USD: Languages and Literatures: Spanish Home

Faculty of the Spanish Section

Full-Time

Michael Agnew

Michael Agnew studied history and Spanish at U. C. Berkeley as an undergraduate and then received an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Before arriving at the University of San Diego, he taught for a number of years at Columbia University in New York. His current book project is an analysis of emergent humanist historiography in Spain during the conflictive final years of the fifteenth century as the Catholic Monarchs established their political authority. He is also conducting research on literary representations of Spain and Spaniards in Rome under Charles V and preparing a study of authorship and originality in the second part of Cervantes' Don Quijote.

At USD he teaches language and linguistics courses as well as classes on Spanish Golden Age literature and culture. He is a California native who is delighted to have returned to the West Coast at last.

Kimberly A Eherenman

Dr. Eherenman is a Professor of Spanish. She earned a bachelor's (1978) and a master's degree (1981) in Spanish from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She received her Ph.D. in Spanish with a specialization in Latin American Literature from the University of California, Irvine in 1987.

Before joining USD's faculty in 1990, Dr. Eherenman was a bilingual elementary school teacher for the Santa Ana Unified School District (grades K-2). She also taught Latin American literature and Spanish composition at the University of California, Los Angeles and went on to serve as Spanish language coordinator at the University of California, Irvine.

Since her arrival at USD, Dr. Eherenman has taught all levels of Spanish language and Latin American literature and culture courses. She served as director of the Guadalajara Summer Program and as the coordinator of the Latino Studies Program for three years. From 1996 to 2004, she was the Coordinator of the Spanish Section. Dr. Eherenman was also the Chair of the Department of Languages and Literatures from fall 1998 through spring 2006. Her research interests include Latin American poetry as well as pre-Columbian, Mexican and Caribbean literatures.

Kevin Guerrieri

Dr. Guerrieri graduated with a B.A. from Western State College of Colorado. He received his M.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of California, Riverside. He joined the faculty at USD in the fall of 2002.

He teaches courses on Latin American literature and culture as well as all levels in the Spanish language program. He is currently the coordinator of Spanish 201 (third semester Spanish) and serves on the Committee on Undergraduate Teaching and Learning in addition to the campus wide Social Issues Committee

Dr. Guerrieri's research interests include late 19th and 20th century Latin American literature and culture; discourses on modernity and national identity in Colombian narratives; and the integration of language, cultural analysis, and community based activities/projects in the Spanish language program. He has published the book Palabra, poder y nación: la novela moderna en Colombia de 1896 a 1927 (2004), as well as several articles on Latin American literature and culture.

Carl I. Jubran

Dr. Jubran completed his undergraduate education at USD with a double major in French and Spanish. He holds an M.A. in French Literature from New York University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Spanish Literature from the University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Jubran teaches elementary language and advanced courses in composition, the civilization of Spain as well as literature courses.

His fields of specialization are Peninsular Literature, Spanish Orientalism and Hispano-Arabism, 19th-20th Century. Other interests include Latin American Poetry, Modernismo and Gender Studies.

Dr. Jubran is also the Executive Director of the Guadalajara Summer Program and Editor of Praesidium: Interdisciplinary Journal of Latin American and Cross Cultural Studies.

Beatriz Lado

Dr. Lado received her Licenciatura in English Philology from the University of Valencia; an M.A. in English from Northwestern State University; an M.A. in Linguistics from Louisiana State University; and an M.S. in Spanish Linguistics from Georgetown University, where she also received her Ph.D. in Spanish Applied Linguistics.

Before coming to USD, she coordinated and directed one section of the Spanish program at Georgetown University . She has also taught all levels of Spanish language and several content Spanish Linguistics courses.

Her research interests include the interaction between external (e.g., type of feedback and degree of explicitness in pedagogical interventions) and internal variables (e.g., prior language experience and cognitive capacity) in the development of a non-primary language. Her other interests include the effects of verbalizing while performing a task to learn a second language (i.e., reactivity), the effects of CMC interaction on language learning, and the role of explicit and implicit language policies.

John L. Marambio

Dr. Marambio received his doctorate in Contemporary Spanish American Literature at the Texas Tech University. Since 1980 he has taught Spanish at the elementary and intermediate levels as well as upper-division courses in composition, phonetics, Latin-American cinema and Latin-American literature.

Dr. Marambio developed two courses geared to students of the School of Business Administration. He first modified Spanish III to include business vocabulary and the introduction to business culture in Latin America. He then created Spanish 106: Advanced Spanish for Business and International Trade which explores the business world of Spanish-speaking countries in greater depth.

Dr. Marambio's research is centered on the Argentine author Julio Cortázar. He is the author of two books: Julio Cortázar: Sus mundos literarios (Ediciones del Ataneo: Santiago, Chile, 2001) and Julio Cortázar y la contra-novela (publication pending), numerous articles on Cortázar as well as Gabriel García Márquez, and a workbook for Spanish 3-B.

