The two award winners embody Adelphi’s commitment to scholarship, service and global citizenship. They also reflect the University’s commitment to helping students gain access to experiences that transform lives. Both worked with Adelphi’s Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships to navigate the application process, secure effective letters of recommendation and prepare for interviews.

“Our office was delighted to work with these Fulbright awardees,” said Nicole Rudolph, PhD, director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships and associate dean for student engagement. “Each brought a true passion for international education and global connection to the application process, and we are so pleased that the U.S. Fulbright Committee recognized their potential by granting them English Teaching Assistantships.”

Applying for the fellowship can be just as valuable as receiving one, according to Dean Rudolph. “Applying for a nationally competitive award is a wonderful way for students to think deeply about their objectives, priorities and values,” she said. “Students tell us that the application process itself helped them to clarify their life goals, improve their written and oral communication, and refine their time management skills.”

Julia Carpio’s Leap to Greece

For Julia Carpio ’25, MA ’26, who received her MA in Childhood Education and Advanced Certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) in May, winning a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award was the culmination of a lifelong dream.

A self-described “shy, quiet and reserved” child, Carpio first found her path to teaching thanks to a kindergarten teacher who made her feel like she could achieve anything. Combined with the inspiration of her mother, a high school Spanish teacher, education was in Carpio’s blood. “Our (Adelphi) professors tell us all the time that teaching is a calling, it’s not a job—you have to have a true passion for it,” she said.

That calling will soon take her to an elementary school in Athens, Greece, where she’ll spend a year teaching English to students. The Fulbright program’s focus on multilingual education and cultural exchange matched the path she was already on. “I really wanted to dive into teaching and get as much as I could out of multilingual education,” she said.

Carpio can point to specific moments—and people—who nudged her from dream to decision. One was a , led by Mary Jean McCarthy, clinical associate professor in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences. “That was where I fell in love with multilingual education and learning from educators from different parts of the world,” she recalled.

McCarthy connected Carpio with Professor Clara Vaz Bauler, PhD, professor in the School of Education who became an anchor for her Fulbright ambitions. Daryl M. Gordon, PhD, who is also a professor in the School of Education, and Priya Wadhera, PhD, professor and interim director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships last year, helped with her application. Shannon Harrison, director of Adelphi’s Center for International Education, first mentioned Fulbright to Carpio and walked her through options for teaching abroad. “So many people helped me get here,” Carpio said.

She chose Greece deliberately. Many Fulbright placements only put scholars in schools part time, but the Athens program puts Carpio in the classroom five days a week and some Saturdays. “I want to be 100 percent part of the staff,” she explained.

Carpio’s hopes for the year abroad are practical. “I want to walk away as a more effective educator,” she said. She wants to watch how Greek teachers structure lessons, what questions they ask, how they respond to multilingual students—and then carry those insights into whatever classroom she steps into next.

Long term, she sees Fulbright as the first in a series of international chapters in her life. She wants to keep teaching abroad and eventually pursue a PhD in international and comparative education.

Hussein Ali Rifath: Making a Difference in Madrid

By the time Hussein Ali Rifath ’26 learned he’d been selected for a Fulbright, he’d spent four years at Adelphi growing into the kind of person who sees scholarship as service.

“It’s been a journey of growth for me,” said Rifath, who served as president of the Class of 2026 and president of Adelphi’s Student Government Association. This fall, he will travel to Spain to help public school students sharpen their English, engage with global issues and see America in a new light.

“We’re being citizen diplomats,” he says of himself and his fellow Fulbright recipients. “We’re not just working as educators; we’re advancing our foreign relations abroad.”

For Rifath, his Fulbright sits at the intersection of everything that’s been on his mind as he graduates: America’s role in the world, the power of education and a personal desire to serve.

“I feel like now, more than ever, it’s important for Americans to get involved,” he said.

He’s especially aware that many students abroad only know the United States through politics and headlines. His goal is “to give a nuanced view, to show that we have two sides to our political spectrum, like every country. I want to give people a more comprehensive message about what America is, what we stand for. I want them to see us as a vibrant, welcoming society that not only cherishes them but also cherishes the human bonds which unite us across the world.”

In Madrid, Rifath will work with two programs that bring global awareness into local schools. “I’ll help students articulate themselves in English and speak about pressing issues across the world—like climate change and international relations,” he explained.

