Spring 2013 - Department of World Languages and Cultures - Iowa ...

Alumni Newsletter – Spring 2013 

Students at Machu Picchu, Summer 2012 

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES

Contents 

This newsletter is published once 

a year for the alumni, friends, 

and faculty of the Department of 

World Languages and Cultures at 

Iowa State University, an academic 

department in the College of 3 

Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

Chair 

Mark W. Rectanus 

Editor 

Kathy Leonard 

Graphic Designer 

Renae Kroneman 

4 

6 

14 

15 

Greetings from the Chair 

Study Abroad Experiences 

American Sign Language course offers 

better understanding of communication 

4 

6 

10 

Please send news about yourself 

and your family for next year’s 

newsletter to: 

kleonard@iastate.edu 

www.language.iastate.edu 

Faculty Updates 

12 

Iowa State University 

Department of World Languages and 

Cultures 

3102 Pearson Hall 

Ames, IA 50011 

New faces in WLC 

14 

Iowa State University does not discriminate on 

the basis of race, color, age, religion, national 

origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, 

genetic information, sex, marital status, 

disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries 

can be directed to the Director of Equal 

Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear 

Hall, (515) 294-7612. 

WLC students in the News 

15

Greetings from the Chair 

Dear Friends of World Languages and Cultures, 

Welcome to the 2013 edition of the Department 

of World Languages and Cultures Newsletter! The 

past year has been a busy one for WLC faculty and 

students. In this Newsletter you will find updates of 

our activities, including new courses, faculty research, 

and reports from our students who have studied 

abroad. WLC faculty and students return with many 

experiences that enrich the teaching and learning 

of languages and cultures at ISU. We hope that the 

Newsletter will convey some of the flavor of those 

experiences and the life of the department. 

We are now completing the third year of our U.S. 

Department of Education grant in the Undergraduate 

International Studies and Foreign Language Program 

supporting the WLC initiative on Global Pathways for 

Educating Students in Biodiversity. This project prepares 

undergraduates with global language and culture 

skills which address the challenges of sustainability 

and the environment in diverse international settings. 

In addition to workshops with faculty from WLC 

and Global Resource Systems, we also supported a 

workshop for Iowa K-8 world language teachers in 

spring 2012 to share some of the resources available 

on green issues and the environment in the context of 

world languages and cultures. In the fall of 2012, we 

also received formal endorsement from the College of 

Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) to enable students 

with a first major in CALS to more easily include a 

second major or a minor in a world language in their 

studies here at ISU. 

At the 2012 LAS Alumni Awards Ceremony and 

dinner, WLC recognized Dr. Donald D. Steiner with 

the department’s Distinguished Alumni Award. This year 

we did something unique and co-presented the award 

in partnership with the Department of Mathematics. 

Dr. Steiner entered ISU at the age of 12 and received 

his B.S. in Mathematics in 1976, shortly after turning 

14. He subsequently received his B.A. in German 

and M.S. in Mathematics in 1978, followed by the 

Ph.D. in Mathematics in 1984. In addition to studies 

as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Tübingen, 

Germany, Dr. Steiner also studied in Berlin and worked 

for many years at Siemens Corporate Technology in 

Munich. He is currently Principal Technologist and a 

Technical Fellow of Northrop Grumman Information 

Systems where he coordinates Northrop Grumman’s 

research and development programs in the areas of 

data management and analysis, cyber security, and 

cloud computing. Dr. Steiner certainly has had a 

remarkable career. His education and professional 

accomplishments distinguish him as a role model for 

our students by demonstrating how technical and 

linguistic competencies can be combined and lead to a 

successful and fulfilling career of life-long engagement 

with languages and cultures. 

In fall 2012, we launched the first offering of 

course work in American Sign Language at ISU. 

Jonathan Webb, a new faculty lecturer in ASL, 

joined the department in August 2012 and will 

instruct beginning and intermediate courses in the 

ASL curriculum. The response among students has 

been enthusiastic. Jonathan Webb’s courses and his 

activities in developing the ASL program have received 

very positive coverage in the local media. You can read 

more about Jonathan and ASL in the Newsletter. 

You can also read about another new faculty member, 

Ana Oancea, lecturer in French, who joined the 

department in fall 2012. Ana recently completed her 

PhD dissertation on the representation of inventors in 

late 19th century French literature. We are delighted 

to have her in the department. 

