Associate Professor of Spanish Mayte de Lama explored how literature can serve as a powerful tool for raising awareness and fostering meaningful conversations about mental health, at the XLII Congreso Internacional de Literatura y Estudios Hispánicos in Spain.

Drawing on Claudia Piñeiro’s novel “Elena Knows,” de Lama presented a classroom project developed for her course Spanish 3200: Reading Texts, Reading Life. In the project, students analyzed one of the novel’s central characters, identifying signs of depression and other factors that contributed to her tragic fate. After completing a workshop on wellness developed and taught by the Center for Design Thinking at ������Ƶ, de Lama’s students used the same framework to engaged in critical reflection, discussion, and collaborative problem-solving to explore steps and interventions that might have changed the character’s trajectory.

Moving beyond literary analysis, the project encouraged students to apply these insights to real-world contexts, helping them recognize warning signs, cultivate empathy and consider ways to support mental well-being within their communities, families, and circles of friendship. The presentation demonstrated how the study of literature can contribute to wellness education while strengthening critical thinking and enhancing students’ analytical, cultural, and interpersonal skills.

Through this interdisciplinary approach, de Lama highlighted the potential of literature classrooms to promote both academic engagement and student well-being, creating opportunities for meaningful learning that extends beyond the text and into students’ everyday lives and relationships.

Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the College’s dean and associate deans.

“Each of these award recipients demonstrate dedication to their students and colleagues,” said Hilton Kelly, dean of ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences. “I am so pleased to recognize each of these faculty and staff members for all of their work and contributions to supporting the mission of the College.”

The 2026 College Excellence Award recipients:

Excellence in Teaching Award

Kristen Mazur

Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics

Associate Professor Kristen Mazur builds her classrooms around the idea that students learn best when they are encouraged to take intellectual risks, embrace productive struggles and grow through challenges. She was the leader in the development of ������Ƶ’s Precalculus program and co-creator of the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Assistant Program, helping strengthen pathways into science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. She received the Trevor Evans Award, established by the Mathematical Association of America, for scholarship of an exceptional mathematics article that is accessible to undergraduates which was published in “Math Horizons.” Mazur also has multiple publications with undergraduate co-authors.

Excellence in Scholarship

Yanica Faustin

Assistant Professor of Public Health

Assistant Professor Yanica Faustin’s work focuses on health equity and understanding and dismantling the systemic and structural barriers that shape health and well-being for marginalized communities. Faustin was ������Ƶ’s first recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Scholars for Action award, a national grant supporting groundbreaking scholarship that advances health equity. This award helped position ������Ƶ on a national stage in public health research. In addition to peer-reviewed publications, invited presentations and public scholarship, she has built a research program committed to developing future scholars. Faustin has also advanced national conversations around maternal and reproductive health, racial inequities in birth outcomes, severe maternal morbidity and the health experiences of Black communities across the diaspora.

Excellence in Service-Leadership Award

Corey Roberts

Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies

Assistant Professor Corey Roberts’ service has been defined by a commitment to collaboration and community engagement. Through leadership of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation (OBSN) Heritage Language and Learning Working Group, Roberts helped secure multiple grants, develop educational initiatives, organize conferences and workshops and deepens the partnership between ������Ƶ and the OBSN. These efforts brought together students, faculty, staff, tribal leaders and community members in meaningful and lasting ways. He helped to lead the creation and installation of a historic marker at The Oaks that includes Yesa:sahí language and a land acknowledgment, along with coordinating signage on OBSN tribal grounds. The dedication brought more than 120 members of the ������Ƶ and tribal communities together. Roberts also helped organize the Undergraduate Conference on Languages and Cultures, coordinated Polyglot Lunches, co-advises the Native American Student Association and delivered guest lectures that embody language, culture, community and belonging.

Excellence in Mentoring Award

Lauren Guilmette

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Associate Professor Lauren Guilmette has created numerous opportunities for students to connect their academic work with the wider world. From mentoring independent research projects, Honors students, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience scholars and graduate school applicants, to creating programs that connect students with faculty mentors, community partners and scholars across the country, Guilmette bands the horizons of what mentoring can be. As an advisor to the Gender & Sexuality Living Learning Community, Guilmette has cultivated spaces where students find community, leadership opportunities and a sense of belonging. Through partnerships with local organizations, grassroots initiatives, and community leaders, students have been encouraged to see themselves not simply as learners, but as engaged citizens capable of making a difference in the world. She also has a gift for connecting people, students with mentors, students with communities, students with one another and students with a deeper sense of purpose.