Rifath credits two Adelphi faculty members with helping him win a Fulbright: Ignacio Arellano-Torres, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and Dr. Vaz Bauler, the education professor who also inspired Julia Carpio. “They helped me discover my passion for learning language,” he said.

Fulbright is just one chapter in Rifath’s plan for a life centered on service. “Long term, I see myself joining the military,” he says, which he sees as a way to serve his community and country. “Through it all, my goal is to get involved in ways that benefit the community.”

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We live in an era of unprecedented access to information and in these moments of extraordinary change, reading books or diving into history seem at best, quaintly out of date, or at worst, an indulgence that cannot create the same opportunity that we see in other growing fields like computer science or marketing. As someone who works in higher education, I can tell you that there is always talk about the demise of the humanities. In moments of technological innovation, these conversations intensify, and yet, these are the points in history that need the humanities the most.

The humanities—the study of literature, language, history or philosophy—offer opportunities to think about why our world is the way it is, and give its students the tools to meet the changes we face. , but not always obvious, even as humanities students find their paths in education, law, business, management and the not-for-profit sector. The humanities invest in processes—developing critical thinking skills, intellectual creativity and flexibility. Put simply, humanities students know how to learn. At Adelphi, we have seen our graduates go on to become published authors, teachers, lawyers and technological innovators, finding jobs and building careers in unexpected and thrillingly varied fields. To follow the humanities is to pursue a passion, but that doesn’t mean that those of us who do so have to choose between that and a satisfying and lucrative career. We consider ourselves the lucky ones—more often than not, we can have both.

Here’s the thing about the humanities: The path ahead isn’t always clear. We take a road map, and set out on a path, perhaps stopping to listen to the stories or histories that will guide us on our path, and keep moving forward. As we study the humanities, building vast reserves of intellectual curiosity, empathy and problem-solving skills, we are moving toward jobs that we haven’t yet realized exist—or perhaps even jobs that don’t yet exist. We move with creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit that will serve us well in the world—not only as an employee, or (better yet) a boss, but as a human being, navigating the rapidly changing world with a sense of history, a sense of compassion and a sense of purpose. We understand how history and culture have brought us to this point in time, and we have the ability to imagine what comes next. We are, as Shakespeare put it, makers of manners.

In a world where technology insists that answers can be given instantly, and the world can feel increasingly unsettled, it can be hard to invest in a long-term strategy that can only promise to take you to places you are willing to go. But the outcomes are always worth it.

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“Their presentations received more attention than mine did,” said Dr. Torres. “I was with them at the beginning and helped them to practice their presentations. But soon, they attracted constant attention from the public.”

It Started as a Classroom Exercise

Dr. Torres’ spring semester course, Spain Today, covered topics such as contemporary cinema, literature and nationalism. But he also dedicated class time for students to choose their own topics of interest, then prepare and submit research abstracts to NeMLA.

“With the help of AI, we practiced how to create prompts to produce a satisfactory abstract,” he explained. “We worked on editing those abstracts to be ready for submission—and every student in the class sent in their proposals. Several students’ proposals were selected to present at the conference.”

For Dr. Torres’ students, the opportunity to present at a major conference was a win-win in terms of résumé building and crafting graduate school or job applications. “You need to convince. You need ideas, you need examples, you need to show your potential. And the best indicator for future results is always your past work,” he said.

Showcasing a Refuge for Chinese Comfort Women and Children

Gawrinauth, a history major, elected to showcase her advanced research on how Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary and head of Ginling College in Nanjing, China, during the 1937–1938 Nanjing Massacre, made the college a refuge for women and children escaping Japanese brutality. Many of these women, according to Gawrinauth, were thought to be former comfort women—women who had been forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese.

It’s a topic that invites parallels to contemporary sex trafficking. “Understanding these past atrocities can shed light on the enduring patterns of abuse, exploitation and resilience. By learning from history, we can better advocate for and protect victims of sex trafficking today,” Gawrinauth insisted.

History professor Maria Cristina Zaccarini, PhD’s Gender in Modern China course “ignited my passion to learn more about these resilient women and share their stories with others,” Gawrinauth recalled.

