Alumni News

Alumni Profiles

Becky Drew McColley, BA '79

I grew up in the Midwest and am of German-English decent. German was a big part of my life as a child. I understood that culture and language well. However, I don't particularly like the climate in either the Midwest or Germany so I set out to learn Spanish where many climates better suited my clothes!

I left Indiana in 1980 and took a job with Hughes Aircraft Company as a Budget Control Analyst in LA. I worked on the budgets for the F-14, F-15, and F-18 airplane radar systems. I wrote my own computer programs and was able to organize the data in a beneficial way for my entire department to effectively use and share data. I have a business degree along with the Spanish degree (since my parents, on a regular basis, reminded me that a degree in only Spanish would not buy the groceries). Oddly enough, I believe I got the job at Hughes, not because I had the business background, but because the Head of the Department I was interviewing with was Mexican. He was a delightful man, extraordinary, and had trouble believing that a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl from Indiana could speak Spanish. From the moment I accepted the job, he always spoke to me in Spanish (if we were not in the company of English-only speakers). That was the best work situation I have ever had and it was because of how well I fit in. I directly attribute that success to my Lawrenceburg High School teacher, Debra Hein, who taught me well enough to test out of several years of college Spanish and who had the ability, the rare ability, to make learning fun. At Indiana University, I was fortunate enough to have the late Russell Salmon as my professor. I learned so much that I signed up for every class I could take from him. He was not only an exceptional teacher, but an exceptional, bright, creative, "passionate-about-the-task-at-hand", elegant, astute man. He was an outstanding human being, beloved by all his students.

My husband ridiculed my language education. He saw it as a waste of time for an "educated" person. I, however, had the Spanish degree before I ever married him so it was water under the bridge (so if you don't like it, Buddy, don't marry me!). Yes, I am still married to the fellow and have changed his mind about my Spanish degree. We travel a great deal and, time and again, he has reaped the benefits of my language skills. My entire family's life has improved because I earned a Spanish degree. Both of my children speak Spanish. My oldest received a double major--Spanish/English from the University of Texas. Truly, it was her choice, but do you think the experiences she had in the household with a multilingual parent had anything to do with it? She has graduated from law School now, lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and in her profession has found her Spanish degree quite helpful. My second child, after being the top student in her Advanced Placement High School Spanish class, studied French at Southern Methodist University because she felt it was "no big deal" to start from scratch and completely learn a 3rd language. Do you think the attitude about learning a 3rd language was reflected in the attitude at home (Spanish was my 3rd language)? One can only guess. Both my children have lived abroad (without their parents) using their language skills to maneuver in society. They think nothing of it. It is second nature. That, my friends, is how a language degree can change the world!

I have had countless situations over the years when I have helped others because I speak Spanish. You would be amazed at the number of people that I have communicated with, not because Spanish is their first language, but because Spanish is the one language we have in common! Life has been enhanced in many of my travels because I speak Spanish. Life in San Antonio, Texas (80% Hispanic) is more fun because I speak Spanish. I have not done anything grand because of my language skills. However, because of those skills almost every aspect of my life has been richer.

Julie Spurlock Blanco, BA '05

Shortly after graduating from IU, I spent six weeks in California while attending a postgraduate summer program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Five days after completing the program, I arrived in New Delhi and embarked on a backpacking trip throughout India and Southeast Asia with two friends for a year. Each country we visited was an incredible adventure, but my two most cherished experiences both took place in India while volunteering at the Tibetan Children's Village in Dharamsala and later with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta. These assignments opened my eyes to my mission in life and shaped my career into what it is today.

After returning to the states, I spent a year working at a boutique market research firm in order to save up for my return to school. I was then accepted into a dual degree Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Pediatrics at New York University's College of Nursing. Three years later when my husband's law firm transferred us to Miami, I realized I would now have the opportunity to combine my greatest passions in life in a professional arena. Today I am a pediatric oncology nurse at Miami Children's Hospital, and each day I am blessed to have the chance to sharpen my fluency in Spanish while serving children and their families during their greatest time of need.

