Spring 2025 Newsletter
This semester the Modern Languages and Literatures Department has organized many events. We had the annual events such as The Regina Ann Haig International Film Series , The Hanna Geldrich-Leffman Colloquium on Language, Literature and Society and Tea Time Talks. We hosted our annual Poetry Recitation Contest and Core Award Ceremony. The Arabic, Spanish, and Italian sections also held amazing cultural events. We hosted the 2025 Asian Studies Talk. Our French, Italian, and Chinese clubs had many exciting events.
2025 Hanna Geldrich-Leffman Language, Literature and Society Colloquium
Writing Mother Nature: Global Perspectives on Literature and the Environment
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Italian Fables for Our Times: Literary Responses to the Climate Crisis by Dr. Laura Di Bianco,
Johns Hopkins University
Eco-Gothic Literature Reimagined: New Perspectives from Latin America by Dr. Ana María Mutis, Trinity University
Zhuangzi's Butterfly and the Neo-Baroque: A Complex Image of Nature in Contemporary Sinophone Speculative Fiction by Dr. Mingwei Song, Wellesley College
The Regina Ann Haig International Film Series
Chinese Film "Soul Mate"
presented by Dr. Jinghua Wangling
February 17th
French Flim "Kuessipan"
presented by Dr. Salvador Rivera
March 17th
German Film "Barbara"
presented by Prof. Jennifer Holt
April 14th
Tea Time Talks
Of Cows, Pigs, and Men: Critiques of Industrial Farming in Contemporary French Literature
presented by Dr. Salvador Lopez Rivera
February 26th
Two Woman Warriors in the Changing Mulan Narrative: From Princess Dou Xianniang in Historical Romance of the Sui and Tang to Witch Xianniang in Disney's 2020 Mulan
presented by Dr. Jinghua Wangling
March 31st
"The Orchid: Improbable, But Not Impossible": The Case for Planetary Translation of Ecopoetry
presented by Dr. Emily Iekel
April 23th
Arabic/Arabyola Events
Arabic short movie screening: “Rise and Shine صباح الفُل” presented by Inas Hassan
February 17th
Arabic-bracelet making with Arabic beads
March 19th
Tasting Karak Tea
April 11th
Italian Section Events
Re-Imagining Dante: Modern Adaptations of the Divine Comedy and their Practical Uses in the Literature Classroom
presentation by Dr. Alyssa Falcone
Caffè e Conversazione (Italian Conversation Hour)
Bi-weekly gathering for Italian conversation practice, open to all levels
Spainsh Section Events
St. Patrick's Battalion: Ireland and Mexico
presentation by Dr. Douglas Glynn
March 17th
Que viva el salterio--Dueto Dulcemelos
Musical performance of Mexican traditional and modern music with piano and salterio
April 14th
Sigma Delta Pi Induction Ceremony
April 23rd
Asian Studies Talk:
"Disaster in Sinophone Literature"
March 19th
Dr. Fang (Laura) Xie, currently the Associate Professor of Chinese at Virginia Military Institute, gave a public lecture on the narrative of disasters in Sinophone literature. Her talk examined how disasters—both natural and man-made—were represented, interpreted, and contextualized within the Sinophone literary and drama tradition.
Modern Languages Poetry Recitation Contest
April 14th
Winners:
1st place: Caitlin Cottrill—Italian. Poem: “Parola” by Ribka Subhatu
2nd place: Patrick Boyle—Spanish. Poem/Song: “Puedes Contar Conmigo” by La Oreja de Van Gogh
3rd place: Colin Nakamura—Chinese. Poem: “题宣州开元寺” by 杜牧
Honorable Mentions:
Fisk Fisk—Arabic: “أنت معنى الضنى وسر الدموع,” Ibn Zaydoun
Walker Aprill—Chinese: ““Song river city,” Su Shi
Adaevia Jones—French: “Clair de lune,” Paul Verlaine
Charlotte Case—German: “Untitled poem,” Charlotte Case
Sophia Paleski—Italian: “Non so,” Antonia Pozzi
Kenya Wilson—Spanish: "Yo no sé lo que busco eternamente," Rosalía de Castro
Modern Langauges and Literatures Core Awards
April 23rd
This year 41 students recevied recognition from their professors in their 104 or 200-level core language classes that allow them to complete their language requirement. The department of Modern Languages and Literatures is very proud of these achievers, and we hope that many become majors or minors! You can find a list of winners on our Core Award Page.
French Club Events
Brie Cheese is Going Extinct!
February 17th
Professor Dr. More presented the science of cheese and cheese production and explained
how cheese production is at risk due to changes in climate and lab procedures.
National Macaron Day
March 28th
Students learned about history, origins, and meaning of macarons and taste tested
different flavors.
Pétanque and Portraits
April 14th
Students learned about history of French Portraiture and the French game of Petanque.
They then played these games and attempted to paint portraits of each other.
Italian Club Events
NIAF Guest Speaker: Italian Geniuses & Colorful Personalities Talk
February 24th
Dr. Carla Gambescia gave a talk about colorful personalities in Italian history
Italian Live Music Night
April 4th
MLL Professor Paul Oorts played Italian music with his group, the Rigatoni Trio.
Pasqua (Easter) Party
April 14th
The Italian Club explained the celebration of Easter in Italy and served Italian food.
Chinese Club Events
Lunar New Year Festival
January 29th
ACA and Chinese Club co-organized a celebration of the Year of the Snake in the 4th
Floor Program Room, which was filled with presentations, games, performances and food.
Paper Folding Workshop
January 31st
Chinese Club members learned about the history of paper folding, an ancient Chinese
art, while also tacking the activity. 
Bubble Tea Making
February 3rd
Students celebrated the Chinese New Year by making Bubble Tea!
Lantern Marking
February 7th
Students celebrated the Chinese New Year by decorating lanterns.
Movie Night: In the Mood for Love
March 10th
DC Zoo Trip: Visiting the Pandas
March 22nd
Students visited the Smithsonian’s Zoo to see the recently arrived pandas Bao Li and
Qing Bao in person and had lunch in a Chinese restaurant near the Zoo.
Chinese Calligraphy Workshop
April 23rd
Students learned about the history of calligraphy in China and practiced it.
Glass Blowing Trip
April 26th
Students traveled to the McFadden Art Glass Studio, and learned in a small group the
process of glassblowing while also making their own pieces.