For Gawrinauth, presenting her research at the NeMLA conference “not only allowed me to share my findings, but also served as a valuable learning opportunity to enhance my speaking skills.”

In addition to her NeMLA poster presentation, her paper, “Bound by Love: Uncovering Familial Love and Sisterhood Among Chinese Comfort Women During WWII,” received two other accolades: It was published in the and earned her the undergraduate .

Exploring the Portuguese Tradition of the “Melancholy Portuguese” in Spanish Literature

Goncalves’ presentation was “related to things we talked about in class, and that appealed to her Portuguese cultural heritage,” Dr. Torres reported. “She is an accomplished student who explored how Portuguese people were depicted in Spanish literature.”

Her focus was on the portrayal of the melancholic Portuguese—a characterization closely linked to Portuguese saudade, an emotional, nostalgic—and often bittersweet and sorrowful—longing for the past.

Miguel de Cervantes’ final, masterful novel, The Trials of Persiles and Sigismunda: A Northern Story, recounts the adventures of lovers’ two-year journey to Rome. Along the way, they encountered a Portuguese man who was melancholic because he’d canceled his marriage at the last minute as he said he was married to God.

Goncalves, according to Dr. Torres, connected Cervantes’ classic tale to Portuguese fado—a traditional music genre that embodies the melancholy, soulful yearning known as saudade.

A Validating Experience

For both students, Dr. Torres said, “the experience talks about their excellence, initiative, motivation, professionalism and healthy ambition. It mainly shows that they can be successful in producing results.”

His students’ posters are displayed in Alumnae Hall, for all to see and enjoy.

As for the students, now alumnae, both will continue to pursue their master’s degrees in education at the ÇŃ×ÓĘÓƵ School of Education in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences.

The post Something to Talk About: Students Present on History and Literature to Acclaim at Prestigious Language Conference appeared first on ÇŃ×ÓĘÓƵ.

“The idea of giving back was instilled in me at an early age,” she said. “My mother got us to donate clothes, canned goods and other items to children’s homes and elderly homes. She emphasized being considerate of those who are less fortunate. Most of all, she told us it was important to share your energy, your ideas, your talents and your time. That just stuck with me.”

That attitude, and the selfless ways she has served members of neighboring communities around Adelphi and back home in Jamaica, earned her a 2024 Newman Civic Fellowship, given by the Campus Compact organization to highly engaged students who show potential for public leadership. The one-year fellowship program creates a network of students from across the country and helps them develop strategies for social change.

Adelphi students have won fellowships in each of the past seven years, reflecting the University’s commitment to preparing leaders.

A Global Perspective and an Eye on Local Communities

Garwood, who speaks three languages and is pursuing a degree in International Studies, began her community work at Adelphi almost as soon as she arrived on campus.

The runner-up for the 2023 Outstanding First-Year Student Award, she won a prestigious Jagger Community Fellowship from Adelphi that summer. The fellowship provided her a paid internship at the National Urban League, where she worked with its Jobs & Workforce Development division, which provides employment services that help individuals and families become economically self-sufficient.

Garwood also established herself as a campus leader. She is a Levermore Global Scholar (LGS), a member of Adelphi’s innovative program that prepares students to become global thinkers and leaders in a rapidly changing world. As the LGS community outreach officer this year, she organized a campaign to collect donations of toiletries and food items for Glory House Recovery, a residential program in Hempstead, New York, for women struggling to recover from addiction, sickness and domestic violence. She will be president of the LGS Student Leadership Council in the coming year.

She also tutors Adelphi students at the University’s Center for Academic Support and Enrichment; serves as an admissions ambassador; works with local high school students through Adelphi’s College Rise mentoring program; volunteers at the Panther Pantry, which provides food and necessities to students and staff who face food insecurity; and tutors high school students in Jamaica online—all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Adelphi President Christine M. Riordan noted in her letter to the Newman Fellowship judges: “As one of the most engaged and highly motivated students in her class, Candice has demonstrated that she will make the most of a Newman Civic Fellowship. Her desire to work for the benefit of others and bring positive changes to society has an incredible impact.”