During the spring of 2013, WLC launched the second 

year of our new non-credit short courses instructed 

by Shenglan Zhang (Chinese Studies), Ana Oancea 

(French), and Mark Looney (German). The courses 

were developed as part of the College of Engineering 

Dean’s Initiative in partnership with LAS World 

Languages and Cultures to support and encourage 

international experiences for students, faculty and 

staff in the College of Engineering. We have been 

happy with the student interest in the non-credit 

short courses and we hope that students will consider 

participation in a study abroad program or further 

language study as a result of their course experience. 

As you know, WLC offers a number of study abroad 

programs. This issue of the Newsletter includes an 

essay by Anne Null, one of our German majors, who 

participated in Dr. Mark Looney’s Global Seminar in 

Berlin in 2012, and by Luke Demmel, a Spanish minor 

who studied abroad in WLC programs in Cáceres 

and Valencia, Spain directed by faculty members 

Julia Domínguez, Chad Gasta, and Julie Wilhelm. 

Anne shares the excitement of her first experience 

in Germany and enthusiasm for German language 

4 SPRING 2013 COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES

and culture. Luke tells us about his travels, home stays, 

and an internship in Spain. For Anne and Luke these were 

unforgettable experiences, or as Luke writes: “There were 

many crazy, awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime, emotional, and 

surprising experiences that I will take with me everywhere I 

go.” I’m sure both essays will resonate with many of you who 

remember your first study or travel abroad experience. There 

is also a very thoughtful essay by Sabrina Leahy, who studied 

in Cusco, Peru during the summer of 2012, and participated 

in a service learning project in a Quechua community outside 

of Cusco. 

We are grateful to the many alumni and friends of WLC 

who continue to support our students through scholarships 

that enable them to pursue a major or a minor in WLC and 

participate in the invaluable experience of studying abroad. 

To learn more about WLC Academic Scholarships, visit our 

website at: http://www.language.iastate.edu/main/advising/ 

Scholarships.htm 

I hope you will enjoy reading our recent updates on students 

and faculty and invite you to share your own experiences 

with us. If you have a moment, drop me an email (mwr@ 

iastate.edu) with your news, travel, or memories of the 

department, and tell us what you would like to read in future 

issues. We would be delighted to hear from you. 

As I write this letter, Stephanie Buechele, Director of the 

Language Studies Resource Center, has been working with 

WLC faculty to launch a newly-designed departmental 

website. Stay tuned for more information as we develop this 

new web presence. 

As always, if your travels bring you to Ames and ISU, please 

drop by for a visit, or visit us in cyberspace at www.language. 

iastate.edu for news on our programs and activities. 

Mark 

Mark Rectanus 

Professor of German and Chair 

DEPARTMENT OF WORLD LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 

5


Berlin in Perspective 

By Anne D. Null 

It was quite comical to me that every member of my 

family, except for myself, had already visited Germany, 

and yet I was the only one who spoke anything beyond 

“guten Tag” and “danke.” Though I’d not been studying the 

language for very long, I’d nonetheless fallen in love with 

it. The union of grammatical logic with the creativity that 

is inherent to language was intoxicating, and something 

that I craved to explore further. My design studies, though 

expressive, lacked this analytical aspect. So when Dr. 

Looney announced to his German classes, that he would be 

leading a month long study abroad in Berlin, I jumped on 

the opportunity and booked my plane ticket for as early as 

possible: the Thursday of finals week, coincidentally after a 

Russian final. I had mistaken the test to be on that Tuesday, 

but luckily everything worked out. I passed the final and 

made my flight with no delays. It was a very good start to 

an even better trip, and I was determined to make the most 

of it. 

The plane ride was long, but I dozed through most of it. 

Even if I hadn’t gotten some rest on the plane, I would 

have been too excited to be jetlagged. I didn’t know what 

Berlin would be like. Even now I would have to describe it 

as an eclectic cross-section of Europe. It exists somewhere 

between the high-art culture comprising Museum Island 

at the heart of the city, the German Parliament with the 

plethora of surrounding international agents, and the 

heavy Punk sub-vein that pulses beneath it all. At times all 

the stimuli could feel overwhelming: people everywhere, 

buildings everywhere, and the general go-go-go of city life. 

But what most surprised me about the city was how much 

green space it incorporated. Parks were ubiquitous as if the 

city developers had realized the need for inhabitants to step 

away from the concrete jungle. One could utilize all the 

resources of a large city, and then finish the day by enjoying 

the serenity only offered through a stroll under the trees in the 

Tiergarten (Berlin’s equivalent to Central Park). If that wasn’t 

enough of an escape, one could even make a daytrip out of 

the city to the surrounding forests. As a nature lover it was 

comforting. A tree is a tree wherever you go. 

