Academics
Faculty
Carolyn Lukens-Olson
Department Chair
Associate Professor of Modern Languages: Spanish
B.A. Ohio University; M.A., Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Campus Office
Durick Library 322
Phone: 802.654.2451
Box 305
E-mail: clukens-olson@smcvt.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Ferdinand
Professor of Modern Languages: French
B.A. Ecole Normale Supérieure, Haïti; Ph.D. Tufts University
Campus Office
Durick Library 317
Phone: 802.654.2457
Box 204
E-mail: jferdinand@smcvt.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anne Pease McConnell
Professor of Modern Languages: French
B.A., M.A., Ph.D. University of Arizona
View Dr. McConnell's Curriculum Vitae.
Courses Taught: Second-Semester French; Etudes litteraires (an introduction to literary studies); Quebec Culture; Quebec Literature
Areas of Expertise: Quebec literature, Haitian literature, literary translation, uses of technology for teaching language and literature, 17th-Century theatre.
Recent Scholarly Achievements: Dr. McConnell published Rire haitien / Haitian Laughter, a 400-page hardcover edition of Georges Anglade’s lodyans in a bilingual edition, with Dr. McConnell's translations into English. Dr. McConnell also presented a paper in English on her translation work at the Library of Congress.
On Teaching and Research: When she arrived at Saint Michael's, Dr. McConnell wanted the Department of Modern Languages and Literature to initiate courses that pay homage to the French, French-Canadian and Franco-American roots of the college. In order to prepare for proposing and teaching these courses, she began research that continues today, and most of her publications since that time have been in that field.
Outside Saint Michael's: Dr. McConnell pursues music - both listening and performing (she used to play the flute, and still sings in her church choir); crafts - knitting and crocheting, spinning; and cooking, (as well as canning, in the fall). She also enjoys reading good whodunits.
Campus Office
Durick Library 318
Phone: 802.654.2202
Box 227
E-mail: amcconnell@smcvt.edu
Personal Web site: http://academics.smcvt.edu/amcconnell/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kathleen Rupright
Professor of Modern Languages: Spanish
B.A. Capital University; M.A., D.M.L. Middlebury College
Courses Taught: Second Semester Spanish; Third Semester Spanish; Advanced Grammar; Latinos en los Estados Unidos; El Cuento latinoamericano; Senior Seminar
Areas of Expertise: Precolumbian art and architecture; Latinos in the United
States
Recent Scholarly Achievements: Dr. Rurpight continues to do research in the areas of pre-Columbian art and architecture, with emphasis on the Maya, Inca and Mexica cultures.
On Teaching and Research: Dr. Rupright particularly enjoys teaching precolumbian art and architecture where she has the opportunity to use a variety of materials, and to draw on her own experiences in several Spanish-speaking countries. She also enjoys putting those materials into historical perspective for her students.
Outside Saint Michael's: Dr. Rupright enjoys playing the piano, gardening, and crossword puzzles.
Campus Office
Durick Library 315
Phone: 802.654.2453
Box 385
krupright@smcvt.edu
Personal Web site: http://academics.smcvt.edu/krupright/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian Languasco
Associate Professor of Modern Languages: Italian
B.A. City College of New York; M.A. Columbia University; Ph.D. University of Venice, Italy
Courses Taught: Introduction to Italian; Grammar and Composition; Conversation Italian; Study Tour in Italy; Italian Cinema; Topics in Italian Culture; Readings in Italian Literature
Areas of Expertise: Language studies; Romance languages; German and Russian 19th Century Literature; Italian history; Global Studies
Recent Scholarly Achievements: Dr. Languasco presented during a session on Italian Studies at the 57th annual Kentucky Foreign Languages Conference at the University of Kentucky (April 2008). His presentation was titled "Venezia e Caterina Cornaro, regina di Cipro."
On Teaching and Research: Dr. Languasco's research adds new dimensions to his teaching while his teaching provides significant questions and answers for his research. In his classes and in the other courses offered in the Department of Modern Languages, Dr. Languasco says that students can successfully learn a second language, and they are supported by expert faculty as well as by the latest technology features available in Saint Michael's Language Lab and in the classrooms.
Outside Saint Michael's: Dr. Languasco enjoys learning new languages, traveling, hiking, bicycling, and cross-country skiing. He has run 16 New York City Marathons and about another dozen between Burlington, Stowe, Montreal, Rome and Orlando.
Campus Office
Durick Library 324
Phone: 802.654.2437
Box 203
E-mail: alanguasco@smcvt.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Svetlana Elnitsky
Associate Professor of Modern Languages: Russian
B.A., M.A. Moscow State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages; Ph.D. McGill University
Campus Office
Durick Library 320
Phone: 802.654.2452
Box 366
E-mail: selnitsky@smcvt.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marta Umanzor
Associate Professor of Modern Languages: Spanish
B.A. Professional Teacher School, El Salvador; Master of Law, National University El Salvador; M.A., Ph.D. University of Arizona
Campus Office
Durick Library 316
Phone: 802.654.2454
Box 384
E-mail: mumanzor@smcvt.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Busic
Assistant Professor of Modern Languages: Spanish
B.A., M.A. Ohio University; Ph.D. Ohio State
Dr. Jason Busic joined Saint Michael's as an assistant professor of modern languages beginning with the Fall 2009 semester. A specialist in Early Modern Iberian Spanish Literature and Culture, at Saint Michael's, Dr. Busic teaches Spanish language courses, Spanish conversation, Caribbean poetry, and Spanish Phonetics. His dissertation is titled "Saving the Lost Sheep: Religion and Culture in Pedro Guerra de Lorca's Catecheses mystagogicae pro aduenis ex Secta Mahometana: Ad Parochos, & Potestates."