An Active Force in Jamaica

Garwood’s commitment to social justice began when she was a teen in Kingston and saw how homeless people suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. She got involved with the Street People Liberation Foundation, helping marginalized people who had been hit hardest by the global crisis. Getting shelter, food and medical care had always been a struggle for the unhoused, and the pandemic made their situation much worse. Garwood helped with the power of the pen. “I did some letter writing to corporations to encourage big donations to get the help they needed,” she said.

She also tutored Jamaican high school students in Spanish to prepare them for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams. While the official language in Jamaica is English, there has been a national push for students to learn Spanish as a second language because it’s the most common language in the Caribbean.

“A lot of students cannot afford private tutoring, and I wanted to alleviate the disparity in access to educational resources,” said Garwood, who did not charge many of the students she tutored. “Education can change lives.”

Preparing for a Career Helping to Bring About Change

Adelphi is helping her reach her goals. “I have met some great professors and great students,” Garwood said. “I have been encouraged to consider different opportunities, and that’s because it’s a small campus. The direct interactions with my professors have helped me find my path.”

Garwood is pursuing an International Studies degree with concentrations in Spanish and business. She participates in the Willumstad Winning Edge program, the in-depth career-readiness program offered by Adelphi’s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, and plans to pursue an MBA and work in corporate social responsibility or international development. Her goal is to use her empathy, leadership skills and knack for problem-solving to help make the world a better place.

“I wanted a very specific degree, which I found at Adelphi,” she said. “Adelphi’s programs have helped me learn more about global issues, learn how a business operates, and learn more about culture and language.”

The post Building a Life Around Giving Back: Adelphi’s 2024–2025 Newman Civic Fellowship Winner appeared first on ÇŃ×ÓĘÓƵ.

She gathered information on a dozen vendors. Her plan was to include one student in her fieldwork during the Summer of 2023 who would help her expand this sample. Thanks to an Adelphi Faculty Development Grant, she was able to offer four students, from various majors, invaluable social science research experience. These students expanded the group to about 40 tamal vendors. The additional field researchers also allowed Dr. Olvera to grow the geographic area covered and the times of day: She focused on Central Harlem and Upper Manhattan; the students expanded it to East Harlem and the Upper West Side. Mornings were her primary time for fieldwork; students covered into the afternoon.

“There’s something about getting students out of the controlled environment—it’s an opportunity for them to understand that the social world is a lab and one can do research outside the typical STEM lab,” said Dr. Olvera. “It’s also a chance for us to have more mentor/mentee relationships between professors and students.”

Student Researchers Gain Valuable Experience in Social Science

A tamal vendor’s table on a Manhattan street

Every week, the student researchers—Erica Criollo, Katherine Huerta Ruiz, Anna Varveris and Izzy Villa—took photos, wrote field notes or recorded voice memos, contributed to the building of a database on tamal vending, interviewed women and “hung out” to understand these practically invisible members of New York City, the intricacies of tamal vending and the ways in which Mexican women cobble together their economic futures, Dr. Olvera explained.

Varveris, a junior, is an international relations major, a member of both the Honors College and Levermore Global Scholars program and vice president of the Latino Student Association. After her summer fieldwork, she decided to add a sociology minor.

She said she learned about street vending, cultural adaptations, familial relationships, field research, collecting qualitative/quantitative data, cultural retention, immigration, economics, politics and urban sociology, and “about a subculture that not many people know about or pay attention to,” she said. “The experience allowed me to reflect on my own experiences as a Dominican American and has prepared me better for my future academic and career prospects in working with nonprofit organizations and addressing public policy gaps.”

Villa, a criminal justice and languages and cultures major who’s now completed her degree, had been thinking about going on to a master’s as well as doctoral program—but had never done this sort of research.

“I learned so much in six weeks, such as building a rapport with the women I would sit with every morning or afternoon,” she said. “Many of them are wary about speaking to strangers about their lives, so making a connection with them and building an honest relationship is super important and helpful.

“Selling tamals, or really any food vending, is a science,” Villa added. “One must decide the price of everything, what exactly they are selling, at what time, in what location, who their demographic will be, and when everything will get made. They’ve earned much of my respect, and as a Latina, I am very proud to see how my people have worked so their generations can thrive higher.”

Focusing on Hispanic Cultures and Populations

Dr. Olvera plans to continue the research and share results at professional conferences soon. She also will be using some of what she’s learned so far with her classes, including a sociology class on immigration this fall. She also notes that the work gives more grounding to Adelphi’s Latin American and Latinx Studies program—and further illustrates how students and professors can use the proximity to New York City to further knowledge and education.