But perhaps one of the best reasons to travel beyond one’s 

homeland is to experience the world’s differences first hand: 

no-biases. For instance, I’m thankful to say that the stereotypes 

of Germans as being cool or even rude could not have been 

more false. After the summer course in Berlin ended, I decided 

to stay an extra month to visit some friends in the Munich 

and Lake Constance area. However, when I arrived at the 

station in Berlin, I could not for the life of me figure out where 

my train was or how to read the ticket with all the German 

abbreviations. I looked around for someone to ask for help, and 

in the politest German I could, I approached an older couple. 

I told them I didn’t understand the ticket and asked if them 

would please help me find my train. They were so sweet about 

it that it still makes me smile today. And as for Germans being 

very punctual, they are and it is fantastic; you always know if 

you have time to grab a coffee before your train comes! That’s 

hardly a complaint in my opinion. 

For anyone who is on the fence about whether or not to go 

abroad, I would highly encourage him or her to take the 

plunge. Go in with an open mind and expect to be placed 

outside of your comfort zone. In fact, I would argue that if you 

don’t at some point feel a little uncomfortable, then you haven’t 

pushed yourself far enough. That’s not to say one should seek 

out situations that are unsafe or contrary to his or her values, 

but rather situations that are different enough from the visitor’s 

norm to make the individual stop and think about his or her 

view of the world. It still amazes me how much one can learn 

about themself just by stepping outside of the accustomed to 

learning something about a different part of the world. 

Anne (3rd from left) and fellow students wait for the Berlin subway. 

Ted & Anne 


Study Abroad in Spain 

Luke Demmel 

Studying abroad in Cáceres and 

Valencia, Spain, has left me with a 

truly unforgettable experience. When 

I left Iowa, there were a few things I 

wanted to make sure I accomplished. 

I wanted to finish my Spanish minor, 

see as much of the world as I could, 

and remain focused on my engineering 

major. I also set a goal to run any race that presented 

itself. I like to think I kept my expectations pretty simple, 

but they proved to take me to places that I never would 

have imagined. I spent many amazing, sometimes sketchy, 

weekends traveling with my friends to new places all over 

Europe, including one weekend in Morocco. I had great 

experiences meeting my host families, who were extremely 

nice and always wanted to make sure I never went hungry, 

as well as a wonderful time with the internship I was able to 

accomplish working for an architecture studio in Valencia. 

I arrived in Madrid not knowing what to expect. Being in 

such a huge city freaked me out at first, so I did my best to 

ignore all the commotion. I met up with the other students 

and we made our way to Cáceres. I didn’t want to waste a 

single second of my time once we met our host families. My 

family was very kind and I had some great conversations with 

my host-mom. I spent my weeks in Cáceres biking to and 

from class, running and biking all over the outskirts of town, 

occasionally making it to neighboring towns, and enjoying 

the relaxing atmosphere of the old town while drinking cups 

of tea and coffee. The classes were always enjoyable and the 

professors enjoyed speaking to us and hearing our weekend 

stories. I really enjoyed getting to know them and hearing 

their stories as well. It also helped that the University of 

Extremadura is located on a beautiful hillside with a great 

view of the countryside. Waking up for class has never been 

more enjoyable. I was able to find three races around Cáceres, 

where I finished 2nd three different times, and the Barcelona 

Marathon, where I finished 38th. Each race was a new 

experience with many different conditions than races in the 

United States. Running on the silent, narrow, stone walled, 

cobblestone roads left me breathless as I was trying to race 

my way through the city. It was a great way to see different 

locations of the city and experience a completely different 

atmosphere than normal. My weekends were used to travel 

and see the sights of Europe. We went on the Spring Break 

trip of a lifetime, traveling via train through France, Belgium, 

the Netherlands, and Germany, before taking the long trip 

back to Spain. Every city I visited left me with a feeling of 

awe, inspiration, and regret. They were the greatest times that 

I knew would eventually have to come to an end. 

When my time in Cáceres ended, I was left with about three 

weeks of spare time. I was lucky enough to have my family 

visit and travel with me around the Spanish peninsula for 

ten days. When my dad and sister returned to the US, my 

mother and I took off to explore other parts of Europe. By 

the time I finally met up with the Valencia program, I had 

been traveling non-stop for 22 days. The afternoon that we 

arrived in Valencia immediately made me forget how tired 

I was. Once again, my host-family was incredibly nice. My 

host-mom took me out for a walk around the city that very 

night. I could tell she was excited to show me all the sights. 

