This spring, we welcomed Jon Ritzdorf — an industry veteran whose 25-year career in localization and global expansion brings real-world insight directly into the classroom — as an instructor in our M.A. in Global Communication & Applied Translation (GCAT) program. What energizes him most about the program is its uniquely diverse student body: rather than training only future translators, GCAT brings together students driven by a broader passion for global communication. That shift has shaped his teaching approach, pushing him to break down complex localization processes into clear, “bite-sized” modules that build toward a full understanding of how software and digital content go global. His classes emphasize hands-on learning, with exercises designed to mirror real industry challenges so students actively practice solving the kinds of problems they’ll face in international careers.

"While not every student in my class intends to become a localization professional, they are all united by a deep appreciation for how the world connects through words and visuals," Ritzdorf said. "I am confident that the cross-cultural competencies they develop in this course will serve as a powerful asset in their future careers, no matter where their path leads them."

Bertony Louis earned first place in the Socially Engaged Poetry Contest, organized by Wax Poetry and Art Magazine, for his Pittsburgh-written poem “There is No Life on Mars.” He also won the 2026 Francesco Giampietri International Literary Prize in Italy for “What Made My Father Cry,” a poem written in Pittsburgh that addresses domestic violence against men. Lastly, he received the Hubert-Fillay Prize in the 2026 international poetry contest organized by Ecole de la Loire, honoring his collection "Ombres et Brillances (Shadows and Glows)."

Kiyono Fujinaga-Gordon has been awarded a scholarship to attend the Short Course on Multilingual Approaches to Research Studies at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, held in June. The nationally recognized program prepares researchers to engage non-English-preferring children and families and aligns closely with Dr. Fujinaga-Gordon’s focus on linguistic diversity, language equity and community-engaged research and education.

Nevine Abraham and Michal Friedman were awarded the Humanities Center Faculty Research Grant for their project "Contested Culinary Landscapes," a feature‑length documentary (in progress) that examines culinary practices in Israel and Palestine as interdependent spaces, shaped by histories of dispossession, migration, nation-building, displacement and cultural appropriation.

Nevine Abraham led an invited Workshop titled "Orientalism: Deconstructing Arab Representation" in celebration of Arab American Heritage Month, hosted by Heinz College. The workshop included an overview of Arab contributions to the Humanities and Sciences and offered a hands-on introduction to the Arabic writing system for the CMU community.

Kenya Dworkin was invited to present the keynote address "Rehearsing Rebellion: Cigar Workers, Performance and the Radicalization of José Martí in Tampa" at the University of Tampa's Center for José Martí Studies Affiliate (the only U.S. affiliated with the Centro de Estudios Martianos in Havana, Cuba) on April 17. It was also announced there that Dr. Dworkin will be named the Center's first official research affiliate.

Pina Gemboni was invited for a class visit at the College of the Holy Cross in the Introduction to contemporary Italy course. After her presentation "Migrations in today's Italy," she had a conversation with the students about migrations, citizenship, discrimination and postcolonial literature.

Felipe Gómez served as the plenary speaker for the XXVI Coloquio Anual de Literatura, Lingüística y Cultura Hispanoamericanas y Peninsulares, organized and held remotely by the University of Central Florida's Spanish Graduate Association (SaGA). His keynote "Emergencia y resistencia en el cómic latinoamericano" explored the intersection of urban crisis, social adaptation and the collapse of the modern utopian project in Latin American graphic novels.

As a member of the U.N. Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD), Michael McEachrane participated in its 6th Session in Geneva, contributing statements on the Forum’s mandate and the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and presenting on Pan-Africanism at a side event hosted by the World Council of Churches — underscoring CBESA’s ongoing global impact. Read more on CBESA's website.

Haixia Wang delivered a virtual presentation for the CMU-Q community titled “Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting” as part of the CMU-Q micro-courses initiative. The program continues to receive support from our CMU-Q colleagues, including Silvia Pessoa (DC 2007), Hope Rodefer, Erik Helin and Supriya Sinha in promoting the micro-courses. [calligraphy message translates to "best wishes from my heart"]

Seth Wiener co-authored the paper "Tonal language experience facilitates pitch perception in L2/3 Japanese" published in the Journal of Japanese Linguistics. doi.org/10.1515/jjl-2026-2003. Dr. Wiener was also an invited discussant at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's New Directions Lecture Series on the topic of "Investigating Accented Speech Perception in Tonal Languages." 

Students in 82-315 Documentary in Practice: From Idea to Post Production, taught by Reem Alghazzi, presented the short documentaries they created in line with the theme of "Self and the City." They each explored a personal narrative of their student experience.

CMU-Q students in Haixia Wang’s micro-course 82-061 Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting, created final projects using art tools available at home. In addition to calligraphy and painting on paper, several students experimented with crocheting and cross-stitching Chinese characters. The virtual exhibit showcases these final projects, with students adding signatures in their native languages, including Arabic, Burmese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Urdu and English. The final projects encourage creativity through art as a way to unwind during this uncertain time.  

CBESA continues to shape international conversations on colonialism and racial justice through research. The Center contributed to the landmark exhibition “Postcolonial?" at the House of European History, which opened on April 17, with Mame-Fatou Niang and Michael McEachrane involved in its production. Dr. McEachrane also authored an essay for the exhibition on the relevance of colonial history to Scandinavia.

We are still accepting applications for our M.A. in Global Communication & Applied Translation program for fall 2026. The final deadline is May 13, 2026. Current CMU students who are interested in applying should check out our 4+1 option. More information is available on our website.

The deadline for fall 2026 admission to the Professional Certification in Language Program Administration (LPA) has been extended to June 21, 2026. Our LPA professional certificate is an one-year, online program. Courses are designed for current educators and graduate students who are seeking to advance in their careers through language teaching, language supervision, language program administration and/or curriculum development. 

Learn a new language, or brush up on your existing language skills, through LCAL's online language learning programs! Our courses in Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish are flexible and affordable options designed for adult learners who are not currently enrolled at CMU. We are pleased to now offering summer courses — which run from the week of May 11 until August 14. View our flyer and visit our website for more details. Questions? Email onlinelanguages@andrew.cmu.edu.