Student News

Graduate Student Perspective: Eric Carbajal

I consider it an absolute honor to be the recipient of last year’s Merle E. Simmons Travel Fellowship for Research on Latin American Literature established by Dr. August Aquila. Through considerable devotion, Professor Simmons was able to make a substantial contribution to researchers surveying various aspects of Latin American literature. The generous fellowship funds facilitated my travel to Ayacucho, Peru where I conducted archival research in several libraries and government locations of the city. My doctoral research focuses on contemporary Peruvian literature related to historical accounts of terrorism and political violence. My trip to Ayacucho, the epicenter of the struggle between the Peruvian government and the terrorist organization Shining Path, was fundamental as I was able to gather substantial resources for my current and future projects. As a result of my research this past summer, I have a better sense of the significance of the conflict for surviving victims and of the information that has been left out of official historical accounts. During my stay in Ayacucho, I attended several public and academic discussion forums, including the “Mesa verde,” initiated a few years ago by anthropologist Carlos Iván Degregori, as well as the “Seminario Internacional de la Memoria” where victims of violence from Peru and other countries gathered to share their experiences, strength, and different coping strategies. For this experience, I am especially indebted to Dr. Aquila for his generosity and commitment in recognizing Prof. Simmons’s many years of research, teaching, and mentoring, while also promoting and sponsoring us, the next generation of scholars, to follow our different paths towards academic excellence.

Graduate Student Awards

Lieber Memorial Associate Instructor Teaching Award (university-wide competition)
Michael Mosier

Merle E. Simmons Travel Fellowship
Eric Carbajal

Timothy J. Rogers Summer Dissertation Fellowship
Jared Patten

2011-12 Latino Studies Program Dissertation Year Fellowship
Rebecca Ronquest

Bieder Travel Award
Valeriya Fedonkina

College of Arts & Sciences Travel Grant
Tanya Flores
Silvia Roca-Martinez
Megan Solon

Agapito Rey Academic Year Fellowship
Matt Kanwit

Department Outstanding Associate Instructor Award
Nick Phillips
Tony Hessenthaler, honorable mention

JM Hill Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Paper
Megan Solon

University Graduate School Grant in Aid of Research
Maria Barker

8th Annual Feministas Unidas Essay Prize
Olena Shkatulo

Cultural Studies Program Brantlinger-Naremore Prize
Ligia Bezerra

2011 American Association of Applied Linguists Graduate Student Award
Lorenzo García-Amaya

2011 Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship (national competition)
Marda Rose, finalist 

2011 Hispanic Linguistic Symposium Graduate Student Awards:
Robert Baxter
Stephen Fafulas
Matthew Kanwit
Megan Solon

Completed MA degree
Rob Bedinghaus
Bret Linford
Sophia Rammell
Megan Solon
Ivana Schneider
Courtney Williams
Cristina Vallejos

Completed PhD degree
José Espericueta
Paloma Fernández
Jason Killam
Scott Lamanna
Erin McNulty
Greg Newall
Lauren Schmidt
Olena Shkatulo

Secured tenure-track positions
Lorenzo García-Amaya, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Jason Killam, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Scott Lamanna, Calvin College
Lauren Schmidt, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Olena Shkatulo, Calvin College

Undergraduate Student Awards

Culler Study Abroad Scholarship
Rachel Geissler

Rachel Di Pietro-James Scholarship
Erin Carpenter

Ashley Crouse Memorial Scholarship
Jessica Miller

Theodore Dorf Scholarship
Kacey McArthur

Pedro Díaz Seijas Scholarship
Tess Kunz

Hutton Honors College Scholarship
Rachel Geissler          
Katelyn Mika
Rebekah Niedner
Clara Ranzetta

IU Credit Union Continuing Student Scholarship
Nathan Lohrmann

Graduated with Department Honors
Jennifer Burch
Mark Hoff
Olivia Holloway
Cristina Vanko

Phi Beta Kappa Inductees
Jaycee Bigham
Austin Bietrich
Jennifer Burch
Desiree Cossyleon
Cian Deegan
Laura Engelhardt
Stacy Ezra
Anthony Flora
Carl Gidley
Maria Iglesias
Kent Kinzer
Mikayla Knight
Katelyn Laszlo
Shona Lee
Dylan Pittman
Kellie Rockel
Kelley Scanlon
Richard Scinteie
Scott Silver
Laura Steinmeyer
Amy Stoller
Emily Thomas
Sean Tommey
Emily Wachholz
Lindsay Whisler
Anastasia Yesnik