“For our students who are Latinx, it’s a way to better understand their own cultures and language. For those who are not, it’s a way to learn about other cultures and put their language study to use,” said Dr. Olvera, who herself has been studying the Mixteco language of Mexico’s Oaxaca and Guerrero states, particularly the mountainous areas where many of the tamal vendors are from.

Dr. Olvera’s research and its involvement of students also help make the case for Adelphi becoming an officially designated , as defined by the U.S. Department of Education.

Varveris added, “There is so much to learn from everyday life that we may not be aware of, but that could inspire research like Professor Olvera’s, just by pausing and looking at things more closely or talking to people.”

The post Hidden in Plain Sight No More: Professor and Students Research the Lives of New York City’s Mexican Tamal Vendors appeared first on ÇŃ×ÓĘÓƵ.

“It really was an honor, especially as I felt I was representing Adelphi in addition to my students and myself,” said Dr. Rudolph, a faculty member in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and the Department of History and associate dean for student engagement in the Honors College. “I loved meeting host Ken Jennings—he does a wonderful job of interacting with contestants; he’s been in their shoes and is empathetic.”

Dr. Rudolph, who is also director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships, admires Jeopardy!‘s late host, Alex Trebek, as well. “I’m glad, though, that it was Ken hosting. Had I been on in the days of Alex Trebek, one of the things I would have feared was giving an incorrect answer and having Alex say, ‘Oh no,'” she said with a laugh. “I don’t mind being wrong in front of 3.5 million people, but I don’t really want to have to bear the ‘Oh no’!”

Honors College Pride

Adelphi students organized a watch party on campus in Waldo Hall to cheer Dr. Rudolph on. “Her constant support for students is greatly appreciated, so many of us wanted to return the favor,” said senior Alexa Amato, a history and adolescent education major who is in the Honors College as well as a resident assistant in Waldo Hall. “The energy in the room was palpable, and every time she answered a question correctly the entire room would erupt in cheering for her. To see one of our own from the Honors College take on Jeopardy! was so special.”

The Delphian, Adelphi’s student newspaper, covered the news and the watch party in “”

While it was a year between the time Dr. Rudolph took the first step and when she was invited to a follow-up online session, she was soon invited to go to Los Angeles to be on the show in October—notable in itself as only one-half of 1 percent of all applicants end up on the stage. She got COVID in September, however, so her appearance was delayed until early this year. The shows were recorded and then aired in March.

“It was so much fun watching other episodes being filmed before mine,” she said. “I wasn’t chosen the first day I was there, but that turned out to be a good thing as I had a migraine. I felt good the next day—it was a lucky headache.”

As far as preparation, Dr. Rudolph said she didn’t do a lot, mainly because she was busy with her work at Adelphi. “The thing I did study was state capitals, which I hadn’t studied since the sixth grade. I didn’t want to embarrass myself not knowing a capital.”

Setting an Example: It’s OK to Make a Mistake

While she’s proud of having won a match, she also believes that being on the show was a good example for her students about speaking up and not worrying so much about maybe being wrong. In fact, she got her second Final Jeopardy response incorrect because she overthought it, she said. The clue was, “This public agency runs the USA’s busiest bus terminal, opened in 1950 for commuters awed by its polished steel and stone.”

“I thought about Port Authority, but then the wording about running it made me think there must be another aspect to it, so I said MTA,” Dr. Rudolph said. “I guess the lesson is: Go with your gut. I tell my students that, on exams, you know what you know, and if you don’t know, you can’t worry about it. As a teacher, I see a trend in classes in that some students are reticent to speak up; they don’t want to be wrong or judged for how they express themselves.

“I figured one of the great things to come out of this is that I will have gone on this national stage with millions watching, and I’ll answer something wrong. I will definitely lose at some point and come home. I figured that if I can do that, students should feel emboldened and more comfortable in the more intimate, nurturing space of the classroom. Nothing bad happened to me just because I got a few answers wrong.”

The Jeopardy! categories in each game make a big difference, she noted. For example, “Figures of Speech” played to her strengths; “Tough Tough-Guy TV,” not so much.

