The Department of Modern Languages is committed to preparing all University of Akron students to succeed in the global economy and to become productive and engaged global citizens. Our students achieve linguistic competencies and multicultural literacies, develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and connect with diverse local, national, and international communities.
Our enthusiastic and passionate faculty, staff and students look forward to helping you explore our world!
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Gavin DeMali Beginning I and II- Intermediate I and II |
Tuesday 11:00:-1:00, 3:00-6:00 Wednesday 3:00-5:00 Thursday 3:00-6:00 Friday 11:00-1:00
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Sondos Mishal Beginning I and II- Intermediate I and II |
Tuesday 1:00-4:00 Wednesday 10:00-11:30, 1:30-3:30 Thursday 10:00-11:30
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Yousef Saleh Beginning I |
Tuesday 5:00-6:00 Wednesday 1:00-4:00 Thursday 4:00-6:00 |
French
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T’Amor Bowman Beginning I and II- Intermediate I and II |
Tuesday 11:00-2:00, 4:00-6:00 Thursday 1:00-6:00 Friday 10:00-1:00 |
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Oyintarikeye Osuobeni Beginning I and II- Intermediate I and II |
Monday 1:00-6:00 Tuesday 12:00-2:00, 4:00-6:00 Wednesday 12:00-3:00, 5:00-6:00 Thursday 12:00-2:00, 4:00-6:00 Friday 10:00-1:00 |
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Eleanor Nielsen Beginning I |
Tuesday 12:00-1:00 Wednesday 10:00-11:30, 4:00-5:00 Thursday 12:00-1:00 |
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Vincent Pham Beginning I and II - Intermediate I and II |
Tuesday 1:00-2:00 Wednesday 2:30-5:30 Thursday 1:00-5:00 |
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David Rozmajzl Beginning I and II - Intermediate I and II |
Tuesday 12:00-3:00 Wednesday 10:00-2:00 Thursday 2:00-6:00 |
Jackson Gagne, a junior International Business major with a minor in French, is this year’s winner of the Ben Auburn Award in Cultural Criticism. The title of his short story was “The Foxes and the Wildcats.” Gagne received a $500 cash prize.
The second place winner was Abigail Watson, a senior Political Science/Spanish/Psychology major, for her poem titled “Cerebral Landfills.”
Winning third place was Emily Bower, a senior Public Relations major with a minor in French, for her short story titled “…..No Offense.”
Pictured are Sandy Auburn, far left, and Dr. Mark Auburn, center rear, with the students who participated in this year’s competition. From left are Donna Toth, Maria McNeill, Abigail Watson, Jackson Gagne and Emily Bower.
Eleanor Plaster, French major, represented the UA DML and won the second prize at the 2019 Cleveland Maison Française annual French competition for colleges in Northeast Ohio
The UA French students have been consistently winning the competition since 2003. Maison Française de Cleveland is affiliated with the Federation of the Alliances Françaises in the United States, a nonprofit organization that promotes Franco-American cultural activities. Schools participating in the competition include private, highly-selective colleges such Oberlin College, College of Wooster, as well as Baldwin Wallace University and John Carroll University.
Here is what Eleanor said about her experience:
"A couple of weeks ago, I participated in a French contest at John Carroll University held by La Maison Française of Cleveland, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of French and Franco-American culture. This competition consisted of a written portion in French discussing one of the prompts provided, where I choose to write about the film Rue Cases-Nègres directed by Euzhan Palcy from Martinique. For the oral portion, I had the opportunity to talk to four members of La Maison Française in French about my experiences with French, my interests, and my future plans.
I competed against other students from colleges in Northeast Ohio, and I was honored to have received second prize. On Sunday April 7, I was invited to the ceremony for this competition where I had the opportunity to meet the other winners of the competition, as well as get further acquainted with the members of La Maison. I had the opportunity to present my experiences in French along with the other students while celebrating with my family. I am very thankful to have had this opportunity, and I am looking forward to competing again next year!”
Anna Nyszczy is a Spanish minor and a student in our Certificate of Advanced Spanish for the Health Professions. She is completing her Honors Research Project analyzing the differences between the Spanish and US health systems through the lens of total laryngectomy surgery. She presented her research at the University of Akron Interdisciplinary Symposium on April 9th.
On Friday, February 8th, Dr. Cortney Benjamin, Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Dept. of Modern Languages, spoke in the Rethinking Gender Series sponsored by the Women's Studies Program. Her presentation titled "Spectacular Traveling Women in the 17th Century Hispanic World: Nuns, Cross-Dressers, Soldiers and Avengers" was a fascinating look on several works written by women during the time. Her lecture touched on the rhetoric of honor at this time and how the Baroque spectacle tied in to these readings. Several students joined in to discuss the life of Catalina de Erauso, the Lieutenant Nun or la Monja Alferez.
Health care providers and graduates from the Certificate of Beginning Medical Spanish taught by the Spanish section in the Modern Languages Department on site at Akron Children’s Hospital (Mary Ciesa, Parisa Talea and Acen Oloya) reach out to show us how they are now putting to good use their Spanish at the El Valle School in the Dominican Republic.