We walked all through downtown as we talked about the 

interesting things happening to the city. The first day in town, 

I went to meet my “boss” at the architecture firm where I’d 

be spending the next six weeks. He immediately put me to 

work, and I tried as best as I could to impress him. I was 

told before I started my internship, “You get out of it what 

you put into it.” It was great having such a nice and helpful 

mentor, which made it fun and easy to go into work and get 

things done. I tried to stay as busy as I could while I was 

working, which benefited me very well during my internship. 

I started off doing some simple tasks. It didn’t take long 

before they let me work on the computer and put together 

ideas for layouts of some new few projects. I also had to write 

emails and letters to potential clients. My heart was racing as 

I wrote the letters in Spanish. I really didn’t want to mess up 

the possible client for the firm. I think I managed to make all 

the letters make sense. It was an excellent opportunity for me 

and I will definitely use this experience in my future. 

Valencia was a 

wonderful city to 

spend a summer in. 

My days were spent 

running and biking 

around the city and 

swimming into the 

Mediterranean. My 

friends and I tried 

to see as much 

of Valencia as we 

could, but we soon 

realized the city is 

much bigger than 

we thought. I met a 

“race director” who 

was promoting races around Spain. He invited me to run a 

60km trail race in Madrid. I chose to make this my last big 

adventure before I returned to Iowa. It was an incredible, 

life-changing experience. The views from the top of Mount 

Peñalara were breathtaking. I made it to the peak a little 

before noon and was able to see all of Madrid in the morning 

haze right before I started my descent. I am always looking 

Luke and friends at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain 


7


for new challenges and this experience was definitely one of 

the greatest of my life. I ran out of water and was dangerously 

dehydrated over the last 20km. But I finished 2nd and still 

had enough energy to talk with the other runners and make 

some new friends. Learning about the different lifestyles of 

runners in Spain and the US was very interesting. I was very 

lucky to meet these people. The return trip to Valencia was 

very uncomfortable and I was forced to hobble around for 

a few days. Oddly enough, there is a huge smile on my face 

every time I think back on that weekend. The city of Valencia 

is incredibly beautiful and I hope I will find a way to return 

in the future. 

I spent the best six months of my life studying in Cáceres and 

Valencia. The traveling and experiences are things I never 

would have imagined doing. I met amazing people who 

have taught me incredible lessons. I had a great internship 

that I can apply to my future, and I was even able to get a 

Spanish minor. Spain has definitely changed my life. So many 

questions I thought would never be found were answered. 

And I accomplished everything I set my mind to. There were 

many crazy, awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime, emotional, and 

surprising experiences that I will take with me everywhere I 

go. 

The City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia 

Sabrina Leahy and Nicole (Lucero) Ellis, Iowa State University 

students, along with 9 other students from Iowa Regents 

universities spent their summer of 2012 abroad in Cusco, Peru 

through the Iowa Board of Regents Program – In the Footsteps of 

the Incas. Members of the group lived with host families in Cusco, 

served nearby rural communities in constructing cleaner burning 

wood stoves, patios and a portion of a schoolhouse, took courses 

in Spanish language and Peruvian history and culture at Centro 

Bartolomé de Las Casas, and visited numerous ruins and cultural 

sites including one of the 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu, 

throughout the course of the 8 week program. Sabrina is a junior 

in biology and Spanish, and Lucero a sophomore in English with 

a focus on teaching English as a Second Language; both plan to 

pursue careers in education. 

TUPANANCHISKAMA 

“Until we meet again.” 

Written by Sabrina Leahy 

with essential assistance, motivation, 

inspiration and editing by Nicole (Lucero) Ellis 

When approached about writing an article about a recent 

study abroad experience, the first thoughts that came to 

mind were – where in the world (no pun intended) to 

begin and how ever could such a remarkable experience be 

successfully told in anything less than a novel? That speaks 

for the immensity of experiences had, knowledge gained and 

memories made in a span of just about two months abroad, 

4,000 miles away. It is an amazing thought that only 56 days 

can have such an incredible impact, and in such a diversity 

of ways, on one’s life. From the unforgettable memories and 

friendships made, to immersion into a culture that welcomed 

us with open arms and an open heart, there is no doubt that 

our experience “In the Footsteps of the Incas” was truly that 

of a lifetime. 

Here we will attempt to share the most impactful moments 

of the weeks we spent abroad in a manner as unique as our 

experiences. Rather than presenting a list of all the sites 

visited, silly ‘American moves’ made, cultural differences 

noted, etc. we wish to focus on a few key components that 

truly sculpted the experience into all that it was. 

What set our study abroad experience apart from many 

others was the service-learning component it entailed. Little 

did we know that this very component would not only 

provide us with the great experiences stemming directly from 

these service projects, but also had a profound impact on the 

perspectives we took on other experiences and opportunities 

throughout the duration of the program, and even beyond. 

