CCU Languages & Intercultural Studies

🏃‍♀️☀️ Summer Saturdays are no match for LIS faculty!

While most people were enjoying a relaxing weekend, our LIS crew was out collecting miles, medals, and bragging rights at the Ed Petrowski's Hurricane Hustle race on campus! 💨

Profe Javi and Dr. Merfeld fearlessly took on the 10K, while Dr. Beltrán wisely chose the 5K. Some might say she wasn't quite ready for the level of bravery, daring, and questionable decision-making required to voluntarily run 10 kilometers on a hot summer morning. 😆🏃‍♀️

As for Dr. Merfeld... where do we even begin? 🤩

She wears more hats than seems scientifically possible: Chair, Professor, mentor, organizer, chef extraordinaire, problem-solver-in-chief, Pink Queen on Wednesdays, and now apparently an award-winning elite athlete. At this rate, we're expecting to see her qualify for the Olympics, publish a book on leadership, cater the victory banquet, and still answer emails before breakfast. 🏅📚👩‍🍳

Not content with simply finishing the 10K, Dr. Merfeld claimed 2nd place in her age group, earning an extra medal and a trip to the podium. Some people collect accomplishments; Dr. Merfeld seems to collect entire categories of accomplishments. 🥈🏆

Congratulations to our LIS runners for representing us so well! 💙💛

Big moment for Profe Javi 🎉🇪🇸

Honored to be featured in Coastal Carolina University magazine for building community through Spanish, culture, and connection ❤️

From classroom conversations to cultural events across campus, this journey has always been about bringing people together, celebrating language, and creating spaces where students feel seen, welcomed, and inspired.

Gracias to all the students, colleagues, and friends who make these moments possible 💫

🎓🎉 Tassels turned, diplomas earned, and faculty fun at an all-time high! What an incredible week celebrating our graduates at commencement! 💙✨

Between the cheers, the photos, and the unforgettable moments, our faculty had the BEST time celebrating the amazing Class of 2026. We loved being part of such a special milestone and soaking in all the excitement right alongside our grads! 👏🎓

🔍 Commencement photo scavenger hunt:
👀 Dr. Merfeld is hidden in one of the photos… can you find her?
💧 Dr. Beltran was spotted protecting the most important graduation accessory: a glass of water. Hydration = success, right? 😄
🎨 And don’t miss the faculty photo that somehow ended up looking like a Picasso painting, extra credit if you can identify everyone! 😂

Let the games begin 😄⬇️

Last Thursday we gathered for one of our favorite traditions: the LIS Awards Ceremony 🎉

We celebrated the outstanding students across our majors and minors (yes, the overachievers were out in full force 👏), and honestly, we’re still impressed. We also recognized our amazing language tutors and student workers, the real MVPs who somehow juggle everything, answer everyone’s questions, and still make it look easy 😄.

We also had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Dr. Pamela Martin as our keynote speaker, who shared her inspiring journey as a bilingual professional between the U.S. and Ecuador 🌎 Her story reminded us why language, culture, and connection matter so much.

Great students, meaningful conversations, and a room full of talent… not a bad way to spend a Thursday.

Best Major in LIS (Hispanic Studies Concentration): Mayari Casandra Rodas
Best Major in LIS (Multiple Languages Concentration): Yaneekwah Hart
Best Minor in Chinese: Mackenzie Shifflet
Best Minor in French: Lyndsey K. Gilbert
Best Minor in German: Alyssa Stone
Best Minor in LIS: Lauren Leatherman
Best Minor in Spanish: Kiley Sweeney
Best Minor in Spanish for the Health Professions: Julia Rotunda
Best Student in Arabic: Caleb Hitt
Best Student in Italian: Rachel Skinner
Best Student in Russian: Matthew L. Petersen
Outstanding Student – Graduate Certificate in Spanish for Healthcare and Social Services Professions: Katie Rea
Student Engagement Award: Morgan Stum

Our Edwards Center for Collaborative Research Faculty Fellows were prominently recognized at the 2026 Edwards College Faculty and Staff Awards, underscoring the impact of their teaching, scholarship, and service across the college.

This year’s CCR Faculty honorees include:

Sven Kube — Distinguished Teaching, Assistant Professor, Department of History

David Johnson — Distinguished Scholarship or Creative Endeavor, Assistant Professor, Department of Visual Arts

Edurne Beltrán de Heredia Carmona — John Durrell Award, Assistant Professor, Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies

Farrah Hersh — Apple Award, Assistant Professor, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

This recognition reflects the extraordinary contributions of our Fellows, whose work continues to shape student success, advance creative and scholarly activity, and strengthen the mission of the Edwards College of Humanities & Fine Arts.

Congratulations to Dr. Beltran, recipient of this year’s John B. Durrell Award 🏆

This award recognizes outstanding service, teaching, and research and Dr. Beltran somehow manages to excel at all three (while making it look suspiciously easy). We’re starting to think there might be more than one of her…

Thank you for the dedication, passion, and impact you bring to everything you do, we’re lucky to have you!

Not pictured: Dr. Jeon, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, and Frau Simone Boissoneault, recipient of the Apple Award for Professor of the Year 🍎. Congratularions to both of them!

Le mercredi on porte rose 💗✨

FREN 120 really said oui oui to pink today 💅 The ENTIRE class showed up in full pink energy to honor the iconic “On Wednesdays we wear pink” and honestly… they understood the assignment.

Shoutout to Dr. Merfeld & Dr. Beltran, our pink queens 👑👑 who have been serving this tradition EVERY Wednesday for the past TWO YEARS (!!) 👏💖 legends only.

Swipe for:
📸 A sea of pink: FREN 120 edition
📸 The icons themselves: Dr. Merfeld & Dr. Beltran 💕

C’est chic. C’est fun. C’est rose. 🎀
And yes… they will be doing this again.

🎉 Big cheers for our amazing students! 🎉

Shoutout to Trinity Hall, Lauren DeCoste, and Julia Rotunda for presenting their research at the CCU Undergraduate Symposium 👏📚

Not only did they represent us with excellence, but all three are also minors in Spanish for Health Professions... putting their skills into action in meaningful, real-world ways 💬❤️

With guidance from Profe Rosa and Dr. Beltrán, they’ve been diving into important research and showing what dedication (and a little teamwork ✨) can do.

We’re so proud of the incredible work you’ve accomplished! This is just the beginning 🚀

💙 Join us in celebrating these stars! 💙

✨ Celebrating literature, legacy, and inspiration ✨

We’re thrilled to spotlight Estelita, the powerful second novel by award-winning author Maria Estelle Picouto 📚

Rooted in history and inspired by real lives, Estelita brings together memory, identity, and storytelling in a way that resonates far beyond the page. The novel, which has been recognized with international honors, reflects years of research and a deeply personal connection to family history.

Even more special for us: she’s not just an acclaimed author, but also one of our own, guiding and inspiring students every semester in LIS 122 ✨

From the classroom to the literary world, we’re proud to celebrate a storyteller who reminds us how narratives shape who we are.

👏 Join us in congratulating Professor Picouto and diving into Estelita!