Students in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics (DLLL), in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), were recognized for their success during an awards reception on Oct. 24 at the Founders College Assembly Hall.
The event celebrated the academic achievement and volunteerism of 51 students and included students from the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years. Hosted and sponsored by Founders College, more than 85 guests attended the event, including: students; their support networks; DLLL faculty; Pablo Idahosa, the head of Founders College; and LA&PS Associate Dean (Faculty Affairs) Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano.
The student award recipients are:
Arabic – Ola Salama (Top Student, 2018-19)
Classical Greek – Shakeel Ahmed (GK 1000, 2017-18); Michael Tersigni (GK 1000, 2018-19)
Chinese – Claudia Ruiz (CH 1000, 2018-19)
DLLL-World Literatures – Nicolette Chambers (DLLL 1000, 2018-19)
German Studies – E. Hernandez (GER 1000, 2018-19); Andy Xingyu Zhao (GER 3792, 2018-19)
Hebrew – Jiyeon Yeo (HEB1000, 2018-19)
Italian Studies – Cristina Fabrizio (IT 1000, 2018-19)
Jamaican Creole – Raziya Gabault (JC 1000, 2018-19)
Japanese Studies – Emily Hoyer (JP 1000, 2017-18); Crystal Lam (JP 3000, 2018-19) Domingo Divine (Peter Sato, 2018-19)
Korean – Eran Imperatore (KOR 1000, 2018-19); Joe Cho (KOR 4050, 2018-19)
Latin – Elaine Slonim (LA 1000, 2017-18); Melodi Armond (LA 1000, 2018-19)
Linguistics – Alexia Daly (Top Student, 2017-18); Wenyi Cai (LING 1000, 2017-18); Matthew Mondell (Top Student, 2018-19); Kasia Mastek (LING 1000, 2018-19)
Modern Greek – Christina Tassopoulos (GKM 1000, 2017-18); Aggelos Stamos (GKM 3600, 2017-18); Jerasimos Baboulas (GKM 1000, 2018-19)
Portuguese & Luso-Brazilian Studies – Erogu Otasowie (Wings, 2017-18); Cassandra Moniz (Wings, 2017-18); Vanda Mota (Dark Stones, 2017-18); Sabrina Junqueira (POR 1000, 2018-19); Vincenzo Gruppuso (POR4620, 2018-19); Beatriz Aguiar (Wings, 2018-19); Lisa (Teixeira) Raposo (Entrance, 2018-19); Wendy Roza (Dark Stones, 2018-19)
Russian – Rosalie Reis (RU 3790, 2018-19)
Spanish – Natasha Sarazin (Top Student, 2018-19); Maria Naveed (SP 1000, 2018-19)
Swahili – Adam Faux (SWAH 1000, 2018-19)
The award winners are students from Faculties across the University. Some are majors or minors in DLLL programs, some are pursuing certificates of proficiency in several languages to enhance their professional or personal goals and some are returning to university later in life.
The volunteer award recipients are students in linguistics who are also actively involved in the Linguistics Student Association and work to promote the DLLL program at a variety of events each year such as the annual Fall Campus Day and Spring Open House.
In her welcome address, Professor Maria João Dodman, Chair of the DLLL, congratulated students on their academic success and thanked the volunteers for their contributions to the department. She told students that the department is invested in forming students who will become great world citizens who understand not only language as one of the most basic and needed elements of our humanity, but also acquire intercultural skills that narrow the space between cultures, students who think in informed, critical and empathic ways, and who dialogue in knowledgeable and respectful ways.
“May the time you’ve spent at the DLLL continue to inspire you in your becoming a better version of yourselves,” Dodman said.
Professor Idahosa echoed some of the points highlighted by the Chair of the department and congratulated the DLLL on their signature event. Associate Dean Iannacito-Provenzano gave remarks on behalf of the dean and reminded all of those present of the importance of the humanities and a liberal arts education.
“Courses in language, literature, culture and linguistics give students the skills to relate to the other, no matter what life path they choose," said Iannacito-Provenzano. "Our mission is to give students the tools to understand themselves better but also to better understand today’s world in all its complexities.”
The department also welcomed Susan Costa from Azores Airlines, who delivered a voucher for a free round trip to the Azores to Beatriz Aguiar, this year’s student award winner. Costa also spoke of the value of travelling, of experiential education and of learning about other cultures. In addition to Azores Airlines, the department also recognized other sponsored awards from Santander Totta Bank, Academia do Bacalhau de Toronto and Peter Sato.
Students receiving awards highlighted the lifelong skills they learned from their courses, and, in some cases, revealed that their experiences in the DLLL have been life-changing due to the care of their professors.
To add to an already heartwarming and inspiring evening, Adam Faux, a PhD student in music and award winner in Swahili, surprised everyone with a song in Swahili, while Claudia Ruiz, who won an award in Chinese, sang in Chinese.