Here we offer just a taste of what the days spent working 


alongside this 

amazing culture was 

like: 

Forty-five minutes 

outside the city 

of Cusco, in the 

small rural town of 

Ocoruru, we were 

given the pleasure of 

assisting in service 

projects set up by 

our cooperating 

Sabrina Leahy teaching a nutrition lesson. organization, 

ProWorld. These 

projects included constructing patios, cleaner burning 

wood stoves, and walls of a schoolhouse. ProWorld works 

to create culturally relevant, sustainable projects around the 

world. The projects are about empowering the communities 

to change their own lives in a positive way. Above all, the 

manner in which ProWorld designs their programs to achieve 

the goal of making a positive impact in the rural communities 

of Peru taught us great amounts about what truly defines 

effective, influential, impactful and helpful service. 

We, the volunteers, were led by residents of the community 

who we worked alongside; first to understand the needs for 

change and how to go about achieving it, then implementing 

that change through the various projects we participated in. 

Never once did the local leaders sit back and watch the rest 

of the group work away, nor did they ever express distaste 

towards our lack of construction talent. Day after day, week 

after week, they were always right there working alongside 

us, teaching us the correct way to use tools, mix clay, smooth 

out the wall or patio surface and mortar brick, and always 

with the most positive of attitudes and pleasant of ways. 

As we traveled and explored local ruins and cultural sites and 

were immersed in the celebrations and festivities of Cusco’s 

Mes Jubilar, one could not help but fall into a state of awe 

and amusement by the richness of the culture, tight ties to 

the past, and preserved traditions. This connection to the 

past and the strong pride Peruvians feel for their history 

and ancestors did not fade as the festivities came to a close. 

Pride in the past is something that very much remains and 

is noted as a key component of the Peruvian culture. In 

America, all too often we fail to maintain that connection to 

our ancestors and our past, losing sight of where we come 

from. I remember the first thing I was told upon arriving at 

my host family’s home was a history of their family – each 

family member proudly shared a story about their ancestors 

and what impact they had made on their lives today. This 

very pride for and connection to the past is something that 

truly stuck with us upon our return to the U.S. We have a 

new found interest and investment in learning about our own 

pasts because of the great influence that our host families 

instilled upon us. 

The impact of all we have learned continues to make a 

presence in our lives, as each day we come to realize yet 

another influence this experience had in defining how we 

live our lives today. Be it accepting and embracing cultural 

or personal differences, holding a greater understanding 

for the needs of a second language learner or international 

student, a new found interest in learning about what makes 

our own culture’s history and ancestors unique, or carrying 

out a virtue as simple as patience, this experience has shape 

our lives in more ways than imaginable. Peru, its history, 

traditions and its people will forever be with us, and when 

we consider it from that perspective, nearly 4,000 miles 

doesn’t seem quite so far away after all. 

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. 

So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes 

and extra colors. 

And the people there see you differently, too. 

Coming back to where you started is not the same as 

never leaving.” 

― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky 

Students laying stones for a patio. 


9

American Sign Language course offers better 

By Rachel Sinn, rachel.sinn@iowastatedaily.com 

Being comfortable with your body provides for 

better learning abilities when it comes to American 

Sign Language, according to Jonathan Webb, ASL 

instructor and interpreter and lecturer in World 

Languages and Cultures. This fall is the first semester 

that ASL courses have been offered on campus at 

Iowa State, and the demand to learn is expected to 

grow. 

“From what I understand, there’s been talk of 

offering American Sign Language here for 20 years,” 

Webb said. “With the advent of American Sign 

Language being offered, with kind of some crystal 

ball gazing, we’re assuming this program is going to 

you kind of whiten out or ‘turn off’ temporarily 

that part of your brain that says language has to 

be linear and it has to be audible?” Webb said. 

“[Can you] move into a place where language 

cannot just be linear, but three-dimensional, and 

where it’s not audible, but it’s actually visual?” 

Tiffany Bosse, freshman in kinesiology and 

health, loves the course and being able to 

practice and understand the language with 

classmates. 

“When [classmates] see each other on campus, 

we will use some signs, and we will start 

laughing because we know what the other 

person is saying,” Bosse said. 

ASL courses use a variety of 

different methods to test students 

on their knowledge. The midterm, 

for example, is divided into three 

components. A written portion 

will be given to test students on 

the structure of ASL and its history. 

An expressive portion must be 

completed where students video 

tape themselves signing their 

autobiography. The third portion 

tests reception of the messages 

given by Webb with a series of 

stories told to students who listen 

and answer questions. 

grow. It’s going to flourish and it’s going to possibly 

offer some career choices to some individuals.” 