Staff Excellence Award

Beth DeFord

Program Assistant for Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health

Program Assistant Beth DeFord has spent more than two decades tracking down the right answer, identifying a potential problem before it arises, navigating a complicated process, helping a colleague meet a deadline and working behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly. Known for approaching tasks with professionalism, precision, kindness and a desire to help others succeed, faculty trust her expertise, students benefit from her support and colleagues rely on her wisdom and institutional knowledge. DeFord supports three academic departments, Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health, to provide assistance to faculty, supervise student employees, support hundreds of students and manages a building. One nominator described DeFord as a superhero who manages an enormous workload, yet somehow makes it all look effortless.

The article, “,” was co-authored by Jennifer Stephens, director of Academic-Residential Partnerships and assistant professor of education; Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning and assistant professor of wellness; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish and assistant director of First-Year Seminars in the ������Ƶ Core Curriculum; and Brandy S. Propst, director of ������Ƶ 1010 and assistant director of Academic Advising.

The collaborative nature of this work is, in itself, a unique reflection of ������Ƶ’s approach to the first-year experience, as it brings together offices across academic affairs and student life to create a unified and campus-wide ethos to the first-year experience, which they argue is essential but often missing in institutional approaches to the first-year experience.

The piece explores how institutions should view the first-year experience as a culmination beyond first-year seminars, and that in doing so, it requires us to see this as a unique pedagogical context that differs from teaching students in their sophomore to senior years of college. The authors present a framework for faculty development in First-Year Pedagogies, incorporating CATL’s Teaching for Equity and Inclusion work, and faculty, staff, and student data at ������Ƶ. The framework asks educators to think intentionally about who they teach, what they teach, and how they teach, all within a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

The article outlines how other institutions can put this framework into practice, by sharing how over the last two years, ������Ƶ has developed specific faculty development opportunities to bring together faculty and staff from across first-year experiences (e.g., residential learning communities, gateway major courses, advising seminars). The goal of this work has been to build shared values, language, and classroom strategies focused on preparing students to be engaged, autonomous, and self-directed learners during their college degree and supporting students through the numerous transitions they experience during their first-year at college.

This work reflects why ������Ƶ has earned national recognition for the first-year undergraduate experience and emphasizes the importance of uplifting and supporting staff and faculty in order to continue to best support our first-year students.

Six Rising Stars in German Studies were awarded this year. Rising Stars are new students in the German Program who have impressed the faculty with their progress, dedication and curiosity regarding German language and culture. This years awardees are:

• Katherine Ragan
• Hannah Reeves
• Sasha Ronsayro
• Marshall Sears
• Elizabeth Walters
• Madison West

Moving from newcomers to seniors in German Studies, we welcomed 13 new members to Delta Phi Alpha, the national German Honor Society. Delta Phi Alpha was founded in 1929, and ������Ƶ’s chapter Upsilon Omikron was established in 2018. We welcome the following students to Delta Phi Alpha:

• Colin Blount
• Fiona Hodge
• Haley Johnson
• Elisabeth Holmes
• Tori Layton
• Brooke Allen Menzock
• Sarah T. Moore
• Patrick Tuohy
• Zoe Richardson
• Matthew Rostan
• Taylor Salmon
• Elina Shah
• Cayden Williamson

The German Studies faculty also awarded three students with achievement awards. The Marsilius von Inghen Award was awarded to Tori Layton and Haley Johnson. The award recognizes Tori and Haley’s excellence in German language proficiency, cultural competence, and undergraduate research. The award was named after Marsilius von Inghen, the first president of Heidelberg Universität, which both, Tori and Haley, attended during their semester abroad.

Sarah T. Moore was awarded the inaugural Moffitt-Newman Award. The Moffitt-Newman award recognizes academic achievement and sustained service to the German program. It is named for the earliest instructors of German at ������Ƶ, Emmett Moffitt and the Reverend John Urquhart Newman, who taught German beginning in the 1890s. Moore started learning German at ������Ƶ, and has taken it every year. She has also been an officer of the German Club and its president in 2025-26.

The festivities were accompanied by a delicious spread of German-inspired food put together by ������Ƶ’s Harvest Table, including Spätzle and Schnitzel.

Performers can either do karaoke, sing an original song, or lip sync — the one stipulation is that it must be in a language other than English. This year, there were 14 performances with songs in 10 different languages: French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Italian, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, and Old French/Latin.

