World Languages & Cultures

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 Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Programme: Jake Ehrlich

Jake Ehrlich has been accepted into the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program. He will begin his one-year contract working as an Assistant English Language Teacher in Japan in late July. Learn more about the competitive JET programme.

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University of Denver: Margret Hade

Margret Hade, who has a minor in Chinese, is accepted into a graduate program in University of Denver. She will be studying Library and Information Science.

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International Education Organization: Darcy Gabriele

Darcy Gabriele is accepted at the International Educational Organization to teach in Taiwan. She has also been offered to work in the Bureau of Education in Shenzhen, China. Learn more about the  International Education Organization.

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Global Student Teaching: Megan Gerity

Megan Gerity is accepted into a student teaching summer program at the Ruamrudee International School in Bangkok, Thailand, where she will be able to continue her study in Chinese. Read more about Global Student Teaching opportunity.

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“Expressions Corporelles et Frontières Culturelles dans l’oeuvre de Fatou Diome”: Samantha Zimbler

Samantha Zimbler presented on a panel, chaired by Professor Moussa Sow, entitled: “Le corps dans la litterature Francophone” at the 43 NeMLA conference in Rochester, NY on Saturday, March 17th. Her paper, entitled “Expressions Corporelles et Frontieres Culturelles dans l’oeuvres de Fatou Diome”, impressed everyone. She used post-colonial theory and Pierre Bourdieu’s notions of “habitus” and “cultural capital” to analyze corporality and cultural expressions in migration literature written by Senegalese female novelist, Fatou Diome. Professor Sow introduced Ms. Zimbler  by using an old African proverb: “When a youngster’s hands are clean, s/he can eat with the elders”, an endearing invitation for her to join the research community.

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2012 Sigma Delta Pi Undergraduate Study Abroad Award Recipient: Aimee Gray

“From a very competitive pool of applicants from across the U.S.,…   Aimee Gray has been selected as a recipient of a 2012 Sigma Delta Pi Undergraduate Study Abroad Award.  She has been selected to receive an undergraduate study abroad stipend of $2500 to study at the Universidad de San Andrés in Buenos Aires, Argentina from February 2-July 18, 2013.”

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Post-Secondary Russian Scholar Laureate: Michael Mullin

Michael Mullin has been honored by the American Council of Teachers of Russian as a Post-Secondary Russian Scholar Laureate.  This is national recognition of his excellence in the study of Russian. Congratulations.

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Ivy League Acceptance: Maryan Escarfullet

Maryan Escarfullett who is doing a self-designed Chinese Language and Culture Studies has been accepted into the Master of Arts in International Studies by the prestigious  Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and Nanjing University. Congratulations.

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Programma Ponte Scholarship Recipient: Michael Santoro

• Michael has been awarded a Programma Ponte Scholarship by the Association of Italian-American Educators. He will be taking two courses this July through the Pontificia Università San Tommaso D’Aquino-Roma: “Contemporary Italy, European Institutions and USA Relations” and “Italy: Past Foundations, Present Realities.” Both courses and related work are conducted in Italian. Additionally, he will be receiving room and board at the Residenza dei Cavalieri del Lavoro at the at the Collegio Universitario Lamaro-Pozzani in Cinecittà, Rome. The Programma Ponte, now in its sixteenth year, is a collaborative initiative, sponsored by the Association of Italian American Educators (AIAE), the Federazione Nazionale dei Cavalieri del Lavoro (FNCL) and the Istituto Superiore per la Comunicazione e l’Opinione Pubblica (ISCOP), associated with the Department of Social Sciences of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome, Italy.

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Academic Excellence Award Recipients
Nicole Valdez, Arabic Minor	Maryan Escharfullett, Chinese Minor	Caroline Elkardt, French Minor	Josh Lugar, German Minor

Abaigail Nanquil, Japanese Minor

Michael Mullin, Russian Minor

Samantha Coughlin, Spanish Minor

Chris Pisano, Spanish and Secondary Education Dual Minor

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 Thoughts from Jeremy Frusco:

“This past weekend I attended and presented a paper at what some in attendance have considered to be the first conference of its kind in the United States, if not North America–the “Italian Pop Music as Poetry” conference at Indiana University. The only undergraduate on the program, I was quite terrified at first of how my work would be received. Amidst my presence on the various panels were professors from Princeton, University of Wisconsin-Madison,various Italian Universities, independent scholars and also graduate students from Indiana and Harvard. With such a prestigious list of institutions, it both humbled me and gave me pride in knowing that I was representing my institution–TCNJ. My fears were dissipated, however, upon receiving what seemed to be unanimous sentiments of encouragement and support. Many panelists showed interest in my work and were quite impressed with my level of dedication and achievement at such an early stage in my academic career. I hope to not only see more from TCNJ at future conferences, but also the further development of a burgeoning scholarly field in Italian popular music studies.

Thank you to the entire department for assisting me in such a wonderful opportunity!”

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Spanish Majors Honor Societies Induction

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Japanese Students’ National Honor Society Induction
TCNJ Chapter, Spring 2011
Inductees

• Neil Basu
• Yu Chiu
• Aimee Fiorini
• Jia Lin (Grace)
• Huang Esteban Martinez
• Lauren McFadden
• Joshua Molewski
• Michael Morrisl
• Andrew Prowse

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Russian Students Receive National Awards

Spring 2011

Stephanie Cregg (Criminology Major) and Ian Highcock (Music Major) won honorable mention in a national Russian essay contest in the category of first-year students.  This contest is one in which over 1000 students participate, from all over the country, judged by Russian specialists of teaching Russian to foreigners.  Winners of first, second and third place (only two students in each of those categories) are typically from the Ivy League institutions. An honorable mention in a more advanced category was awarded to Bryan Furman, (Political Science), creating a total of 3 students of Russian winning national recognition for excellence in the study of Russian, out of a total of 20 enrolled students at all levels.

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Academic Achievement Award Recipients

Fall 2010

Laura Herzog, one of our two TCNJ students in Senegal in spring, 2011, is sharing with us via The Signal a life changing experience. Below is a link to her latest article on Islam in Senegal. Read her article….