Webb said that like all basic language courses, ASL 

101 is based on conversation and giving someone a 

basic communication ability. 

Webb spends 60 percent of 

his time teaching and 40 percent of his time 

interpreting for students through Student 

Disability Resources. 

“People can expect a rigorous class,” 

Webb said. “There is still this pervasive 

idea out there that ‘Oh, ASL will be easier 

to learn than other spoken languages.’” 

Although no studies have been done, 

Webb suspects that for students who are 

coordinated with their hands, ASL will 

come more naturally. 

“It really comes down to: Are you able to 

process and use a visual language? Can 


understanding of communication 

“Minority groups tend to go where they feel 

comfortable, and part of the reason why this 

position has been established with Student 

Disability Resources is because they want deaf 

individuals to feel comfortable coming to campus,” 

Webb said. 

Webb hopes that ASL eventually becomes its own 

major at Iowa State and provides a chance for 

teaching careers to expand the knowledge of the 

language. 

“There’s nothing that’s been decided, but there is 

talk of a major in American Sign Language,” Webb 

said. “There’s talk of interpreter education taking 

place here, where individuals will become fluent in 

the language and then be educated and trained in 

the process of actually simultaneously interpreting 

was to go to England, where our spoken languages 

are shared, I wouldn’t be able to communicate with 

them,” Webb said. 

According to SignGenius.com, an ASL website, sign 

language was not established in America until the 

mid-18th century when Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet 

traveled to Europe to visit a sign language institution 

in Paris and met Laurent Clerc, a recent French deaf 

school graduate. Together the two developed a sign 

language that would be better suited to Americans. 

Alicia Galloway, senior in environmental science, said 

the class has expanded her view on communication. 

“Just being able to see the concept of something 

versus just the meaning of the word and visualizing 

things more,” Galloway said. “I pay more attention to 

people’s body language now.” 

Article can be found at: 

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_ 

b36bfe76-0e56-11e2-b104-0019bb2963f4.html 

Photos: Megan Wolff/Iowa State Daily 

Alec Barnum, freshman in linguistics, and Tiffany Bosse, freshman in 

kinesology, communicate using American Sign Language in WLC105X. 

WLC 105X, American Sign Language I, is a new class offered at Iowa State. 

between English and ASL.” 

Alejandro “Alec” Barnum-Luna, freshman in 

linguistics, said as an active learner, he enjoys being 

able to use his hands to communicate. 

“I’m thinking about switching this to my major 

once they build it to sign language interpretation 

or something. I love working with my hands, and 

being involved and using [ASL],” Barnum said. 

Among many misconceptions about sign language, 

Webb said, one of the most common is that ASL is 

universal. 

“If I was to go to France, I would be able to 

communicate with deaf people fairly well, but if I 


11

Faculty Updates 

Chad M. Gasta, Associate Professor 

of Spanish 

Chad M. Gasta, recently 

published a book, Imperial 

Stagings: Empire and Ideology in 

Transatlantic Theater of Early 

Modern Spain and the New 

World (The University of North 

Carolina Press). 

The book shows how ideology 

concealed within popular 

dramas by Lope de Vega, 

Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, Pedro 

Calderón de la Barca and Sor Juna Inés de la Cruz can 

be viewed as an oscillating artistic transatlantic device 

that posed fictional solutions to economic, legal, sociopolitical, 

and religious problems evident in Spain and its 

colonies. 

The pervasiveness of state ideology and propaganda in 

early modern Spain and its New World colonies moved 

beyond government entities to firmly establish itself 

within aesthetic realms. One such medium, theater—the 

most popular and viable form of mass entertainment 

during the period—participated in state socialization by 

acting as a tool of imperial control and authority, and 

playwrights willingly played a role in its advancement. 

However, despite censorship and state control of 

theaters, early modern dramatists also found novel and 

covert methods to transmit criticism of Spain’s imperial 

affairs. 

Imperial Stagings engages with historical material, 

literary theory, and critical approaches to ideology 

and empire to reveal how Spain’s imperial ideology 

as embodied in drama was a reciprocal transatlantic 

phenomenon that moved back and forth between 

the peninsula and its colonies, mutually engaging 

and forever modifying each geopolitical area and, in 

the process, contributing to the creation of a national 

identity. 