Alejandro Meter

Dr. Meter obtained his B.A. in Spanish Literature from California State University, Northridge, his M.A. in Hispanic Studies from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and his Ph.D. in Latin American Literature and Culture from the University of Pittsburgh.

In addition to his work as Coordinator of the Spanish Section, he teaches courses on Latin American literature and culture and all levels of Spanish language. He is the Faculty Advisor to Eta Zeta, the USD chapter of Sigma Delta Pi (the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society) and the JSU (The Jewish Student Union).

Dr. Meter's research interests include twentieth century Latin American literature and politics, dictatorial and post-dictatorial narratives of the Southern Cone and Latin American Jewish Studies. He edited Literatura judía en América Latina (2000), a special volume of Revista Iberoamericana and co - edited Memoria y representación. Configuraciones culturales y literarias en el imaginario judío latinoamericano (Beatriz Viterbo, 2006).

Sandra Robertson

Dr. Robertson received a B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard University and did graduate studies in Folklore at the University of California, Berkeley before she undertook work on her Ph.D. in Spanish Literature at the University of California, San Diego.

In 1983 she joined the faculty at USD, and in 1993 was promoted to full Professor of Spanish. Her long standing interests in Spain have included field work collecting traditional oral ballads in remote mountain villages of northern Spain, and extensive research in 19th and 20th century literature. She is a co-editor of the Catálogo General del Romancero and the author of Lorca, Alberti, and the Theater of Popular Poetry. Recent publications have been on Spanish cinema and culture.

Cecilia Ruiz

Dr. Ruiz holds a Ph.D. in Spanish Literature from the University of California, San Diego. Her specialization is Fourteenth Century Prose: Fiction and Chronicle.

She teaches lower-division language classes and upper-division courses in advanced composition and Spanish literature, and a topics course entitled Literatura infantil y juvenil.

Dr. Ruiz also serves as Coordinator for Spanish 101 and 102 and the section webmaster.

Leonora Simonovis

Dr. Simonovis graduated with a 5-year Licenciatura from Universidad Central de Venezuela, where she also completed her Master's Degree in Literary Studies. She received her Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from Washington University in St. Louis.

Before joining the faculty at USD, Dr. Simonvis taught ESL to children from K-6 in Caracas, Venezuela. She has also taught all levels of Spanish and has developed grammar workshops for native speakers of Spanish at the college level, as well as general literature courses.

Dr. Simonovis's research focuses on 20th century Latin American literature and culture. She is particularly interested in Hispanic Caribbean musical genres and their political and social repercussions in the region.s as Coordinator for Spanish 101 and 102 and the section webmaster.

Visiting

Rubén Murillo

Dr. Murillo studied French literature in Toulouse, France for one year before receiving his B.A. in comparative literature from UC Berkeley. In 1998, he successfully defended his M.A. thesis with an extensive semiotic analysis of Julio Cortázar's short story "La noche boca arriba." Since then he has taught intermediate and advanced Spanish grammar and composition, Latin American literature, and Chicano/a cultural production at the University of California, San Diego where he graduated in May with a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature.

In the last year and half he has presented a paper at the National Association of Chicano/a studies conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico and another paper on the contemporary Chicana novelist Margarita Cota-Cardenas at the MELUS conference in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Murillo has also authored a bilingual grammar textbook for professional interpreters.

Dr. Murillo will teach Spanish 301 and 360 at USD this semester.

Adjunct

Erin Bolívar

Prof. Bolívar studied in the United Kingdom and at San Francisco State University before receiving her B.A. in Spanish and her M.A. in Spanish with a specialization in Latin American Literature from San Diego State University.

Prof. Bolívar joined the faculty 1999. She teaches elementary and intermediate language classes at USD and is also an instructor of French at the San Dieguito Union High School District.

Christopher Brown

Christopher Brown obtained his B.A. in Spanish and International Comparative Politics at Western Michigan University in 1997 and his M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature at Western Michigan University in 1999.

From 1999 to 2005, he was a Ph.D. candidate in Spanish at Washington University in St. Louis. He completed his coursework and began his dissertation on contemporary Cuban novel (1980 � Present) before leaving the program to seek employment in the private sector. Prof. Brown has taught Spanish grammar and composition courses from the 100 � 300 levels since 1996.

James Hardison

Dr. Hardison holds B.A. from the school of Filosofía y Letras at the Universidad Nacional de Mexico and another in Business Administration and Finance (California Western University). He received his M.A. in History with a concentration in Spanish Exploration of the Californias (USD). He was awarded a doctorate in Human Behavior and Leadership from United States International University

His career as a Spanish teacher began in 1957 at General Dynamics/Convair in the Educational Department and the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD). He also served as a bi-lingual counselor for three years for the SDCCD before assuming the post of Dean of Arts and Sciences from 1978 to 1995. Dr. Hardison now teaches elementary and intermediate language on campus.

