Department of Modern Languages

Faculty

Associate Professor Wanda Cordero-Ponce, Department Head, earned her Ph.D. at the Pennsylvania State University. Her academic interests include second language acquisition, teaching methodology, reading in a second/foreign language, and Spanish/French language and culture.

Professor Leona S. Martin holds the Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University. Her academic interests include Spanish-American women authors and Hispanic culture in the United States. She also teaches a special course in Spanish for students planning to enter the service profession.

Professor Susan M. Schürer holds the Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her specialities include German literature and film, Renaissance family history and business German. She also has special interest in Pennsylvania German life and letters.

Associate Professor Scott Manning has a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. His academic interests include French literature and culture, gender studies, and the role of technology in the humanities. He also teaches courses in Italian language and culture.

Assistant Professor Lynn Palermo has a Ph.D. in French Civilization from The Pennsylvania State University. Her academic interests include French and Francophone culture, especially literature, the decorative and fine arts, architecture, and cultural politics since the Third Republic. She also teaches Business and Professional French.

Assistant Professor Amanda Meixell earned her Ph.D. at the Pennsylvania State University. Her academic interests include Spanish Golden Age Literature, especially theater and Cervantes. She is also interested in Hispanic Arthurianism.

Assistant Professor María Cristina Saavedra holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from New York University. Her interests include Cuban and Cuban-American literary and cultural production, film, migration, exile, and theory on the intellectual.

Instructor Monica Cardin-Bussanich is a Masters candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at Bloomsburg University. She teaches courses in Italian language.

Instructor Robert Doughterty is a Ph.D. candidate in German at Penn State University. He received his M.A.T. (Masters of Arts in Teaching) from Middle Tennessee State University. His interests include gender studies, literary theory, and East German literature. He teaches an intermediate German language course.

Instructor Kim Kaler studied Spanish at Penn State University. She received her M.Ed. in Curriculum
and Instruction from Bloomsburg University. She teaches introductory Spanish courses.

Instructor Rebekah Liu Smith teaches courses in Chinese language and culture.

Modern Language Fellows- A special feature of language study at Susquehanna is the opportunity for students to interact with visiting instructors from other countries. The Fellows teach introductory language classes and join students in weekly language tables and club activities. This year we are pleased to have Romina Alvarez D'Alberti from Argentina, Tanit Carre Cardona from Spain, and Elise Thiery from France.