Jesse Gleason, Teaching Assistant in 

Spanish 

Jesse Gleason has had an active year. She participated in 

the following conferences and published the following 

papers: 

1. MidAmerica Teachers of English to Speakers of Other 

Languages (MidTESOL), Oct., 2012 Iowa State 

University 

2. She co-presented a paper on integrated 

language-content units across the curriculum 

at the Technology and Second Language 

Learning (TSLL), Sept., 2012, Iowa State 

University 

3. She presented a paper on a systemic functional 

model for NLP-based oral assessment 

International Systemic Functional Congress 

(ISFC), July, 2012, University of Technology, 

Sydney 

4. She presented a paper on the theory and 

practice of Spanish as a foreign language. 

Her publications include: 

Gleason, J. & Suvorov, R. (2012). Learner 

Perceptions of Asynchronous Oral CMC: 

Proficiency and L2 Selves. Canadian Journal of 

Applied Linguistics, 15(1), 100-121. 

Gleason, J. (2012). The theory and practice of 

Spanish foreign language tasks. In J. Knox 

(Ed.). Conference proceedings from the 

39th International Systemic Functional 

Congress. Sydney: University of Technology, 

Sydney, 63-68. 

Slater, T. & Gleason, J. (2012). Integrating 

language and content: The Knowledge 

Framework. In (Eds.). Conference 

proceedings from the Saint Louis, MO: 

University of Saint Louis. 

Gleason, J. (2012). Beaches and Peaches: 

Common Pronunciation Errors among L1 

Spanish Speakers 

of English. In J. 

Levis & K. Levelle 

(Eds.) The Confluence 

of Social Factors and 

Pronunciation: Accent, 

Identity, Irritation and 

Discrimination. Ames, 

IA: Iowa State 

University. 

Rachel Haywood 

Ferreira, Associate 

Professor of Spanish 

Prof. Haywood Ferreira 

travelled to Lima, Peru in 

October 2012. There she 

gave the keynote address 

at the conference “Fines 


del mundo: Narrativas fantásticas en hispanoamérica” [Ends of 

the World: Fantastic Narratives in Spanish America] sponsored by 

the Centro de Estudios Literarios Antonio Cornejo Polar. She also 

gave a guest lecture at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San 

Marcos. 

The attached picture was taken in front of the library at the 

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, with a statue 

of the university’s founder, Fray Tomás de San Martín, in the 

foreground. The university was founded in 1551 and is the oldest 

continuously operating university in the Americas. 

Kathy Leonard, Professor of Spanish and 

Hispanic Linguistics 

Kathy Leonard traveled to Guatemala during the summer, 

2012, partially funded by the McClain Scholarship provided 

for WLC faculty wishing to study art history. Prof. Leonard 

spent two weeks in Panajachel, located on the shores of 

beautiful Lake Atitlán, where she studied the history and art 

of backstrap weaving with Tradiciones Mayas, a non-profit 

organization in Panajachel. Tradiciones Mayas promotes the 

weaving of local women, whose mission is to “empower and 

improve the quality of life for Maya women artisans and their 

families through education-driven social programs.” Leonard 

learned to use the backstrap loom, studied other traditional 

weaving techniques, and completed two weaving projects, 

under the watchful eye of her teachers. She was invited to 

visit women weavers in their homes in outlying communities 

and was able to interview and photograph them there 

working on their looms. 

Kathy Leonard with women weavers in 

Santa Catarina, Guatemala 

Rachel Meyers, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies 

This year has seen many developments for Rachel Meyers. She 

received a promotion to Senior Lecturer in April 2012, and 

several of her projects have now been published. Her article 

“Reconsidering Opportunities for Female Benefactors in the 

Roman Empire: Julia Antonia Eurydice and the Gerontikon at 

Nysa” has just been released in volume 81 of L’Antiquité Classique. 

Her contribution “Female Portraiture and Female Patronage in 

the High Imperial Period” appears in the Blackwell Companion 

to Women in the Ancient Mediterranean World. She has a number 

of entries on topics related to Roman coinage and gems in the 

Encyclopedia of Ancient History, an online and print resource 

published by Wiley-Blackwell. Most recently, she is in the process 

of developing a study abroad trip to Rome with her colleague in 

History, Professor David Hollander. Together they plan on taking 

a group of ISU students to Rome and its environs for the first time 

in May 2014, and will offer the program every other year. 


13

New faces in WLC 

Ana Oancea 

Ana Oancea is having a great time teaching at ISU, getting to know her 

students, and living in a nice college town. She holds an MA and MPhil 

in French from Columbia University, and is currently finishing her PhD 

dissertation on the representation of inventors in late 19th century French 

literature. In addition to science and literature, she is interested in French 

poetry and the adaptation of literature in film and other media. This year, 

she presented a paper on “Starving the Body and Feasting the Mind : The 

Baudelairean Cycle of A Rebours” at the Nineteenth Century French Studies 

Colloquium. In the spring, she will give a paper on Chan-Wook Park’s 

vampire film of Zola’s Thérèse Raquin at the NeMLA convention. The panel 

she is chairing is concerned with the originality of adaptations, rather than 

their faithful rendering of their sources, and will explore games filmmakers 

play with literature. 