Global Vision was inspired by the Euro Vision Song Contest, which has been hosted since 1956. However, the event at ������Ƶ is for languages across the globe, not only languages spoken in Europe.

������Ƶ’s performers were rated in the categories singing, language skills, and performance by Sandy Marshall (Global Neighborhood), Bethanny Sudibyo (World Languages and Cultures), Trudy Arling (Polygot LLC RA), and Joel Thomas (Campus Safety and Police).

There were three prize baskets for the winners filled with international candies, snacks and drinks. In addition to the sweet treats, the first-place winners also went home with a trophy!

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

• 1st place – Vee Brown performed in Italian
• 2nd place – Emma Arruda performed in French
• 3rd place – Tamar Kalisher performed in French/Latin

������Ƶ’s sixth Global Vision Song Contest is scheduled for Spring 2027.

Layton recently earned a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) grant. Also known as German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD is a Germany-based international funding organization for exchange students, researchers and academics. Layton, a German studies and history major with minors in museum studies and public history and international and global studies, plans to pursue a master’s degree in intercultural communication and European studies at Fulda University of Applied Sciences.

Layton discovered the DAAD grant via a tip from her German professors, Kristin Lange, associate professor of German, and Scott Windham, associate professor of German. She received strategic support from Nicole Galante, assistant director of national and international fellowships, and Ann Cahill, professor of philosophy, distinguished university professor and director of the National and International Fellowships Office (NIFO).

“The guidance I received from faculty was instrumental in helping me achieve this milestone,” Layton said. “Nicole Galante and Dr. Cahill at NIFO assisted me in writing a statement of purpose and making clear that I am an ideal candidate for DAAD. I am also thankful for my German professors Dr. Scott Windham and Dr. Kristin Lange for encouraging me to pursue studies abroad and to challenge myself.”

Layton also discussed how the DAAD grant will help her achieve her dream of earning a master’s degree abroad.

“The value of studying outside of your home country is something that I don’t think many Americans grasp, and I am excited to gain new academic perspectives by engaging with a culture that is not my own,” Layton said.

Layton’s inspiration for pursuing a master’s degree in Germany stems from her semester abroad in Heidelberg during fall 2024 after immersing herself in the city and culture, she longed to return to Germany.

“I took all of my coursework in German and wrote a semester paper in German, so my language skills and ability to engage with German texts in my field of study expanded drastically,” Layton said. “I felt one with Heidelberg and like I belonged there. This showed me that I am capable of pursuing further education in the country.”

Layton’s strong interest in German studies began when she was 13 years old. She started completing German coursework at this age and was fascinated to learn about a language and culture that was different from her own. Layton continued her studies in high school, which ultimately carried over to her time at ������Ƶ.

“It was at ������Ƶ that I really thrived in German, developing advanced proficiency and connecting German to my career goals,” Layton said. “My advisor Dr. Windham taught me in my first semester in German my freshman fall, and he saw my potential and encouraged me to continue pursuing language education.”

Because Layton knew she wanted to take a German course each semester to maintain her language proficiency, creating a German studies major seemed like the logical next step. She also noted how courses in German studies, history, museum studies and international and global studies intersect.

“Dr. Windham introduced me to the idea of being a German major, and he was clear that he would support the process of designing the major, so I wasn’t too overwhelmed by the idea,” Layton said. “As an ambitious student, I was more excited to start something new than I was nervous.”

Designing this new major involved curating a list of required courses and proposing a capstone thesis project. Windham, Evan Gatti, professor of art history, and Amanda Laury Kleintop, assistant professor of history, helped Layton make sure that the German studies curriculum coincided with her other degree programs.

“Designing the major took two semesters of meetings and collaboration with committees to prove I could undertake an entirely new major, a demanding process that strengthened my ambition and clarified my academic and career goals,” Layton said.

DAAD is one of the world’s largest grant institutions. It funds research and study for over 100,000 people in Germany and across the world.

“Receiving the DAAD grant is significant because it’s proof that Tori is among the top young researchers in the United States and it’s a testament to her academic achievements and intellectual ambition,” Windham said. “We are ridiculously proud of Tori. The grant shows how well ������Ƶ supports undergraduate research, international grant and fellowship applications, and cross-disciplinary studies. It also shows that ������Ƶ’s language programs are among the best in the country. Tori’s DAAD grant wouldn’t be possible without her extraordinary abilities in German.”

