Department of Modern Languages

Message from the Department Chair

  
It is my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome you to today’s Commencement ceremony, and to our departmental awards ceremony and graduation reception. To our graduating students, please accept my congratulations, and I hope you will remember this day in the years to come. We are here today to celebrate you, the graduates, and all those who have supported and encouraged you during your academic careers here at California State University, Fullerton. I encourage you and your loved ones to reflect on what today represents to you, what measure of personal dedication and sacrifice your studies have demanded, and what you hope the future will bring to you and yours. 

To the family, friends, and loved ones of our graduates, I thank you for your support, encouragement, and support, which helped these students earn their degrees successfully.

We on the faculty join all of today’s graduates in celebrating this day together with colleagues, peers, friends and family. With this ceremony we mark a new beginning, that is, a commencement, that is devoted to never-ending learning and growth. We dedicate this celebration of new beginnings to you, the Graduating Class of 2023. It marks the culmination of years of work, and I salute all our graduates and the people who helped them to make it here today.

Nathan T. Carr, Ph.D.

Chair, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Professor of TESOL

 

Student Speaker

Andrés Ríos initiated his undergrad trajectory amidst a pandemic in the fall of 2020. He has been on the Dean’s Honor List every semester since and has received multiple merit-based scholarships via the MLL Department and the Center for Careers in Teaching. His native language, Spanish, has been the fuel for his teaching career, which he initiated at 20 years old as a substitute in Orange County districts. Andrés has also enhanced his leadership abilities as president of a student organization for future educators, and he has been admitted into the Single Subject Credential Program at CSU Fullerton for the fall. Motivated to learn, grow, and excel in the education field, Andrés aspires to pursue a Master’s degree in the near future.

 

Poem Reader

Alexandra Webber has been selected by the MLL faculty to read a poem today. She has chosen to read “Remember” by Joy Harjo, the renowned 23rd US Poet Laureate from 2019-2022, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-born woman from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She will be reading her poem in Spanish.

English

Remember the sky that you were born under, 
know each of the star’s stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother’s, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

Español

Recuerda el cielo bajo el que naciste,
Conoce cada una de las historias de las estrellas.
Recuerda la luna, reconoce quién es.
Recuerda el nacimiento del sol al amanecer, ese es el
punto más fuerte del día. Recuerda la puesta del sol
y el regalo de esta noche.
Recuerda tu nacimiento, cómo luchó tu madre.
para darte forma y aliento Eres evidencia de
su vida, y de la de su madre, y de la de ella.
Recuerda a tu padre él es tu vida, también.
Recuerda la tierra cuya piel eres:
Tierra roja, tierra negra, tierra amarilla, tierra blanca
Tierra marrón, somos tierra. Recuerda las plantas, los árboles, la vida animal que
todos tienen sus tribus, sus familias, sus historias, también. Habla con ellos,
escúchalos. Son poemas vivos.
Recuerda el viento. Recuerda su voz. Él sabe el
Origen de este universo.
Recuerda que eres toda la gente y toda la gente
es tú.
Recuerda que eres este universo y este
universo es tú
Recuerda que todo está en movimiento, está creciendo, es tú.
Recuerda que el lenguaje viene de esto.
Recuerda que el baile un idioma es, que la vida es.
Recuerda.

 

PROGRAM AWARDS

Chinese:
Alice Sch Sch Li: Professional Promise
Born in Hayward, California, raised in SoCal all my life, I acquired my bilingualism through Chinese at home and English in school. My parents who spoke no English at all, were able to teach me Chinese as I grew up. As a fourth year Geography Major minoring in Chinese and Military Science, I am grateful to all the professors I’ve encountered including Dr. Liu that taught me more than I expected minoring in Chinese. Now close to graduation, I’m looking forward to embarking my journey as a 2LT in our U.S. Army. 

French: 
Alexis Colon: Outstanding Undergraduate Student
My name is Alexis Colon, and I am a double major in French and business administration with a concentration in marketing. I am passionate about French language and culture, having studied it for the past 8 years. During my 4 years at CSUF, I was an active member of the CSUF French Club.  I love to travel and use the language skills I have learned. After graduation, I look forward to starting my new job at Niagara Bottling. 

Alessandro Calame: Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Margaux Spina: Professional Promise

 

Japanese:
Hollie Cruz: Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Hello, my name is Hollie Cruz. I was born and raised in Sacramento, California. From K-8 I attended a Catholic School, St. Charles Borromeo. In high school, I went to Cosumnes Oaks High School, where I ultimately found my passion, learning the Japanese language. I continued my studies with the language in college at California State University, Sacramento. However, because the college only offered Japanese as a minor, I transferred to California State University Fullerton in order to pursue the Japanese major.
I am now graduating with a BA in Japanese and plan to further my knowledge in Japan with a teaching internship I have received. I hope to continue to spread knowledge to not only students, but to peers and anyone I may meet or encounter. My time at Fullerton has taught me to keep pursuing my dreams, no matter how hard it gets!

