Alumni Spotlight

September 21, 2018

Welcome back to the new school year! We would like to begin our Alumni Spotlight with an inspiring alum: Adrienne Gonzales. Dr. Gonzales graduated from UNM with a PhD in Hispanic Linguistics in 2012 and is currently working at University of Denver. 

“I direct the Center for World Languages and Cultures at the University of Denver, where I have worked since 2011.  One of my primary responsibilities in my current role is to increase access to Less Commonly Taught Languages, and I am the faculty of record for our Directed Independent Language Study program, mentoring students in over seven languages that are not taught in traditional classes at DU.  With our Center being housed in the Office of Internationalization, I have become involved in many international education initiatives.  I work on projects related to linguistic and cultural preparation with (and get to travel to!) our various International Strategic Partner Institutions in Australia, Portugal, South Africa, and Sweden.  Recently, I published a chapter in the Language Center Handbook: “Programmatic Support in Language Centers: Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum and Directed Independent Language Studies” (International Association for Language Learning Technology).  I also regularly teach a course called Exploring Global Citizenship, a required pre-study abroad course for undergraduate students, and I teach in the University of Colorado’s Graduate Certificate Program in Language Teaching with Technology.  

My foundation in Hispanic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition got me started working in and with Language Centers, and since graduating, I have broadened my academic and professional focus to also include assessment, curriculum design, and educational development.  I have recently been accepted as a member of the Higher Learning Commission Peer Review Corps and will begin reviewing institutions for accreditation this year.

Professionally, I am forever thankful to the many mandatory practice talks that prepared me for the scores of presentations I’ve given throughout my career. Personally, I look back at my UNM grad school days as some of the most fun I’ve had, and I treasure the lifelong friendships I made!   I love conference season when I get to reconnect with my former classmates and see everyone’s amazing accomplishments!”

Thank you Dr. Gonzales for contributing to our communities!