Student Success

WLLC Student Success Awards

Each academic year, the WLLC Student Success Committee reviews proposals from WLLC faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students for funding awards through WLLC Student Success Initiatives. Every proposal funded must focus on WLLC undergraduate student success and the integration of High Impact Practices (HIPs). The 2023-2024 award cycle's funds were divided into 5 categories available for application: Undergraduate Internship Awards, Translinguistic Collaborative Awards, Research Awards, Travel/Conference Awards, and Workshop/Event Awards.

Below are the recipients of WLLC Student Success Awards for the 2023-2024 cycle, separated by category. The presentation is available in PDF format (last updated 5/3/2024).

  • Undergraduate Internship Awards
    • Avery Antill (nominated by Paula Haydar): Undergraduate Liaison, Salaam wa Kalaam Coordinator & Arabic Cultural Event Series Coordinator
    • Alessandro Palazzuoli-Bevilacqua (nominated by Ryan Calabretta-Sajder):Tontitown Historical Museum Curatorial Internship
    • Nahomi Gonzalez Piñeda (nominated by Raquel Castro Salas): Sìn Lìmites Biliteracy Program
    • Isaiah Nies (nominated by Cheyenne Roy): Digital Humanities Researcher & VR Classroom Developer
  • Translinguistic Collaborative Awards
    • Manuel Olmedo Gobante, Ryan Chamberlain, Motoko Miura, Maria Comsa, Laura Tain Gutierrez: The Curricular Implementation of Digital Authentic Materials Across Languages (Spanish, French and Japanese)
    • Annie Doucet and David Fredrick: The Digital Afterlife of Ephemeral Print: Pentiment, the Book of Kells & Irish Monastic Culture and the Creation of Medieval Manuscripts (French and Classical Studies)
    • Ryan Calabretta-Sajder and Curtis Maughan: Italian VR Project (Italian and Digital Humanities)
    • Brenda Magnetti, Isidoro Villa Ligero and Daniela D'Eugenio: Collaborative Strategies to Improve Speaking and Presentational Skills (Italian and Spanish)
  • Research Awards
    • Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, Claudia Devich and Valentina Morello: Italian Through Gaming
    • Linda Jones: 3D Photogrammetry of Select Artifacts at UA Museum in Fayetteville, the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, and the Arkansas Archaeological Survey Station at Pine Bluff
    • Brenda Magnetti: Enhanging Language Instruction with Presentation Clickers
    • Jennifer Hoyer: Poetry/Math Translation Laboratory
    • Chy'Na Nellon: Babilonia Language School — VR recordings and interviews
  • Travel/Conference Awards
    • Luis Fernando Restrepo: Renaissance Society of America Conference
    • Daniela D'Eugenio: International Sociey of Itlian Linguistics and Philology (SILFI) Conference
    • Valentina Morello: 2024 NeMLA Conference
    • Danjie Su: 2024 Annual Conference of the Chinese Language Teachers Association (ACRLF)
    • Greg Buchanan: Cherokee Language Summit, Conference on Interdisciplinary Cherokee Language and Culture Revitalization
    • Ryan Calabretta-Sajder: 2024 American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI), 2024 Italian American Studies Association (IASA), 2024 Associazione degli Italianisti (ADI).
    • Joseph Okezi: 2024 ACTFL Conference
    • Motoko Miura: 2023 ACTFL Conference
    • Heather Offerman and Luis Gehrke: Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching (PSLLT) Conference
    • Isidoro Villa Ligero and Claudia Olvera: Kentucky Foreign Languages Conference
    • Annie Doucet: Workshop at Newberry Library's Center for Renaissance Studies in Chicago
    • Angela M. Cruz: Latin American Studies Association Conference
    • Steven Bell: U.S. State Department's 100,000 Strong Acros the Americas Grant Program
    • Brenda Magnetti: 2024 ACTFL Conference
    • Curtis Maughan: 2024 CALICO Conference
    • Chy'Na Nellon: New Directions in Digital Humanities Conference
    • Alexandra Hagen: 2024 ACTFL Conference, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf
  • Workshop/Event Awards 
    • Erika Almenara: Juliena Oxenford Workshop
    • Maria Hernandez Gonzalez: Spanish Ciné Club
    • Kathleen Condray: German Cooking Club
    • Greg Buchanan: Cherokee guest speaker
    • Sung Hye Yang: Collaborative Video Creation for Enhanced Spanish Learning: Tutorial Video Teams Q & A and Workshop
    • Maria Comsa: National French Honor Society Induction
    • Alexandra Hagen: Workshop on "Empathy and Compassion in the Foreign Language Classroom Through Yoga and Meditation," Stammtisch (German Conversation Table)
    • Paula Haydar: Salaam wa Kalaam  (Arabic Conversation Table)
    • Malinalxochitl Ilhuicamina: Mexican Student Association (MXSA) Event Support
    • Li Yang: Chinese Celebration of Spring, First Chinese Typing Contest
    • Rachel TenHaaf: Sigma Delta Pi Event — "Making Your Spanish Degree Work for You"