Jonathan Webb teaches WLC 105X, 

American Sign Language I, which is a 

new class offered at Iowa State. Webb 

hopes that the ASL classes will grow 

and become a new major. 

Photo: Megan Wolff/Iowa State Daily 

Jonathan Webb, Lecturer in American Sign Language 

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. I have had the good fortune of living 

in a few different states, including California, Utah, and Hawaii. I spent 

a couple years in California, living in several different places between 

Northern Sacramento and Redding. After California, I had the unlikely 

opportunity to live in Utah. What started out as a three-year plan to finish 

up my BA and then execute a M.Ed. turned into a nine year stint, after 

marrying and having children. We lived in three different locations in 

Utah, but eventually our family made our way to Oahu. We lived first on 

the windward side of the island for a year and a half, and then on the ewa 

(southern and dry) side for a year. At the end of that year we decided to 

bring our island adventure to an end. We moved to Ames during the first 

week of August, 2012, and are entirely pleased with our decision. Oh, and 

in case you run into us, there are a total of five in our family. The troop 

consists of my wife Stephanie, who currently teaches at DMACC in the 

Math Department, our son Joshua (10), Elijah (7), and daughter Morgan 

(2). 

As far as my professionall identity, my M.Ed. is in Deaf Education-Early 

Childhood Intervention where I made my focus the study of language 

acquisition in infants, primarily, those who are deaf. My Ph.D. is in 

Metaphysics, which is the study of the convergence of science (Quantum 

Physics) and spirituality. In relation to language teaching experience, I 

have previously taught as an adjunct instructor and curriculum developer 

in an interpreter training program, and as a tenure track faculty member in another interpreter program. I 

began professionally interpreting in the community at the age of 17, so I have had the good fortune of really 

understanding the practices of interpreters and the mental somersaults involved in interpretation, translation, 

and even transliteration. With my time in the field as both an educator and interpreter, I have found mentoring 

to be an enjoyable experience, whether the individual is looking to hone language skills or is preparing for 

national certification. 

I am thrilled to be here at Iowa State University, and am awed by the warm welcoming nature of my colleagues 

in World Languages and Cultures. I look forward to working with you all as we build the ASL program and 

overall language offerings at ISU. 


WLC students in the news 

Lindsay Wenner (B.A. 2012 WLC) was honored at the 2012 Iowa 

World Languages Association annual conference with the Teacher of 

Promise Award. This award is given to student teachers or new teachers 

who show exceptional potential in the field of teaching. Lindsay is 

currently teaching Spanish and French at Parkview Middle School in 

Ankeny. 

Bianca Contreras (B.A. 2013 WLC) presented a poster at the 2012 

Iowa World Languages Association annual conference. Her exhibit, 

entitled “Community, Culture, Technology... Oh my!” focused on a class 

webpage dedicated to culture both locally and abroad. The website has 

links to authentic Hispanic newspapers and magazines, videos, music, and 

photos. 


15

Department of World Languages and Cultures 

3102 Pearson Hall 

Ames, IA 50011-2205 

Making a Difference 

The Department of World Languages and 

Cultures at Iowa State University is committed 

to providing outstanding opportunities for the 

university community. In order to have the resources 

necessary to take these programs into the future, 

support for the department is essential. Funding 

is required to aid the program in developing 

new opportunities in technology, continuing and 

advancing outreach activities, maintaining and 

expanding current educational opportunities, and 

supporting students and faculty. These services are 

crucial as the Department of World Languages and 

Cultures strives to keep up with the student demand 

for these experiences. To help make a difference, 

simply fill out the form, drop it in the mail (ISU 

Foundation, 2505 University Blvd, Ames, Iowa 

50010-8644) and check our next newsletter. 

For more information about making a gift to 

the Department of World Languages and Cultures 

or including ISU in your estate plans, please 

contact the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

Development Office at 515-294-3607 or Erin 

Steinkamp at estein@iastate.edu. 

www.foundation.iastate.edu/las_gift 

I wish to support programs in World Languages and Cultures at ISU. 

Enclosed is my gift of: 

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Other $_______________ 

Please specify the fund that should receive your gift: 

_____Student Scholarships 

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My employer is _________________________________________ 

Please charge my credit card. 

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07 W11:03

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