Category Archives: FLL Main

In the Spotlight: Austin Bath, Spanish Minor and 2013 Leader of the Pack

Austin Bath, 2013 Leader of the Pack

Austin Bath, 2013 Leader of the Pack wearing (future) professional attire. (Photo courtesy of Austin Bath)

Austin Bath is a junior, a Biology major who is also minoring in Spanish. A native North Carolinian, Austin is — as his Park mentor and FLL Assistant Head for Student Affairs Susan Navey-Davis describes him —  a “fine young man who has accomplished a great deal,” including a Park Scholarship and being recognized as NCSU 2013 Leader of the Pack.

In the following email interview Austin tells us a little bit about himself, what it means to be the 2013 Leader of the Pack, and the way how his FLL minor is giving him the opportunity to become a more competitive applicant to medical school.

Samuel Sotillo: First, could you tell us a little bit about your background? Where are you from? Where did you go to HS? What are you majoring in at NC State?

Austin Bath: I was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina where I attended J.H. Rose High School. I have enjoyed growing up in Greenville, but I was excited to graduate and come to Raleigh for college. I am currently a junior majoring in human biology and minoring in Spanish.

SS: Why did you choose your Foreign Language & Literature Minor?

AB: My dream is to become a doctor one day. In the time I have spent shadowing, I have noticed that a large percentage of the patients only speak Spanish. I believe that when people are sick they are in their greatest need. For this reason, I have decided to obtain an education in the Spanish language so that I can communicate with more patients in their native language. After graduating, I believe education in a foreign language will make me a more competitive applicant to medical school, and more importantly it will better prepare me to serve in the field of health care.

SS: What opportunities within your Foreign Language & Literature Program have been most beneficial to your education? Of these, which would you recommend to incoming FLL students?

AB: Over the past year I have become involved with an organization on campus called VOLAR, which stands for Voluntarios Ahora en Raleigh (Volunteers Now in Raleigh). The purpose of VOLAR is to connect students studying Spanish with opportunities to volunteer and practice language skills simultaneously. I have specifically chosen to volunteer with the Open Door Medical Clinic. The purpose of the Open Door Clinic is to provide free healthcare to patients that would be unable to afford it otherwise. Approximately thirty-six percent of the patients can only speak Spanish, so it is my job to help these individuals apply for care at the clinic. VOLAR has been great to work with, and I would recommend that other students studying Spanish check it out as well.

SS: You are a Park Scholar, what does it mean to be one? Do you think that being a Foreign Language & Literature Minor may have helped you to be better prepared to be a Park Scholar?

AB: Being a Park Scholar has been a phenomenal experience. Aside from the financial benefits, the Park office does a great job of providing us with support and opportunities to supplement our formal education. However, we are always reminded that the intention of the Park Scholarship is not to reward us for previous things we have done, but instead to serve as an investment in the future things that we will do for our communities and for our world. I think this is where my FLL minor comes into play. As a FLL student, I have been given the opportunity to learn about cultures different than my own. I have also been given the chance to learn how to communicate with people from different backgrounds, so that I will have the potential to serve them in the field of medicine.

bath homecoming

Austin Bath being recognized at half-time during the Homecoming Football Game on November 2, 2013. (Photo CSLEPS)

SS: Not long ago, you were recognized as the 2013 Leader of the Pack, Congrats! How do you feel? What does it mean being the Leader of the Pack? Do you think that being a Foreign Language & Literature Minor may help you to be a better Leader of the Pack?

AB: Thank you! I was really excited to find out that I was selected as this year’s Leader of the Pack. Each year, a “Leader of the Pack” is selected based on scholarship, leadership, service, and a campus wide vote to serve as a positive role model for the campus. The winner is usually announced at halftime of the homecoming football game, in place of the traditional homecoming king or queen. I believe being a FLL minor will better prepare me to lead the pack in several ways. One of the most important ways is that as a FLL minor I have learned the importance of understanding and interacting with diverse cultures. On campus we have so many people represented, so as a FLL minor I feel better prepared to work with others from all walks of life.

SS: What community engagement opportunities or trip abroad related to your Foreign language and Literature minor have most influenced your professional vision and practice? Was your involvement with any of these community activities or Study Abroad opportunities based on a faculty/staff recommendation or course requirement?

