introductory language courses. “I believe in the importance of international studies, and I wanted to reward the people who teach language courses,” says Kranbuehl… Read More
Lauren Shaw has been going places lately– Slovenia, the Baltic States, Carinthia/Austria — and returning to the DC area. After finishing a two-year Fulbright ETA in Austria, Lauren (German Studies, ’09) has returned to the United States and taken a job at the German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C. as a paid research assistant. At… Read More
The Potsdam, Germany Summer Study Abroad Program 2011 June 8-July 23 was an immense success. The W&M Potsdam, Germany Summer Study Abroad program is an intensive 7 week German Language and Culture program. Students attend intensive German Language classes in the mornings from 9-12:30 and a GRMN 290/390 German Culture class in the afternoons. This… Read More
Story by Megan Shearin, June 10 2011 Associate Professor of French and Modern Languages Katherine Kulick is once again being lauded for her service and governance to William & Mary. Kulick has been selected as the first recipient of the newly created Shirley Aceto Service Award, an honor to be awarded annually to a member… Read More
