Classical and Modern Languages faculty updates 2019
Wayne State's Classical & Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures (CMLLC) congratulates our faculty for their outstanding achievements this winter 2019.
Dr. Rie Masuda
Promoted to senior lecturer and Terrie Pickering was promoted to Academic Service Officer II. Dr. Yunshuang Zhang was appointed Assistant Professor of Asian Studies.
Dr. Colleen Grant
Defended her dissertation, "Critical Approaches to Narrative Trajectories in 21st-Century Spanish Novels By Women," written under the direction of Professor Francisco Higuero, in April of this year.
The German area of CMLLC celebrates the award of Master of Arts degrees to Ellen Vial, Lauren Furey and Alicia Marvinetz. Their essay topics are representative of the individualized approach that the German area takes to guiding its graduate students through our graduate programs. Ellen wrote with Dr. Hock on the centering of whiteness in Jenny Erpenbeck's 2015 novel, Gehen, Ging, Gegangen. Alicia worked with Dr. Julie Koehler on the use of simplified fairy tales in the beginning German classroom. Lauren worked with Dr. Anne Rothe to become the first German-area candidate to take advantage of the department's new option of a translation-based master's essay. Dr. Ferguson served on the committees of all three candidates. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
Professor Alina Cherry
Cherry was awarded a Career Development Chair, a grant that supports work on a major research project post-tenure. Taking a transnational, Francophone approach to mobilities studies, Professor Cherry's book project, Planetary Journeys: Mobilities, Spaces, Crossings, explores the complex interplay between space, place, movement, and globalization in the works of several contemporary Francophone writers. In addition to positioning contemporary literature in French about the rapidly growing field of mobilities studies, this project compellingly aims to show how literary texts can communicate to the reader an experiential relation to space and movement through their innovative narrative strategies.
Dr. Silvia Giorgini-Althoen
Giorgini-Althoen was awarded the prestigious President's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her award outlined just a few of her many accomplishments: "What makes her an outstanding teacher ... is the passion she radiates in her classroom, motivating her students to perform at their peak [and preparing them for productive careers in life]. Her enthusiasm inspires in students feelings of encouragement and support and fuels in them a continuous desire to learn. Dr. Giorgini-Althoen exemplifies the model teacher that all teaching faculty aspire to become."
Spanish Learning Community
The Spanish Learning Community was named Learning Community of the Year by the Office of the Provost. Spearheaded by Roxana Zuniga, working with Luisa Quintero, Katherine Christy and peer mentors Rayshawnda, Kris, and Sara, the Spanish Learning Community carried out inspirational work for Spanish students over the past academic year. Because of her exemplary work with the Spanish Learning Community, Zuniga is also one of four faculty members selected by the Office of the Provost to attend the Institute on High Impact Practices and Student Success, sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).