Dr. Rudolph called the support from the Adelphi community “magnificent.” Along with the watch party, she got multiple emails from retirees, current colleagues, alumni and even her high school drama teacher. “It was fantastic to reconnect with so many people.”

In all, Dr. Rudolph is happy with the whole experience. “It was a lot of fun. I mainly went on for the adventure—and it was a spectacular adventure.”

The post This Adelphi Person Just Became a Jeopardy! Winner: Who Is Nicole Rudolph? appeared first on ÇŃ×ÓĘÓƵ.

As of late 2022, the program is now called Latin American and Latinx Studies (LAS), reflecting more inclusion of the American experience of those with Latin American roots.

“We’ll continue to study Latin America but bring in the U.S. population, the diaspora,” Dr. Olvera said. “We’ll remain global but also focus on the domestic side of migration, education and culture.”

A New Core Course: Latinidad

In Fall 2022, the first offering of a new foundational course, Latinidad, was designed by Dr. Olvera and taught by Sandra Castro, PhD, associate dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies and adviser for the Latino Student Association since 2016.

“Something like 24 out of the 26 students in the course were Latinx, most of them born in the U.S., many first-generation college students, with diverse majors,” said Dr. Castro. “We had faculty as guest lecturers from history, social work, art, English, philosophy, and African, Black and Caribbean Studies.”

The Latinidad course is cross-disciplinary and provides historical context and nuance to the diversity of Latinx stories and voices. There will be other courses connected to the program that will help students understand the connection between Latin American and Latinx cultures, and also connections with the rest of the world.

For Spring 2023, the Latinidad course is being taught by Marcos Gonsalez, PhD, assistant professor of English, whose teaching and research areas include Latinx and queer/trans literature.

LAS program goals include creating and cultivating connections to the Latino community outside of Adelphi in the region, most particularly in Hempstead, New York, solidifying connections among Adelphi programs—such as African, Black and Caribbean Studies—and developing study abroad programs.

Exploring Identity and Celebrating Music With a February 28 Event

Dr. Olvera plans for the program to sponsor more events, the first of which is Eddie’s Perejil: A Latinx Story of Confronting History and Love of Homeland on February 28.

±Ę±đ°ů±đÂáľ±±ô—“parsley” in Spanish—refers to what is known as the Parsley Massacre, in which Dominican soldiers killed thousands of Haitians. Edward Paulino, PhD, author, playwright and assistant professor of history at John Jay College (CUNY), wrote and performs this production in which he plays a New York Dominican college student who reflects on this tragic event as well as the history of genocide, race, border relations, nation building and the African diaspora.

Before the February 28 event, there will be a reception for new Adelphi admitted students. There will also be performances by Micah Oelze, PhD, assistant professor of history, who is also an accomplished guitarist.

Enriching Their Academic Experiences With a Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies

Fiorella Albines, a senior political science major, and fellow senior and criminal justice major Savannah Mendez are minoring in Latin American and Latinx Studies.

“I am proud of my Latino heritage and wanted to dive into the different topics surrounding the community,” Albines said. “I found myself discussing topics that are otherwise overlooked and have been normalized within the older Latino generation. Minoring in Latin American and Latinx Studies has equipped me to have difficult conversations by expanding my knowledge about the long-standing history of the Latino community.”

Mendez noted, “I wanted to take classes that would allow me to diversify my education, especially about individuals whose stories are often not represented in the curriculum of higher education. This was particularly important to me as a Latina, since I wanted to expand my knowledge about the history of my ancestors. The Latinidad course helped to provide a baseline to explore the concept of Latinidad through an interdisciplinary lens—discovering its origins, impacts, and so much more.”

Program Director’s Research Focuses on Latinx Women

An associate professor of sociology, Dr. Olvera is conducting research on Mexican migrants in the New York City area who make and sell tamales and atole (a warm beverage made of grain—in this case, corn). One student who was in the fall Latinidad course will be a summer research assistant for Dr. Olvera, who explained that students will have opportunities to explore their own research interests.

“I think one of the most important things Latin American and Latinx Studies will do is provide ways for students to find in coursework and research an interest in their own culture and own history,” she said, adding, “There are many students who can benefit from this program, and they don’t all have to be Latino students. Even taking just one course can be useful. I see us as taking well-thought-out steps to ensure the program’s continued success.”

