Modern and Classical Languages at Buffalo State

Congratulations Prof. Maribel Garrett! President’s Award for Excellence in Service to the College Maria I. Garrett, B.A.... Maria Garrett, foreign language assistant of modern and classical languages, has amassed an incredible and praiseworthy record of service during her 25 years at Buffalo State. She is a highly skilled professional with a genuine concern for making her department a welcoming place for colleagues and students alike. She has taken a leading role in the integration of technology within the department. She was one of the first to integrate Blackboard into language coursework and to align teaching materials with ADA accessibility standards. She constantly challenges herself to further her training in educational technologies and online instructional platforms, attending various workshops and conferences, then sharing her knowledge with colleagues. She served as the department’s representative on the School of Arts and Humanities’ Teaching and Learning Technology Roundtable, making sure that student needs were adequately addressed. As the director of the Language Learning Center, she adhered to the highest standards of professionalism in developing all aspects of the facility and its services to students. And in managing the department’s relationship with textbook publishers, Garrett has overcome formidable hurdles to negotiate and secure the best prices for students whenever the department adopts new textbooks. In many instances, she has contacted book representatives directly to look for ways to reduce the overall cost to students and advocate for the occasional complimentary text package for students in need. Always calm, courteous, and respectful, she is skilled at providing support to adjunct instructors in resolving conflicts arising from student class behavior and poor performance. She goes the extra mile by applying her insights and problem-solving skills to improving student access to quality, innovative education in a world language. Nominator: Mark K. Warford, Chair and Associate Professor, Modern and Classical Languages

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a period from September 15 to October 15 in the United States it recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Amer...icans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States America. Here in Western New York the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York Inc. is proud to partner with Channel 7 WKBW TV in recognizing Santiago Masferrer Chito, founder of El Buen Amigo, a leading Latino Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY, located in the Allentown section, on Elmwood Avenue, off Allen Street. El Buen Amigo and Latin American Cultural Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Chilean immigrant after coming to the U.S. as a refugee. Santiago Masferrer, emigrated to the United States over 40 years ago in search of a better life after being wrongfully imprisoned in his native Chile. On September 11, 1973, General Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratic government of Chile and installed a military junta. Thousands of people were arrested for being suspected dissidents. Santiago Masferrer, a civilian employee of the national police and a housing association volunteer at the time, received a phone call to report to a police precinct, where he surrendered himself, and was promptly arrested. For six months, Santiago Masferrer was held prisoner in solitary confinement, where he lived in a very small cell under deplorable conditions. Upon his release, Santiago Masferrer sought political asylum in the United States, in hopes of teaching Americans a better appreciation of South American culture. Although originally planning to join a Chilean community in Milwaukee, Santiago Masferrer found himself starting a new life in Buffalo, New York. Following his arrival in Western New York, Santiago Masferrer founded the Latin American Cultural Association, he and his wife also found jobs at Millard Fillmore Hospital. In 1984, Santiago Masferrer left the hospital, and became a carpentry instructor at Attica Prison, he later accepted a position at Orleans County Correctional Facility. Sincerely dedicated to helping prison inmates, Santiago Masferrer administered the Inmate Program Associates initiative at Orleans from 1993 to 2004, where he worked tirelessly to enable prisoners to pursue their college degrees. Today, this remarkable man shares his love of Latin American stories, arts, and culture with the Buffalo community at El Buen Amigo, with the help of an array of teachers, volunteers, and interns. #HispanicHeritageMonth #HispanicHeritageWNY

For those planning on attending this year's NYSAFLT Conference, don't miss session 65. High School-College Connection: Meeting Checkpoint C Through Translation, a collaboration featuring MCL faculty, Dr. Rondon-Pari and Dr. Warford, as well as MCL alum and Ambassador Award winner Jim Lyons, who teaches Spanish at Lancaster HS.

Very saddened to learn of the passing of a Dear friend of the department and our first Honorary Ambassador, Dr. Jean-François Gounard, a tireless champion of international education. Repose en Paix.

Happy International Translation Day!

Opening in French

Webinars by the prestigious T&I program in UMASS Amherst (Sept. 16, Oct. 21 & Nov. 9) CEU certifications available. https://www.umass.edu//as/llc/fcsisp_fall_2020_final_0.pdf

Update on the project at Hertel & Delaware

Interesting scholarship from a former professor...

DEL ESPACIO DE ASOVELE Coloquio Internacional de Español PUCV 2020 Chile 9 al 11 de setiembre. Desde ASOVELE, invitamos a inscribirse: una excelente oportunid...ad de conocer el estado actual del campo ELSE. Algunas cifras que muestran el impacto de este evento: a la fecha inscritos 2.400 asistentes de 85 países; 28 ponentes internacionales de 15 países; el conferencista inaugural es Francisco Moreno Fernández; 6 meses temáticas, la presentación de un libro y una mesa de cierre a modo de conversatorio. http://www.pucv.cl//comienza-coloqu/2020-08-27/131503.html ASOVELE, como ya hemos anunciado, tendrá participación en la moderación de la mesa 2 Investigación para la formación docente en universidades, a cargo de nuestro presidente, Sergio Serrón y con la participación de las reconocidas colegas: María Antonieta Andión (España); Lidia Ester Cuba Vega (Cuba); Caroline Apfel See more

Join us for our Medical Terminology Workshop! Enhance, expand, and refresh your knowledge of medical terminology that all interpreters must know while interpret...ing in a medical setting. This workshop is open to individuals of all levels of experience and expertise. Date: Wednesday, July 15th Time: 2:00 PM 4:00 PM EST Price: FREE Location: Zoom, link to be provided 24 hours in advance. Register Here: https://buff.ly/2ZuHTXP Certificate to be provided by email after the training. Questions? Contact Robert Thoren at [email protected] or 716-249-1234.

Five days until the AATSP 9-12 Committee's Facebook Live Event in response to recent historical events related to race, ethnicity, and civil unrest. Teachers a...nd guests will explore "Approaches to Culturally Responsive Learning" on Thursday, July 2 at noon (CT). Visit the event link below for more information! The event page is also where we'll be sharing the live stream link the day of the event. https://buff.ly/2Vndk4Z