AB: For the spring break of 2013, I had the opportunity to travel to Quito, Ecuador for a medical service trip through NC State’s Alternative Service Break program. During my time in Ecuador, our group established five different medical clinics where we provided free care for the local people. This experience allowed me to learn about Spanish and medicine at the same time. I enjoyed it so much that I plan to return to Ecuador for all of next semester to attend Universidad San Francisco de Quito in order to take class. Last year I took FLS 201 with Susan Navey-Davis, and she was the one who originally told me about the opportunities to study abroad. Without her, I might have missed the chance!

SS: What is the most challenging aspect of your Foreign Language & Literature Minor? What’s the most rewarding?

AB: As I mentioned, I’ve grown up in North Carolina. The hardest part of a being a FLL minor is getting rid of my southern accent! However, I hope to improve my Spanish accent while studying abroad in Ecuador next semester. I’ve found the most rewarding part of a FLL minor is when I get to communicate with native Spanish speakers. Although I still have a lot to learn, it is always exciting to put into practice what I am learning in the classroom.

SS: Do you have any piece of advice for fellow students who may be thinking about entering  a FLL program?

AB: To any student considering a FLL program, I would say go for it! As a FLL minor, I have been given so many opportunities and experiences that I would not have otherwise had. I believe being a FLL minor will be useful for the rest of my life.

SS: In a more personal tone, anything you are reading right now? Anything else we should know about you?

AB: Currently I am reading On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. I know it sounds boring, but I am actually really enjoying it! The work is interesting to me because for those who don’t know, Darwin spent much time in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador studying evolutionary biology. I figured that reading the book will prepare me for study abroad, and it has been a useful way that I have been able to tie together my biology major and Spanish minor.

SS: When you think of the future, what gives you a sense of hope? What concerns you?

AB: Something that is of concern to me personally is the amount of people in the world today that are without adequate access to food. However, I have hope at the same time because there are many efforts to alleviate this problem. At NC State, I have been impressed with all the work that is being done with the Feed the Pack pantry, the annual Stop Hunger Now meal packaging event, and through other means.

SS: What’s next for you after graduation? What are you looking forward to?

AB: After graduation, I hope to go to medical school to become a doctor. I will be sad to leave State, but I have truly enjoyed my time so far here as a student. I’m not sure yet where I will be going for medical school, but I guess we will see soon enough!

By Samuel Sotillo (FLL Lecturer/Webmaster)

Virtual Symposium Marks Milestone for NC State’s Latin American Studies Journal

Symposium

A Contracorriente’s Editor Dr. Greg Dawes (center) converses with FLL Head Dr. Ruth Gross and distinguished guest and keynote speaker Dr. John Beverley (University of Pittsburgh). Photo courtesy of S. F. Sotillo.

When NC State’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures founded a journal on Latin American studies in 2003, it was one of the first online, open access scholarly publications of its kind. A Contracorriente recently marked its tenth anniversary in a similarly technologically advanced style.

Faculty associated with the journal hosted a virtual symposium on Latin American studies using advanced videoconferencing technology to gather scholars from locations across the United States and Latin America. They covered topics related to Latin American and Spanish literature, cultural studies, history, politics and indigenous people, among others.

Two distinguished keynote speakers were also on hand: the University of Oregon’s social historian Carlos Aguirre and the University of Pittsburgh’s cultural critic John Beverley.

Aguirre talked about the circumstances surrounding the violent war between the Peruvian government and the Maoist guerrilla organization Shining Path during the mid-1980s. Beverley addressed the relationship between the humanities and the concept of equality from Rousseau to the present day. Both keynote lectures were broadcast live through NC State’s Youtube channel.

A Contracorriente editor and NC State Professor Greg Dawes and Ruth Gross, professor and head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures addressed the virtually assembled group to share the journal’s history and the role the publication plays in the department and around the globe. Here’s to the next ten years!

Original story by Samuel Sotillo (FLL Lecturer/Webmaster). Lauren Kirkpatrick (CHASS Director of Communication) contributed to this story.

In the Spotlight: Spanish Lecturer Karen Tharrington Explains How a FLL Education Makes Our Schools a Better Place to Learn

Karen Tharrington image

Karen Tharrington during a recent Study Abroad trip to Costa Rica. (Photo courtesy of Karen Tharrington)

Karen Tharrington is a Lecturer of Spanish and current Program Coordinator for the French and Spanish Teacher Education program at the Department of Foreign Languages and LIteratures. She is a native Ohioan and longtime Wolfpacker who — after a long and distinguished career in K-12 education — joined the FLL department in 2007. Currently, Karen is pursuing a PhD in Education at NC State.

Karen’s program offers NC State students not only a pathway to a teaching career as a licensed K-12 educator but also a doorway to other careers in lifetime learning and leadership.