In furtherance of his research interests, which center around methods for motivating students to expand their knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, he guides students on tours of Mexico and Spain. His current research project, in formation, is designed to measure the increase in student interest and motivation in learning Spanish after having traveled to Spanish-speaking countries. Dr. Hardison has published articles in La Revista Magazine for Edita Consumacon S.L. of Barcelona, Spain.

José Mendoza

Prof. Mendoza received his B.A. in Spanish in 1990. He defended his thesis, "Erased voices: The Mexican Literature and the Representation of the Indian in Three Historical Periods," and was awarded his M.A. in Spanish Literature in 1992. He earned both degrees from the University of California, San Diego.

On the faculty since 1994, Prof. Mendoza teaches beginning and intermediate language classes.

Martha Oregel

Prof. Oregel was graduated from Southwestern College with an Associates degree in Business Administration, and transferred to San Diego State University where she received B.A. degrees in International Business and Spanish Literature and an M.A. in Latin American literature.

Prof. Oregel joined the faculty in 2000 and was appointed Course-Chair for Spanish I the following year. She teaches elementary and intermediate language at USD. She has taught Spanish I, II, III and conversation courses as well as Spanish literature for Spanish-speaking students at SDSU, Cuyamaca College, and Southwestern College.

Yadira Ortega-Ocádiz

Prof. Ortega-Ocádiz was graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. and an M.A. in Spanish. Her area of specialization is Latin American Literture.

She teaches intermediate Spanish for non-natives and works in collaboration with USD's Office for Community Service-Learning to provide the students an educational and multicultural experience even as they help the San Diego/Tijuana community.

Her research interests are Mexican/Mexican American culture. To remain current, she is a member of Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan, attends workshops in and out of San Diego with dancers, ethnomusicians, historians, social anthropologists and linguists, and continues to take classes in Mesoamerican cultures.

Prof. Ortega-Ocádiz also volunteers as a translator El Centro Cultural de La Raza, a non-profit organization.

Micaela Ramos

Prof. Ramos was graduated from Southwestern College with an Associates degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Accounting, and transferred to San Diego State University where she received a B.A.degree in International Business and an M.A. in Spanish with emphasis in Linguistics.

She holds a certificate in Translation (English/Spanish) from San Diego State University. She has collaborated with McGraw-Hill on the Instructor's Manual and Resource Kit to accompany the 6th edition of Puntos de Partida with the "Actividad de Desenlace."

Prof. Ramos teaches elementary ,and intermediate language at USD. She has taught Spanish I,II,III and conversation courses at local community colleges as well as Spanish for Educators. She has been participating as an instructor for the San Diego Police Department Spanish Program.

Eugenia Velázquez

Prof. Velázquez earned an M.Ed. in Education Curriculum and Instruction (Bilingual Emphasis) from USD. She is completing her doctoral program in Spanish Literature at the University of California, San Diego.

She teaches elementary and intermediate classes at USD. She is also employed at University of San Diego High School as a Spanish professor for all levels.

Alex Villalobos

Prof. Villalobos earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish and Economics from the University of San Diego. He received his Master of Arts Degree in Spanish from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont and Madrid, Spain. He joined the faculty in 1998.

Since 1998 he has taught elementary and intermediate language at USD. He also teaches Spanish at San Marcos Middle School.

Simi Windward

Prof. Windward received a B.A. in Foreign Languages (emphasis Spanish, French and Russian) from Queens College in New York. She earned an M.A. in Foreign Language Teaching (French and Spanish) at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and a second M.A. in Practical Theology from USD.

Prof. Windward holds a Certificate in Interpretation and Translation from the University of California, San Diego School of Extension. She teaches elementary and intermediate language.

Virginia Young

Prof. Young received her B.A. in Spanish and her M.A. in Spanish with emphasis in Latin American Literature from San Diego State University.

She teaches Spanish at the intermediate level at USD and at other levels at local community colleges and universities.

P. Víctor Zambrano

Prof. Zambrano received his credential in basic education from the Secretaría Pública de México (1976) and an M.A. from the Escuela Normal Superior (1978). In 1980 he received his B.S. from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology from the Instituto Latinoamericano de Comunicación Educativa (1986) and a M.PH from San Diego State University (1997).

He is the Director of the Spanish Intensive Language Program as well as the Course-Chair for Spanish II. In addition to his administrative duties, Prof. Zambrano teaches elementary and intermediate language; Advanced Conversation, and a special third semester course designed for students from the USD School of Business Administration. Since 1997 he has incorporated an optional community service component into all of his classes in order for students to gain experience interacting with the underprivileged Hispanic populations of the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area.

From 2000 to 2003 he also taught Spanish for professional proficiency for the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Currently he collaborates with the Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias at San Diego State University, promoting public and environmental health projects in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area.

Study Abroad: Chile, Argentina, Spain