Spring 2026 Newsletter
Spring 2026 Newsletter
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Welcome to the spring 2026 issue of The Polyglot newsletter, where we round up all the latest happenings in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. We are so proud to share the accomplishments of our award-winning faculty, students and alumni as we continue to build on our language learning through research, teaching and simply exploring the world around us. Our study abroad programs offered students hands-on learning in the real world of travel, supported by kind and generous donors through the fall Giving Tuesday campaign.
A full list of our donors appears toward the end of the Polyglot — we are grateful for all your assistance in maintaining our strong community here in Jastak-Burgess Hall! This year we were also able to expand our offerings in American Sign Language and Korean, so we continue to grow and thrive together.Ìý
I have truly enjoyed serving the department as interim chair this year, and am looking forward to seeing what happens next. Watch this space!
Rachael Hutchinson
Interim Department Chair andÌýElias Ahuja Professor of Japanese and Game Studies
Reconnect with the DLLC
Rediscover your home at the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures during our alumni social on May 29. And we invite you to remember several trailblazing women who expanded opportunities and challenged norms—celebrated by our faculty during Women's History Month last March.
A commitment to service and leadershipÌý
Whether earning an alumni spirit award or a Fulbright appointment, our students and alumni are recognized for leadership and service on campus and abroad.
Turning the world into a classroom
From full semesters to short-term programs, study abroad transforms international cities into living classrooms. Students gain a deeper worldview through firsthand engagement, with two DLLC students recently securing prestigious U.S. Department of State Gilman Scholarships to fund their international studies.
Spotlight on faculty achievement
The department is proud to introduce Kathy Peña, assistant professor of Spanish, and congratulate Marcaline Boyd for her recognition as one of 91Ô´´â€™s most promising early-career researchers. These faculty milestones underscore the DLLC's commitment to academic excellence and innovative scholarship.
Languages, Literatures and Cultures programs, events and scholarships are made possible, in part, by the generosity of our donors. The following list recognizes contributions received from July 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026. Thank you for your continued support.
Donors who passed away between July 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026 are denoted with an asterisk (*).
| Nancy Harvey Hanna '64 |
| Rebecca Hall Scarborough '62 '68M |
| G. Dennis O'Brien and Valerie J. Sill |
| Mary P. and Lance K. Donaldson-Evans |
| Alain D. Fresco '69 |
| Pamela Borden Heckert '83M |
| Hasmic B. Mason |
| Diana Regan |
| Ann Thalhamer Specht '74 |
| James Zinzi |
| Barbara Heinzel Becker '74 '77M and James Becker |
| Kimberly D. Blockett and Kevin Brooks |
| Beth Grillet Brand '95 and Russell Brand '10M |
| Bonnie R. and Steven C. Bromberg |
| Paul F. Bryk '82 and Holly Malek Bryk '85 |
| CAF America |
| Christine Watters Cassu '91 and Michael D. Cassu '92 |
| Meoghan Byrne Cronin '89M '94PhD and Mark W. Cronin '90M '93PhD |
| James R. DeJong '90M |
| Julia Dominguez and Chad Gasta |
| James J. Flaherty '77 |
| Deborah Parker Gary '70 and Robert A. Gary |
| Jordan C. Gingery '06 and Devin Koscs Gingery '06 |
| Christina E. Godlewski '89 |
| Stephen M. '82 '90M and Barbara Gregg |
| Estate of Carol A. Grier* |
| Eynat Friedman Gutman '92M '99PhD and Eliezer Gutman |
| Katie A. and Jared A. Gwaltney |
| Jill Schwartz Hagler '92 |
| Benjamin D. Hankins '04 |
| Michael K. Hall '10 and Laura Honig Hall '10 |
| Martha Myers Jones '76 |
| Bonnie Arden Robb '69 '72M and Alan L. Robb '69 |
| Helene Sandal Jouan '69 and Michel H. Jouan |
| Margaret L. Laird |
| Patricia Eggert Mangi '68 |
| Virginia G. Mayer '69M |
| Thomas V. '93PhD and Lynne C. McCone |
| Bernard J. McFadden '69 '76M and Kathleen Przybylek McFadden '69 '76M |
| Mark C. Miller '92PhD |
| Ruth Brush Nehrbass '74 |
| Doreen R. and William Neifert |
| Jay T. Nichols '04M |
| Tasha Seago Ramaly '90M |
| Rose Mary Reilly-Schneider '77 |
| R. Valery Roy and Deborah B. Steinberger |
| Mary Ann Berger Ryan '71 |
| Riccarda and Giuseppe R. Saggese |
| Amy E. Shore '93 and Matthew Broderick |
| Rosalynne C. Sommer '11 |
| John R. Strojny '74 and Joyce Leonowich Strojny '74 '76M |
| Tyson J. Sukava |
| Ida Dolan Varon '67 |
| Paula Clement Wagner '64 |
| Elisabeth Bell Bachman '85 |
| Christy Ludtke Cline '69 '75M |
| Delaware Saengerbund & Library Association, Inc. |
| Susan Kern and Carl Lounsbury Sr. |
| David W. Ormsby '91 |
| Sister Cities of Wilmington, Inc. |
| John J. Swain '73 |
| Michael P. Watson '92 |
| Louis A. and Joanne D. Arena |
| Gabriella Canna Finizio '87M and Michael Finizio |
| Anita Baril Greco '03 and Nicola Greco |
| Roberta N. and Andrea Morrione |
| Laura A. Salsini and Douglas A. Tobias |
| Societa Da Vinci, Inc. |
| Joan E. Tupin-Crites '82 and David G. Crites |
| Jennifer A. Langsdorf '94 and Geoffrey Dube |
| Matthew and Masako Carter |
| Benjamin D. Hankins '04 |
| Kenneth P. Sheehan Jr. '23 |
| Jorge H. Cubillos |
| Jason R. Futrell '01 |
| Matthew and Masako Carter |
| Christopher Chow |
| Gary R. Conte |
| Corinne M. Dombroski '10 '12M |
| Dorothy B. Galloway |
| Eynat Friedman Gutman '92M '99PhD and Eliezer Gutman |
| Rachael F. Hutchinson |
| Gregory A. Knott '99 '02M |
| Markie I. Masucci '20 '22M |
| Alison Keeney Matsen '71 '77M '82M and David W. Matsen '63 |
| Bonnie Arden Robb '69 '72M and Alan L. Robb '69 |
| Barbara Bohning Young '68 |
For Languages, Literatures and Cultures Alumni
We are always looking to include alumni to enhance our student experience.ÌýShare your news by sending us a short update for the next newsletter. Email us at dllc-academics@udel.edu.
Support Us
Thank you for being part of the 91Ô´´ Languages, Literatures and Cultures community.ÌýYour support helps fundÌýstudy abroad scholarships, the programs of ourÌýlanguage clubsÌýandÌýhonor societies, and special eventsÌýand other co-curricular activities.Ìý
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