This year, Layton worked with Windham and Gatti to complete her German studies capstone project investigating how the extremist far-right political party in Germany, Die Alternative für Deutschland (The Alternative for Germany, AfD), uses propaganda infused with historical visual rhetoric. She explained how this propaganda suggests that the party is helping restore Germany’s former glory.

“The research has consisted of considerable close reading of propaganda posters, culminating in a map that visually connects each image,” Layton said. “This is to exhibit how there is a global shift towards far-right extremism that is being influenced by internet-based propaganda today.”

Layton met with Windham and Gatti weekly to discuss the work she completed and to receive feedback. She really valued this mentorship because of Windham’s position as a professor of German studies and Gatti’s background in German medievalism.

“Dr. Windham and Dr. Gatti guided me while I determined how this project would look in the end,” Layton said. “I am eternally grateful for their endless support, insight and encouragement.”

Looking ahead to her future studies in Fulda, Germany, Layton anticipates continuing the research she started at ������Ƶ as she contemplates a topic for her master’s thesis.

������Ƶ has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. Students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot ’26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The ������Ƶ Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at ������Ƶ. Reflecting on her early years, she says, “Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family’s translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.”

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at ������Ƶ, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is “the most honest intersection of everything [she’s] been working towards: language, identity, education, and community.”

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her ������Ƶ mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Muñoz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Bratić ’26

Anya Bratić, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an ������Ƶ College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Bratić, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and teaching. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at ������Ƶ. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for teaching and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to “wicked” problems. Serving as an English teaching assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and teaching skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Bratić is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. “Simply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,” she says. Bratić’s constellation of ������Ƶ mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate teaching professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan ’26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At ������Ƶ, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, teaching and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her teaching skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students’ scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan’s most influential ������Ƶ mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. “Dr. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at ������Ƶ,” she said. “Through his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.”

Madison Powers ’25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At ������Ƶ, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her undergraduate years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year’s application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English teaching assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers’ current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her ������Ƶ mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas ’25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English teaching assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at ������Ƶ. She completed a two-year undergraduate research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her teaching skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at ������Ƶ. Vindas’ ������Ƶ mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the “wonderful” dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an ������Ƶ College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the Campus Alamance program.

Lovasco’s ������Ƶ mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and assistant professor of wellness.

Federico Pous, associate professor of Spanish, introduced students to Teatro Foro, or “forum theater,” an interactive theater technique developed by Augusto Boal to portray social and political conflict.

In Teatro Foro, actors perform a short scene centered on a conflict that remains unresolved at the end of the performance, inviting audience members to intervene and propose solutions. Throughout the semester, students examined how significant events in Latin American history have been represented and understood by the public.

During the May 7 showcase, two student groups performed original scenes depicting conflicts that could occur in everyday college life.

The first performance, “Caos en el apartamento” (“Chaos in the Apartment”), focused on tensions among roommates caused by messy living habits, poor communication and the frequent presence of one roommate’s boyfriend — all compounded by the inaction of an inattentive resident assistant.

Audience members stepped into the performance to suggest compromises and alternative approaches to resolving the conflict. While the scenario centered on a relatively ordinary disagreement, the performance highlighted how power dynamics, silence and passivity can shape even the most personal spaces.

The second performance addressed more serious themes, including sexism, domestic violence and bystander intervention.

“La lección que no escucharon” (“The Lesson They Didn’t Hear”) followed a college student trying to convince her friends to believe her account of domestic violence and warn another friend about the perpetrator before it was too late. The performance challenged audience members to consider why survivors are sometimes dismissed or ignored.

Student spectators again entered the scene to propose solutions and interventions, working through the complexities of responding to gender-based violence and supporting survivors.

Following the performances, Pous led a discussion encouraging students to reflect on the themes raised in each scene, including silence in the face of oppression and the responsibility to speak out against injustice.

The performances prompted broader questions from both actors and audience members, including how individuals can respond to injustice and how communities can work to prevent gender-based violence. Through the forum theater exercise, students explored practical responses to social conflict while encouraging critical reflection among everyone involved.

Smith Elementary School transformed into a vibrant international showcase during Global Week as university professors offered a cultural event connecting local students and their families with cultures and languages from around the world.

