CLAS Newsletter

Dr. Scott Schwenter Appointed As New CLAS Director

Dr. Scott Schwenter, Professor of Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, has been appointed as the director of the Center for Latin American Studies, starting September 1. Dr. Schwenter has significant professional experience and connections in Latin America, having taught courses or given invited lectures in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, and Puerto Rico.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Scott Schwenter in his new role as CLAS Director!

CLAS Virtual Coffee Hour

This Thursday, Dr. Paulo Dutra, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Portuguese Program at the University of New Mexico, will briefly discuss several aspects of the whitening process of Afro-Brazilian writer, Machado de Assis, and the current status of the scholarship on the topic.

Coffee Hours are designed to continue offering ways to network and engage with each other on topics and themes related to Latin America. Discussions will take place on Zoom every Thursday from 1:30 - 2:30 PM. Please suggest new themes and/or lead future discussions based on your interests (music, cooking demonstrations, favorite books, review of journal articles, etc.). What would you like to see in future coffee hours? Email Megan Hasting with your ideas!

7/30 Coffee Hour: TBD

CLAS publishes its first Annual Report, "CLAS of 2019-20"

The Center for Latin American Studies is excited to announce our very first Annual Report publication, CLAS of 2019-20. This electronic publication wraps up the 2019-2020 academic year, featuring academic and outreach programming, updates on leadership transitions, and faculty and student news.

What's inside:

Center News: CLAS Director, Dr. Terrell Morgan, retires after nearly five years of leading the center. Read about his successful leadership and all he has accomplished at Ohio State. (Page 4)

Academic Programming: We have listed CLAS' 26 lectures, conferences, and events held on campus this past year, and feature articles on Día de los Muertos, Sebastián Calfuqueo Aliste's residency, and the 4th Annual Quechua Alliance Meeting. (Pages 7-9)

Outreach: We have listed CLAS' 18 programs offered to teachers, business leaders, students, and community members, featuring pieces on Summer Seminars Abroad for Spanish Teachers (SSAST), CCWA Luncheon on Climate Change, and Virtual Coffee Hours. (Pages 10-12)

Faculty Updates: Read about some of our 131 CLAS affiliated faculty members on campus, including Elvia Andía Grágeda, the world's first certified OPI tester for Quechua. (Pages 12-15)

Student News: Learn about our 37 students awarded with either a FLAS or Tinker Fellowship. (Pages 16-17)

It is our intent to make this a yearly publication. Enjoy reading and please let us know what you think!