Dr. Augustin Bocco
Lee University will host the XII Annual Latin American and Iberian Studies Conference on Saturday, March 29, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., which will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in scholarly discussions on Latin American and Iberian language and culture.
"In addition to being a wonderful initiative that promotes student participation from a global perspective, the event is one of the few spaces that still remain to encourage discussion and the exchange of knowledge among undergraduate students in Spanish and Hispanic studies,” says Dr. Oleski Navarro, assistant professor of Hispanic studies at Emory & Henry University.
Various panel discussions will take place, featuring participants from multiple universities. The list of institutions attending the conference includes Covenant College, Samford University, Vassar College, and Seminario Bíblico, located in Colombia, South America. Lee faculty members involved in the conference are Dr. Carmen Guerrero, associate professor of Spanish; Dr. Donna Summerlin, chairperson for the Department of Language and Literature; Dr. James Wilkins, professor of French; and Dr. Alexander Steffanell, professor of Spanish.
“The conference provides an excellent opportunity for our students to present their research, to broaden their horizons by interacting with participants from other universities and even other countries, and to hear presentations from scholars and faculty at Lee and other universities,” said Dr. Summerlin.
According to Dr. Sara Ortega-Higgs, assistant professor of world languages and cultures at Samford University, this event allows students to share their research beyond the classroom setting while building their own presentational skills.
“This conference is the fruit of Dr. Steffanell’s vision and has grown exponentially throughout the years,” said Dr. Ortega-Higgs. “It provides an inviting community space where students get to interact with peers from other institutions all over the southern region and from different walks of life. We all come together every year to celebrate and share our passion for Hispanic culture and language.”
Dr. Augustin Bocco, a Lee University alumnus, will serve as the keynote speaker. Dr. Bocco is the dean of the Tennessee Wesleyan University Colloms College of Arts and Science, as well as an associate professor of French and Francophone Studies. Originally from Togo, West Africa, he came to Cleveland, Tennessee, to study French and has since dedicated himself to sharing his passion for the language, including directing beginner and intermediate French language cafés during his time at Lee University.
The XII Annual Latin American and Iberian Studies Conference is free and open to the public, with no registration required.
For more information, please contact Dr. Steffanell at asteffanell@leeuniversity.edu.