Campus Office
Durick Library 329
Phone: 802.654.2932
Box 143
E-mail: jbusic@smcvt.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristin Juel
Assistant Professor of Modern Languages: French
B.A. St. Olaf College; M.A., Ph.D. Indiana University
Dr. Juel teaches intermediate French, grammar and composition and a literature course. Her research interests focus on medieval literature, particularly the allegorical. She has presented papers at on several medieval literature topics at three meetings of the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, 2004, 2002, 2001, and she spoke on “The Symbolic Meaning of Chess in Medieval Literature” at the Modern Language Association meeting in New York, 2002.
Campus Office
Durick Library 319
Phone: 802.654.2464
Box 382
E-mail: kjuel@smcvt.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amanda Amend
Instructor of Modern Languages: Spanish
B.A. Grinnell College; M.A. Saint Michael’s College
View Ms. Amend's Curriculum Vitae
Courses Taught: Introductory level Spanish courses
Areas of Expertise: Language acquisition; learning disabilities; intercultural communications
Recent Scholarly Achievements: Ms. Amend has given several conference presentations on communications and language instruction. She recently presented a six-hour workshop in Columbus, Ohio, on "The Ethics of Multicultural Communication." The workshop focused on cultural differences in the psychotherapeutic setting, and was co-facilitated with mental health providers.
On Teaching and Research: Ms. Amend enjoys teaching intercultural communications at Saint Michael's. She says the differences between cultures are both fascinating and critical. Through understanding them, or at least exploring frameworks for understanding them, she shows students how to know themselves better and learn about their choices in intercultural/international relations.
Outside Saint Michael's: Ms. Amend enjoys painting and drawing, traveling, gardening, and always learning something new.
Box 393
E-mail: aamend@smcvt.edu
Personal Web site: http://academics.smcvt.edu/aamend/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hideko Furukawa
Language Proficiency Coordinator
Instructor of Modern Languages: Japanese
B.A. Doshisha University Kyoto; M.Sc. Pennsylvania State University
Campus Office
Durick Library 334
Phone: 802.654.2760
Box 374
E-mail: hfurukawa@smcvt.edu
Personal Web site: http://academics.smcvt.edu/hfurukawa/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Theresia Hoeck
Lecturer of Modern Languages: German
View Ms. Hoeck's Curriculum Vitae
Courses Taught: First and Second Semester German
On Teaching and Research: What Ms. Hoeck likes most about teaching at Saint Michael's is the genuine commitment of faculty and staff to prepare students for productive, responsible, and creative lives. She finds that studying a foreign language not only helps students to achieve linguistic competence, but also to develop cultural skills that prepare them to become global citizens and thus enhance their personal and professional growth.
Outside Saint Michael's: Ms. Hoeck enjoys an expanded world view through extensive (and alternative) traveling.
Campus Office
Founders Annex 251
Box 332
E-mail: thoeck@smcvt.edu
University of Vermont contact information:
Phone: 802.656.1470
E-mail: theresia.hoeck@uvm.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monique Martin
Lecturer of Modern Languages: French
Courses Taught: First and Second Semester French
Areas of Expertise: Québec French and culture
On Teaching and Research: Ms. Martin gives the Québec equivalent of a French expression in her classes. She likes to point out the cultural differences and similarities between France and Québec, while giving historical perspective.
Outside Saint Michael's: Ms. Martin enjoys jigsaw puzzles, gardening, good films, la cuisine, and classical music.
Learn more about Ms. Martin in her faculty spotlight.
Campus Office
Durick Library 321
Box 347
Phone: 802.654.2804
E-mail: mmartin@smcvt.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Noyes
Lecturer of Modern Languages: Spanish
Campus Office
Durick Library 338
Box 332
E-mail: jnoyes@smcvt.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sherry Pachman
Lecturer of Modern Languages: Spanish
Campus Office
Durick Library 337
Phone: 802.654.2947
Box 322
E-mail: spachman@smcvt.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marisa Ruccolo
Lecturer of Modern Languages: Italian
Courses Taught: First and Second Semester Italian; Italian Film
Areas of Expertise: Ms. Ruccolo specializes in narrative in analysing the interior monologue, the philosophy of boredom as a sign of modernity, and the novel as a social reform tool. Her research interests include the psychological novel of Fin-de-siecle Italy through to the 1920's.
Recent Scholarly Achievements: Ms. Ruccolo is completing a thesis on the influence of France's Naturalism and Anti-naturalisms on the more regional, not quite national, Italian identity of the novel.
On Teaching and Research: Ms. Ruccolo finds that her students seem to be very interested in the cultural content she always try to include in her grammar lessons. She feels that providing students with an insight of contemporary Italian culture while learning the language is important as one aspect cannot be taught without the other.
Campus Office
Durick Library 321
Phone: 802.654.2861
Box 322
E-mail: mruccolo@smcvt.edu