See more about Latin American and Latinx Studies as well as Dr. Olvera’s plans for the next several years.

The post Latin American Studies Becomes Latin American and Latinx Studies, Aims for New Relevance for Today’s Students appeared first on ÇŃ×ÓĘÓƵ.

The event, “Ballet Hispánico: An Afternoon With Alum Eduardo Vilaro ’85,” held on October 5, was spearheaded by Priya Wadhera, PhD, associate professor and chair, and Carmen Castellon, administrative assistant, of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. They wanted to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture during National Hispanic Heritage Month and decided to do so through the universal language of dance.

Castellon, a lover of dance, music, art and poetry, said she was looking for a Latinx individual in the arts “who was not only accomplished and influential but whose work would enlighten attendees to the richness of Hispanic heritage and culture, one whose work inspires people and fills their hearts.” She was drawn to Vilaro, not only due to all of the above, but because he also happens to be an Adelphi alum. And, she added, “Like me, he grew up in the South Bronx.”

Dr. Wadhera said that Vilaro’s “story was inspiring—in the true sense of the word from the Latin root inspirare—breathing life into our students and motivating them to pursue their dreams. As an educator, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing students find their way.”

After an introduction by Dr. Wadhera, Vilaro was joined by Tamia Santana, chief engagement and inclusion officer of Ballet Hispánico, for a Q&A. Vilaro spoke about his search to find connectivity and belonging, his time at Adelphi, and his notable career.

From Linus to Adelphi to Ballet Hispánico

Vilaro was born in Cuba in 1964, shortly after the Cuban revolution. When he was six years old, his parents immigrated to the United States, settling in the South Bronx in New York City. Vilaro had to adapt to being in a new country, learning a new language, dealing with the pressure to assimilate and how to come out to his family. He longed to find connection and belonging.

He found a home on the stage when he was in the eighth grade and cast as Linus in a school production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He was told to create his own choreography for the number “My Blanket and Me,” and he ran with it.

“I did it right, he said. “I went into the audience. I was dancing, twirling. … It was everything for me at that moment. To hear the applause, to feel the connectivity you have without verbal language, that corporeal, that emotional connection. It’s what we in the theater and in the arts understand. … It is so important for us, when we connect with community. That was it. I was stuck. I wanted to perform.”

Vilaro found connection again at a summer intensive he attended at the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and then at Adelphi.

“It was remarkable,” he said of his time here. “To be onstage working with these extraordinary teachers that had wonderful careers themselves. This is where I cut my teeth.” In addition to dance, he learned other skills, such as production direction and “what it means to be an artistic entrepreneur.”

In 1985, Tina Ramirez, the founder and artistic director of Ballet Hispánico, asked Vilaro to join the company, and he “immediately took on a variety of roles,” he said. In addition to touring the world as a dancer, he taught dance classes and developed community programs, such as one for children living in homeless shelters.

“I was becoming a voice for the organization in many different ways,” he said. “And there was a lot of learning there. A lot of fun. And glorious moments with community and people seeing transformation happening because of dance right before your eyes. It’s a remarkable thing.”

After about a decade with Ballet Hispánico, Vilaro moved to Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree and founded Luna Negra Dance Theater. In 2009, Ramirez invited him to return to Ballet Hispánico to take on the role of artistic director. In 2015, he was named CEO of the company.

A Lasting Impression

The conversation was interspersed with excerpts from Ballet Hispánico’s repertory. LĂ­nea Recta (2016, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa) and Club Havana (2000, Pedro Ruiz) showcased Hispanic heritage, while the solo and duet, respectively, from Con Brazos Abiertos (2017, Michelle Manzanales) depicted the conflicts LatinX immigrants face. The three dancers—Chris Bloom, Antonio Cangiano and Dandara Veiga—later joined Vilaro onstage to take questions from the audience.

After the event, students swarmed onstage to talk with Vilaro, Santana and the dancers. Vilaro also reunited with his former professor, Nick Petron, MA ’70, now chair of the Department of Theatre. “It was a joy to see Eduardo again,” Petron said. “He was an exceptional student, and to see the heights that he has reached is no surprise. It is very rewarding when a performing artist from Adelphi becomes successful. It always makes their professors proud.”