Briana Palacios: Student of Academic Excellence
Briana Palacios began her academic journey at CSUF in 2018, where she earned her BA in Cinema and Television Arts. Upon earning her degree in CTVA, she also attained her BA in Japanese. Briana plans to continue her career in the entertainment industry, where she hopes to one day be able to make films in Japan.

Ilaria Costa: Professional Promise
Her name is Ilaria Costa, she was born in Rome. She has always had an interest in languages so she went to a language high school. She got into the Japanese language since middle school and decided she would go study abroad in Japan and so she did. She spent an year in Tsushima, Nagoya when she was 16-17 and it was the best year of her life. Then after that she decided that she wanted to go to university in America. She attended Santa Monica college for 2 years and she worked there as a language tutor (Italian and japanese) before transferring to CSUF as a Japanese major. Unfortunately it was right before quarantine started so she didn’t get to fully experience her American college life but now that she graduating she looks back at it and she loved it ! She is so happy she chose to come to CSUF it was her first choice and she would chose it again and again. She she is planning to move to Hiroshima, Japan this September and start working part time over there while studying to get JLPT N2. Her future goal is to open a language school in Japan and to build a share house/apartments so that students can come and learn Japanese while enjoying the culture.

Derrick Chong: Excellence in Service
Derrick Chong attended Citrus College and Mt. San Antonio College from 2017-2020, transferring to CSU Fullerton in 2021 after receiving his associate's degree in psychology from Citrus College. After graduating, his goal will be to teach Japanese at the secondary education level. He will start by returning to CSU Fullerton in Fall 2023 for the world languages single-subject credential teaching program. After this, he plans to work in Japan for at least a year in order to further build up his language and cultural skills.

Spanish and Portuguese:
Elisabella Gamallo Carmona: Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Elisabella Gamallo Carmona attended CSUF, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. As a co-founder of Grupo de Teatro en Español, she is very committed to serving the Hispanic community and empowering them to share their stories through performance arts. She aspires to become a Spanish high school teacher in the near future.

Andres Rios: Undergraduate Professional Promise
Andrés Ríos initiated his undergrad trajectory amidst a pandemic in the fall of 2020. He has been on the Dean’s Honor List every semester since and has received multiple merit-based scholarships via the MLL Department and the Center for Careers in Teaching. His native language, Spanish, has been the fuel for his teaching career, which he initiated at 20 years old as a substitute in Orange County districts. Andrés has also enhanced his leadership abilities as president of a student organization for future educators, and he has been admitted into the Single Subject Credential Program at CSU Fullerton for the fall. Motivated to learn, grow, and excel in the education field, Andrés aspires to pursue a Master’s degree in the near future.

Maria Montoya: Outstanding Graduate Student
Since 2017, Maria Magdalena Montoya has been pursuing her career at California State University, Fullerton, in which she has been on the Dean’s Honor list for consecutive semesters. In 2019, she graduated Cum Laude with B.A. in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies. She was awarded the Professional Promise Undergraduate Student Award from the Department of Modern Languages. Then, in 2020 she completed the Teaching Credential Program and earned a Single Subject Credential and BCLAD in Spanish. A year later, while working on her M.A. in Spanish, she found a teaching job as a Spanish Language Arts teacher and was also enrolled in the Induction Program to clear her Teaching Credential. In Summer 2022, she participated in the 8th Annual International Conference in Mexico. Currently, she is teaching Spanish Speaker students, and her ultimate goal is to continue serving this community of students and grow as a professional.  

Sindy Erazo: Professional Promise
Sindy Erazo has diligently pursued her education to this point, in which is proud to receive her Master’s Degree. Since a very young age, she found her love and passion towards the language and the culture and the desire to share it with others. She has been on the Dean’s List once. She is currently working as a Spanish teacher in an Academy Center and teaching private classes for those people who are eager to learn the language and culture.

Jessica Navarrete: Outstanding Service
Jessica Janette Navarrete attended Fullerton College, where she received her Spanish Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer. She transferred to CSUF in 2019. She has become the president for the Spanish club Asociación de Alumnos y Ex Alumnos de Español for two semesters in a row. Upon earning her BA in Spanish, Jessica plans to continue with the Master’s program next semester if accepted.

Karol Zaldivar: Outstanding Service
Karol Zaldivar is a first-generation Latina college student pursuing a major in Communications and Public Relations, minoring in Women and Gender Studies and Spanish. She has a passion for storytelling through theatrical performance and embracing language, community, and culture. At CSUF, she has been a community leader and advocate by serving in student organizations such as D.R.E.A.M Co-Op, Mesa Cooperativa, and being founding member and president of Grupo de Teatro en Español.