Alumni Notes

Before 1960

Dolores Rodríguez Rains (BA '53, MA '58) writes "I was a student there in 1949-1953. Was the first student to study at the University of Madrid in 1953-54 after it was made available to American students. I did graduate studies at the Spanish university, and my granddaughter, Katherine, a Georgetown University junior, is now enrolled at the same university some 59 years later. I was very interested in an article in last year's edition by Prof. Darlene Sadlier dealing with the international studies established by Prof. Merle Simmons. In spring of '54, I had the privilege of being visited in Madrid by Prof. Simmons and his charming wife. I was the fortunate recipient of the magnificent instruction offered by Profs. Simmons, Rey, Hill and Johnson. We were a small department then, but I am thrilled to see how it has sprouted."

1960s

Susan Sheppard Nicols (BA '68) informs us "After graduating from IU in '68 I accepted a position teaching Spanish with the Anaheim Union High School District in Anaheim, CA, where I remained for 34 years until ‘retiring' in 2002. I qualify the term because I immediately joined my husband in our baking company, St Amour Inc., which produces all-natural, high quality, delicious cookies for niches including: sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, teething biscuits and toddler cookies, and treats for dogs. Inspired by products in Spain and France, we started our company in 1993 with our signature line, Rocks N'Rolls, which was a favorite recipe of my husband's family in France. Today we sell to markets across the US and continue to strive to serve a growing array of special culinary needs. Of course, visiting family and friends in Spain and France where we go to be inspired to expand our repertoire continues to be a favorite perk and I will be forever grateful to the wonderful education which I received at IU to enable me to fully enjoy the Spanish and French speaking worlds."

Judith Rust Pasco (BA '69) tells us: "I am the Board Chair of Mujeres de Maiz Opportunity Foundation which I founded in 2006. We are a small, grassroots organization that provides access to education to indigenous women and children in Chiapas, Mexico. Speaking Spanish has opened so many doors in my life as well as provided a career as a high school Spanish teacher. I retired in 2007 and "Mujeres" is my main focus. We provide scholarships, fund two community Saturday children's programs, sponsor an adult literacy program, pay for workshops and provide eye exams and glasses. Please see our website at www.MujeresdeMaizOF.org for more detailed information. We have no staff, just a working, all volunteer board. Please contact me at mujeres@olypen.com for more information and ‘like' our page on Facebook."

1970s

Judith Lynn Johnson (MA '71) says "My years in the Spanish and Portuguese Department were absolutely wonderful. I had fabulous professors and the time of my life. I went on to get a second MA in linguistics and have been a professor of ESL at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA, for many years. My foreign language training at IU—as well as my overseas experience—have been invaluable in my career."

Jana Telfer (BA '73) is Associate Director for Communication Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (Yes, she's pretty sure this is one of the longest titles in government.) In March of last year, she was tapped by the US Departments of State and Health and Human Services to deploy to Japan to advise the US Ambassador on health and risk communication. While there she also served as senior risk communication counsel to an international task force examining health and radiation exposure. This was the latest in a series of international emergency response assignments, including one in Panama in 2006. Jana presented a symposium on risk communication in Spanish in Puerto Rico last spring. "Learning Spanish," she says, "required that I be able to understand a different culture and look at things from a new perspective. It turns out that skill is fundamental to communication; so I was able to apply my major even in times when I wasn't actively engaged with Spanish-speaking countries or populations."

Alyce M. Robertson (BA '77) is Executive Director of the Miami Downtown Development Authority. She says, "I wanted to let you know how my Bachelor's degree in Spanish and Portuguese has been extremely critical to my functioning in local government in Miami the last 33 years. For many years, I used predominately Spanish, however with the surge in the economy in Brazil, I have recently traveled to Brazil for work and also used my Portuguese. It was a bit rusty, but with a little practice, it came back quickly. I also have given radio and TV interviews in both languages. I love my degree from IU!"

Betty Smith (BA '77) is a Sr. Systems Engineer with The Boeing Company, beginning her 24th year there.

Frances R. Aparicio (BA '78) was hired in January 2011 to serve as Director of the Latina and Latino Studies Program at Northwestern University, where she also is Full Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. She is excited to lead a new but dynamic program at a time when the Latino/a student population on campus is 9% of the student body. The Latina and Latino Studies program offers a major and a minor, organizes scholarly and cultural events, and works with Latino/a community organizations in the city of Chicago.