The event, organized by Mayte de Lama, associate professor of Spanish, featured a series of interactive tables, each representing a different country or culture. Faculty members Shereen Elgamal, Federico Pous, Ketevan Kupatadze, Mayte de Lama, Ricky Mendoza, Samuele Pardini, Bethanny Sudibyo, along with French majors Cécile Charron and Noelle Murray and with French minor Julia Canto, volunteered their time to create engaging experiences. Together, they offered children and their families an opportunity to explore communities from across the globe. Rod Salazar, owner of Irazú Coffee, also contributed his time, expertise and coffee beans by helping bring Costa Rican culture to life.

Each table was thoughtfully curated with authentic materials. Visitors could browse children’s books in different languages, learn to write basic characters, and participate in hands-on activities such as traditional games and crafts. Colorful displays of photographs, artifacts and clothing provided insight into daily life and cultural celebrations, while snacks and sweets offered a literal taste of each culture and reinforced language learning. At several tables, families gathered as professors demonstrated how to write in non-Latin alphabets, sparking curiosity and excitement among young learners. Children who completed their journey across the different countries received stamps in a “passport,” which they later exchanged for a prize.

Families, teachers, and staff expressed strong appreciation for the opportunity to “travel” and learn together in an interactive and accessible setting. By bringing university professors into the elementary school community, the event created a meaningful bridge between higher education and early learning.

Sudibyo, an assistant teaching professor of Spanish who joined ������Ƶ in 2023, brings a global perspective shaped by her Indonesian roots and academic journey. Through her teaching, research and campus involvement, she is creating spaces where students feel a sense of belonging, something she says first drew her to ������Ƶ.

“I really enjoyed the company of my colleagues, and they were such wonderful people,” Sudibyo said of her first visit to ������Ƶ. “Then the students, during my teaching demo, were all engaged, and it just felt like a great place.”

Being from Indonesia, Sudibyo describes her academic path as somewhat “random.”

“We don’t speak Spanish in Indonesia, it’s not our national language and we don’t have a lot of connections to the Spanish-speaking world in that way,” said Sudibyo, who decided to major in Spanish.

Now, as a professor, Sudibyo focuses on bridging those connections, encouraging students to think beyond traditional cultural boundaries, particularly through her research studying the intersections of the Asian and the Spanish-speaking world. Her scholarship highlights stories that, she says, are often overlooked, including the history of the Philippines under Spanish colonial rule and the presence of Asian voices within Hispanic culture.

“Something I’ve discovered that is not talked about a lot are the Hispanic Philippines,” she said. “There are a lot of cultural productions, all in Spanish, and it was never taught to me as a graduate student. It became very personal.”

By bringing these perspectives into her courses, including “Women’s Writing in the Hispanic World,” Sudibyo is broadening how students understand language, culture and identity, while also increasing visibility for Asian narratives in traditionally Eurocentric spaces.

Outside the classroom, Sudibyo continues that work as a faculty-in-residence in the Danieley Neighborhood, where she connects with students on a more personal level.

“It’s a very rewarding experience because you get to interact with students outside of class,” she said. “They get to see me as a human being.”

She also serves as an advisor to the Polyglot Living Learning Community, helped launch the Spanish Club in Fall 2025, and channels her passion for event planning into creating inclusive, community-building experiences.

For Sudibyo, mentorship is one of the most meaningful aspects of her role, and central to creating spaces of belonging.

“Seeing the students’ growth and seeing them reaching the goals that they’ve said they wanted to do—I think that’s the most rewarding part,” she said.

That impact is also felt by her students.

“Dr. Sudibyo has impacted me at ������Ƶ by being a mentor for me as a student but also as a person,” said Hailey Landers ‘28, president of the Spanish Club and a dance science major from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. “Her guidance and genuine support have made a lasting difference in both my personal and academic journey.”

During API Heritage Month, Sudibyo’s presence on campus also carries deeper significance. As one of the coordinators of ������Ƶ’s API Employee Resource Group, she is intentional about increasing visibility and challenging narrow perceptions of what it means to be Asian.

“When we say ‘Asian,’ a lot of us think of East Asia,” she said. “For me, it’s important to show up because it shows Asia is a diverse continent with so many cultures and so many languages.”

Through her teaching, mentorship and advocacy, Sudibyo is helping ensure that diversity is not just acknowledged at ������Ƶ but actively understood, represented and celebrated.

������Ƶ honors Asian & Pacific Island Heritage Month

As part of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, ������Ƶ is sharing stories through Today at ������Ƶ that highlight Asian and Pacific Islander students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month, ������Ƶ is also recognizing API Heritage Month through a series of events and programming.