TESOL:
Qingguo Zhao: Professional Promise in TESOL   
Qingguo Zhao, a 2023 TESOL MS graduate, brings a wealth of experience to the field of English language teaching. With a remarkable 15-year track record as an ESL teacher, his passion for education extends beyond the classroom into entrepreneurship, as the proprietor of a thriving online educational business. His innovative teaching methodologies and dedication to student success are the cornerstones of his career. Outside the professional realm, Qingguo finds his greatest joy in being a loving father to his two children, nurturing their curiosity and growth. His life attests to his belief in the power of education and the importance of family.

Amanda Hoang: Outstanding Service in TESOL

Heekyung Lee: TESOL Foreign Student Scholarship
Born and raised in South Korea, I'm currently pursuing my TESOL Master's degree here at California State University, Fullerton. Before joining this program, I was a high school English teacher back in Korea. It was a rewarding experience, but I wanted to expand my knowledge and skills in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Studying here has been an amazing opportunity to interact with fellow classmates and learn from knowledgeable professors. I'm excited about this journey and eager to make a positive impact in the field of TESOL.

Fang-Yu (Denise) Wang: Academic Excellence in TESOL

 

Endowed and Philanthropic Scholarships
Andres Webster Cabrera: The Lydia Velez Student of Perseverance Award
Andres Webster Cabrera is an international student originally from Oaxaca, Mexico. He moved to Los Angeles at the age of fourteen without speaking English. Andres decided to pursue a career in sports journalism, as he’d like to combine his passion for storytelling and sports. He wishes to obtain a teaching credential and use his minor in Spanish as a foundation to become a Spanish teacher in the future. For now, Andres has accepted a position as an engineer with ESPN+, where he will collaborate in the broadcasting of college sports. In his spare time, Andres likes to spend time with family and friends, play the drums, play soccer, and help out at a small coffee shop owned and run by his parents and siblings.

Elisabella Gamallo: The Arana Family Scholarship
Elisabella Gamallo Carmona attended CSUF, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. As a co-founder of Grupo de Teatro en Español, she is very committed to serving the Hispanic community and empowering them to share their stories through performance arts. She aspires to become a Spanish high school teacher in the near future.

Regina Lozada: The Arana Family Scholarship
My name is Regina Lozada, I am a first generation college graduate. I am my own hero. I had to tackle so many obstacles just to be here. I had to work two jobs and take 5 classes this semester. Sometimes I had to work twice that same day, just to be able to make this happen. Like David Goggins said himself “Don’t stop when you are tired. Stop when you are done.” I now aspire to become a police officer. I hope one day I can help those who went through similar situations I did when I was a kid.

Hose Lianos-Vu: Nancy Terry Baden Scholarship and Tussing World Languages and TESOL Scholarship co-recipient
I am Hose Lianos-Vu, a graduate student in the TESOL program who comes from Vietnam. I just finished my last classes in the program and now I am waiting to take the Comprehensive exam in Fall 2023. Throughout the semesters, I tried my best in every class to not only score high but also get as much knowledge as possible in order to fulfill my dream of being an English language instructor at community colleges. With all of the knowledge that I have been and will be equipped with, I am certain that I will teach not only the English language, but the culture that I have experienced in the US as well, thereby being able to help the students in particular and the society in general through education.

Heekyung Lee: TESOL Foreign Student Scholarship and Tussing World Languages and TESOL Scholarship co-recipient
Born and raised in South Korea, I'm currently pursuing my TESOL Master's degree here at California State University, Fullerton. Before joining this program, I was a high school English teacher back in Korea. It was a rewarding experience, but I wanted to expand my knowledge and skills in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Studying here has been an amazing opportunity to interact with fellow classmates and learn from knowledgeable professors. I'm excited about this journey and eager to make a positive impact in the field of TESOL.

Megan A Warnecke: The Department of Modern Languages & Literatures Scholarship

Angela D Reyes: The Department of Modern Languages & Literatures Scholarship
My name is Angela Reyes and I am an Entertainment Art/Animation major and French minor. I am a first-generation Chicana student. I have been studying French since I was a freshman in high school. When I'm not studying, I watch films, play guitar, or go outside and draw people. I especially love watching French films. My goal is to become fluent in French and become trilingual. If I were to work in a French-speaking country, I would choose to reside in Quebec, Canada.

Johanna Lopez: The Linda R. Andersen Scholarship
My name is Johanna Lopez, I am a third year first generation Latina student. I come from a family of hard-working immigrants. Hence, where I get my determination, resiliency, and compassion from. I love learning about new languages and cultures. A dream of mine is to travel the world one day. I love spending time with my loved ones, painting, and dancing.

 

MLL Department Full-Time Faculty

 

GRADUATES