Student Success Peer Learning Workshop Series: Fall 2022-Spring 2023

The department of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures held the first installment of Student Success-focused activities with the Peer Learning Workshop Series. The pilot series of workshops began fall semester 2022. The workshop dates for fall were October 26, November 3, and November 10; the spring dates were April 18 and April 25. All workshops are led by WLLC undergraduate students.

All workshops are for WLLC undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty. Workshops are designed by WLLC undergraduate students with supervision from Student Success Coaches, Louise Cole and Claudia Devich, and the Director of the World Languages & Digital Humanities Studio, Curtis Maughan. The fall workshop series allows WLLC students to share their experience, knowledge, and helpful tips on successfully learning a world language.

A  recap of each workshop is included below as well as each workshop's presentation.

The workshop lineup:

  • Wednesday, October 26: Resources Beyond the Classroom and Preparing for an Oral Exam, led by Laney Hoggatt (Spanish), Belinda Watson (Spanish) and Ellie Black (Spanish, Arabic).
  • Thursday, November 3: Reading Comprehension and Writing, led by Joshua Jacobs (Classics) and Adoette Vaughan (French, Italian).
  • Thursday, November 10: Active Listening and Study Abroad,  led by Annette Quinn (French) and Sarah Falknor (Arabic, Spanish).
  • Tuesday, April 18: Listening and Study Strategies for Elementary Language Learners, led by Caleb Smith (German) and Benjamin Cookus (German).
  • Tuesday, April 25: Incorporating Language Learning into Daily Life, led by Claire Phelps (Italian) and Matteo Campagnola (Italian).

The October 26th Peer Learning Workshop, "Resources Beyond the Classroom and Preparing for an Oral Exam," was led by undergraduates Laney Hoggatt (Spanish), Belinda Watson (Spanish), and Ellie Black (Spanish, Arabic). 

Click here to view the full presentation in PDF format. 

Reasources Beyond the Classroom and Oral Exam Preparation Handout

The November 3rd Peer Learning Workshop, "Reading Comprehension and Writing" was led by undergraduates Joshua Jacobs (Classics) and Adoette Vaughan (French).

Click here to view the full presentation in PDF format. 

The November 10th Peer Learning Workshop, "Active Listening and Study Abroad" was led by undergraduates Annette Quinn (French) and Sarah Falknor (Arabic, Spanish).

Click here to view the full presentation in PDF format. 

The April 18th Peer Learning Workshop, "Listening and Study Strategies for Elementary Language Learners," was led by undergraduates Caleb Smith (German) and Benjamin Cookus (German).

Click here to view the full presentation in PDF format.

The April 25th Peer Learning Workshop, "Incorporating Language Learning into Daily Life" was led by undergraduates Claire Phelps (Italian) and Matteo Campagnola (Italian).

Click here to view the full presentation in PDF format.