The Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the College of Humanities are combining to offer a series of events for faculty and students to highlight the importance of the Modern Language Association’s Connected Academics initiative.
Dennis Looney, Director of Programs for the Modern Language Association and Director of the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages will come to campus from April 19 to April 21 to discuss the program with Department heads, faculty and graduate and undergraduate students and to strategize how the College of Humanities can be involved fully in the MLA’s initiative.
The public presentation “The Connected Academics Movement and the Transformation of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies: A Conversation with Dennis Looney” will take place on Thursday April 20th at 4:00 p.m. in Modern Languages 311. Professor Looney will also be available to meet with faculty and students during the day on Friday April 21. To schedule an appointment contact Mary Portillo in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at 621-1983 or portillo@email.arizona.edu
During Professor Looney’s visit the Department of Spanish and Portuguese will announce a new initiative that will allow a graduate student to serve as a public humanities scholar. The student selected will spend time learning about and working with the College’s public Humanities programs gaining valuable insights and experience that can help them understand the options available to those with a degree in the Humanities. The fellow will serve as the college’s liaison to the Connected Academics initiative, as a resource to other students on campus and will have a major voice in helping to shape future directions for COH’s initiatives in professional development and program redesign.
The Connected Academics movement was initially conceived as a way to help confront the changes in the nature of the job market in English and foreign languages. It helps students and faculty think through short and long term solutions to employment in our uncertain times. Students can consult resources that will help them should they want to change career paths or if they want to start the pursuit of a degree with a non-academic career in mind. Faculties can use the movement as a point of inflection and a resource as they undertake rethinking graduate degree programs and professional development opportunities for their students. The MLA’s Connected Academics page contains a wealth of information.