1980s

Wink Harner (BA '78, MA '81) has been teaching Spanish & Portuguese in the Maricopa County Community College District, having recently received an award for his 20 years of service to the district. He is the recipient of a Gulbenkain Foundation Scholarship for three years of study at UC Santa Barbara Portuguese Language Institute.

Alfred J. Carter (MAT ‘82) writes "Since I left Bloomington in August 1990, I have been Supervisor and Head of Spanish training at the Foreign Service Institute, the Department of State's training division for the foreign affairs community. In May 2012 I became Division Director for Romance Langauges, which here comprise Spanish, Portuguese (Continental and Brazilian variants separately), Italian, and Romanian (French is housed in European Languages, to balance the numbers)."

Brett Alan Sanders (BA '88) informs us, "My translation of Buenos Aires writer María Rosa Lojo's novel La pasión de los nómades was published as Passionate Nomads in 2011 by Aliform Publications. The translation won a grant from the Programa Sur de Apoyo de las Traducciones del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto de la República Argentina."

1990s

Todd Keys (BA '90) has been an international flight attendant for American Airlines for 21 years. He is currently based in Dallas/Fort Worth and is a Purser, flying often to Madrid, Buenos Aires, Santiago and many other Central and South American, and Caribbean destinations.

Kate O'Neill (BA '91) is an Assistant Professor of Leadership and Management Communication specializing in Khaleeji Leadership and intercultural communication at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Alissa Cummings Perrucci (BA '92) has received the 2012 Chancellor's Award for the Advancement of Women from the University of California, San Francisco. She is Director of the Women's Options Center, a joint program of San Francisco General Hospital and University of California, San Francisco. She received her PhD in phenomenological psychology from Duquesne University, and MPH from the University of California at Berkeley. A presentation of her work can be found in her 2012 book Decision Assessment and Counseling in Abortion Care: Philosophy and Practice (Rowman & Littlefield).

Paul Chandler (MAT '85, PhD '94) is Professor and Chair of Languages and Literatures of Europe and the Americas at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He says he wishes he were closer so he could attend some of our events/programs and tells us that he has "so many great memories from graduate school at IUB."

Joan Hoffman (PhD '94) writes, "I have been teaching at Western Washington University since my graduation from IU. I was promoted to Professor in 2008. Beginning in Winter of 2013, I have a 2-quarter sabbatical during which I plan to write a textbook. I have been travelling to Salamanca in the summers with a group of undergraduates mainly from Western Washington University and Seattle Pacific University. Most recently, my old friend Sean Dwyer (BA '82, MA '86) has been accompanying the group as well. He took a job as a Spanish instructor at WWU a few years ago, at my urging. El mundo es un pañuelo."

Vicente Pérez de León (PhD '98) is Senior Lecturer of Spanish at the School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne. He recently received the Woodward Research Medal for the Humanities and Social Sciences, given annually by the University of Melbourne to recognize researchers considered to have made the most significant contribution in their field during the previous three years. He and wife Alicia Martinez-Marco (MA '98 Linguistics) have been in Australia with their son Marco since 2010.

Louise Detwiler (PhD '99) , Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Modern Languages and Intercultural Studies at Salisbury University, co-edited a collection of scholarly essays on Latin American testimonio with Janis Breckenridge of Whitman College. The book, Pushing the Boundaries of Latin American Testimony: Meta-morphoses and Migrations, was released in January 2012 by Palgrave MacMillan. Her brother, Daniel Detwiler, designed the beautiful cover art.

2000s

Kehla West (BA '06) reports that she is studying urban and regional planning at the University of Iowa, pursuing a master's degree. She is focusing on land use and housing.

Janet Hamilton (BA '08) says she is currently working in Santiago, Chile (in Spanish), and "I think back often to my classes."

In Memoriam

The Department is saddened by the death in January 2012 of Nick Halgren, who graduated in May 2011 from the Jacobs School of Music with an outside field in Spanish and a BA in Mathematics. Nick was a talented musician and chess player. He was intellectually curious and lived his belief that it was important not just to learn, but to ask questions. He is sorely missed.