Frida Molina, a senior dance major and marketing minor, said, “From having firsthand insight on Eduardo Vilaro’s creative direction and life story, to seeing the Ballet Hispanico company perform, I felt seen and inspired as a Dominican American dancer coming from similar origins and experiences.”

Dr. Wadhera said other Hispanic students told her that Vilaro’s story “about how deeply he wanted to find a sense of belonging, and how he connected with his community of Spanish-speakers, discovering a sense of his Latinidad,” resonated with them, adding, “Many of our students have shared their delight with the event; some students have even sought us out to add a minor or a major in languages, especially Spanish. Eduardo is a role model to every student who dares to dream of an art-filled life, of a life filled with leaders and trailblazers who look like themselves. One student taped the poster [of Vilaro] on my door and said, “Please keep doing this, Dr. Wadhera, please. It means a lot to us.”

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Rodriguez, who was born in Guatemala, suggested creating a video about international students from Spanish-speaking countries. As a recent communications graduate, she had already spoken with friends about telling their stories and improving representation. Now she had an opportunity to make that happen.

The result is a powerful video series profiling five Hispanic students at Adelphi, each from a different country.

“Embracing one’s culture and taking pride in it is such a beautiful thing that everyone should be able to do,” Rodriguez said. “Latinos have struggled so much throughout history. We’ve fought for representation and for support, and we still do today. I want other students like myself to feel seen, to be encouraged to step out of their comfort zones in order to reach their dreams.”

Giving students their moment

Rodriguez produced the series in just a few weeks, quickly reaching out to friends and other Hispanic international students who might want to tell their stories. The video team from UCOMM helped record B-roll, and Rodriguez conducted the interviews herself. She then pulled on her communications experience to edit and produce the final products.

“I had promised one video, but when I was editing, I realized that each student should have their moment,” Rodriguez said. “After all, we had a whole month. So I told my supervisors and they agreed.”

For each profile, Rodriguez created a one-minute reel for social media and an extended video for YouTube.

“The goal is to be as inclusive as possible, and there’s no better way to do that [than with video],” Rodriguez said. “We can have statements saying that we believe in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, but actually showing this on our social media is important. Actions speak louder than words.”

A prime example of student success

This video series isn’t Rodriguez’s first, and it won’t be her last. Before graduating, she produced and took part in a video about first-generation students at Adelphi. It was created for a student panel led by then junior Miguel Velasquez and Jason Menjivar ’22.

“The whole project was student-led,” Rodriguez said. “We just did it because we wanted to. Students are hungry for these kinds of stories.”

When Rodriguez first came to Adelphi, it took her some time to adjust. Since her mom is from New York, she never felt 100 percent Guatemalan, but she wasn’t sure she belonged in America either. On campus, she quickly befriended the Hispanic kitchen and maintenance staff and considered them her “newfound familia.”

“Getting to know a little bit more about their stories every day is something I’ll always carry with me,” she said. “These are great people who work extremely hard to make students’ experience at Adelphi a pleasant and memorable one. I still [visit them] today whenever I go back to campus.”

Rodriguez also found a sense of purpose in her communications classes, where she discovered her passion for media and storytelling. She cites Jack Furtado, technical director of the communications department, as a major source of inspiration and help for her projects.

“I still check out equipment from Jack for my work,” Rodriguez said. “He’s given me so much insight in terms of how to use the equipment. He’s helped me and many other students grow as content creators.”

Meanwhile Furtado sees Rodriguez as a prime example of student success at Adelphi.

“Ana is somebody who I will point to for years as a very successful student in our department,” Furtado said. “She’s special because of what she brings to her work—her own personality and desire to always want to better herself and those around her. We were lucky just to have her in communications.”

Now, as Rodriguez continues to grow her career, she looks forward to creating more videos that help give people a voice and tell their stories.

“These videos shouldn’t be limited to holidays or thematic months,” she said. “Building a truly representative and inclusive platform for our community has to be a continuous effort. Everybody deserves to be listened to and my goal is to enable that through my career.”

Watch two videos from Ana Lyz Rodriguez’s series of profiles of Adelphi students from Latin America. Meet María Rivadeneira, a senior from Ecuador majoring in international studies, and Pablo Martínez-Sistac, a senior from Colombia majoring in journalism and political science.

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