In the following interview, Karen shares her insights with Samuel Sotillo about what brought her to teaching, her experiences as a passionate educator, and why she thinks that a FLL Concentration in Teacher Education can help future FLL graduates to influence their pupils’ attitudes and beliefs about languages and cultures.

Samuel Sotillo: First, could you tell us a little bit about your background? Where are you from? Where did you go to undergrad and graduate school?

Karen Tharrington: I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. I am a Wolfpack alumna, having attended NCSU for both undergraduate and graduate school. I am currently pursuing a PhD here in Curriculum and Instruction.

SS: Can you tell us a little bit about the intellectual trajectory that brought you to teaching? What did you do before coming to NC State?

KTh: I never planned to be a teacher but after observing in a local middle school as part of my undergraduate requirements, I fell in love with teaching and it has driven my life since then. I am passionate about the Spanish language and culture and wanted to cultivate that desire in my students. I spent 11 years teaching in Wake County Public Schools at both the middle and high school levels. I love pedagogy and second language acquisition, so coming back to work with the Teacher Education program seemed like a natural fit for me.

SS: Now, let’s talk a little bit about your program, the Concentration in Teacher Education. What’s about? Who should consider joining this program? Is it only for teachers?

KTh: We are in dire need of good teachers in our schools. Although our state has not made languages as much of a priority as other states have, teachers can influence attitudes and beliefs about languages and cultures. The concentration in Teacher Education is ideal for any student who wants to explore curriculum and instructional methods as a future career. Students leave the program with a content degree (French or Spanish) along with the skills and knowledge about how to transfer that information to someone else, be it a kindergartener or an adult. Although graduates finish with a K-12 teaching certificate, their prospects for careers are broad.

SS: What career opportunities there are for graduates with a Concentration in Teacher Education?

KTh: Learning how to teach is as important as knowing your content area, and graduates of our program have numerous opportunities. The most obvious is teaching K-12, but other career areas could include designing and implementing training programs for adults in an industry, working with the educational department at a museum, or designing curriculum for a company like SAS. Many graduates choose to teach abroad for a while, teaching English in South Korea, Chile, or Spain. With a language degree and the pedagogy, the opportunities are endless!

SS: What makes this program special? What is unique about it?

KTh: Our program is unique in that students are getting 30 hours of language content classes in addition to classes that explore pedagogical, curricular, and educational theory. Our program also includes a teaching practicum during the final semester. For those who are interested in teaching abroad, we have international student teaching programs in China, Brazil, and Russia that complement their domestic internship. Another great aspect of our program is that students are able to complete the program within four years and leave CHASS with a BA in their language area and a teaching certificate k-12 in North Carolina. Since our state has reciprocity with many other states, their certification is good if students desire to move around the country.

SS: Let’s talk a little bit more about you, what do you enjoy and find most challenging about teaching?

KTh: I love interacting with students the most. My mantra has always been to teach the student first, then the subject. Students make the class interesting and bring different perspectives to the discussion. Those “a-ha” moments make me so happy and I truly love when my Spanish students use the language spontaneously and communicatively. The most challenging aspect of teaching in k-12 is dealing with the policy-makers, who often times have never taught. At all levels, having students who do not see their own potential can be very frustrating. Teachers, I believe, are altruistic by nature so it is difficult to watch students sabotage their success.

SS: Thinking about your students, in what major ways do you want most to influence their lives?

KTh: Since I have two very different types of classes, I’ll give you two examples. For my Spanish students, I want them to love the language and be able to actually use it in real-life situations. I also want to inspire them to travel! For my Teacher-Education students, I want them to go out and be amazing teachers who never accept the status quo for teaching. I want them to know that teaching is tough but rewarding, if it is done right.

SS: Anything you are reading right now?

KTh: I am currently reading El mañana by Mirta Ojito. It is about a woman who came to the States as part of the Mariel Boat lifts from Cuba. Professionally, I read lots of journals in the foreign language and educational fields.

SS: Anything else we should know about you?

KTh: I love photography and traveling. I always wanted to be a professional photographer for National Geographic. I also dance competitive ballroom with my husband, although we aren’t really that good; it’s mostly for fun.

SS: What do you look forward to most?

KTh: I look forward to beautiful days where I can sit on my porch and enjoy the nature that surrounds me.

SS: Do you have any advice for our students and alumni who are on the job market?

KTh: Travel first, work later 🙂

By Samuel Sotillo, Lecturer/Webmaster, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.