 Carmel Mercado |
Foreign Languages and Literatures is pleased to announce that Carmel Mercado (senior in Biology) was awarded the FLL Award for Excellence. The award includes a $1000 prize to be used for travel and cultural exchange. Carmel’s background and achievements speak to the importance of global education and foreign language teaching at MIT.
Carmel grew up in South Florida at the intersection of Filipino and American culture, what she calls “a mini-Philippines hidden within a cookie-cutter suburban community,” Her Asian appearance and Spanish sounding last name forced her to confront the question, “What are you?” In her essay, she describes her struggle to respond.
- Should I consider myself Filipino because the values instilled in me came from my conservative immigrant parents? Should I consider myself American because although I was Filipino in appearance, my mannerisms and language were reflective of my interactions in the community? How does one define culture and how does this influence my ability to communicate with others? . . . it was through language study that I developed a better understanding and appreciation for my identity as a Filipino American.
 Mahalia Miller, Carmel Mercado & Dorian Dargan |
At MIT, Carmel took courses in French, Spanish, and Japanese, and she impressed her teachers in each of these languages. To quote one referee’s letter, “Among our many wonderful and talented students, Carmel is truly outstanding. . . . Carmel is now multilingual (five languages) and she navigates between all these languages and cultures thoughtfully; she is a true cosmopolitan and model for the best of what global students can be.” She participated in the January Scholars in France program and will be spending this coming summer in Kobe, Japan on the MISTI program.
Carmel is working towards a career in medicine and has numerous travel plans, which the FLL Award for Excellence will help with. She has not yet settled on which (or how many) of her languages she will use, but here is a sampling of her ideas.
Carmel will spend the summer in Kobe, Japan on the MISTI program, and she may use some of the award to travel within Japan.
While in Asia, she hopes to visit the French Polynesian islands to come to a better understanding of the varieties of mixing between ethnic Polynesians, Europeans, and East Asians (and to use her French).
Carmel is also eager to explore northern Spain, for example to travel the route of the pilgrammages to the Santiago Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, perhaps traveling from the Basque country. The route would provide additional sustenance for her hunger for languages because, as she notes, “Along the way, I would go through at least 5 of Spain’s autonomous communities, each having a unique language, history, culture and economy.”
To read Carmel's blog, visit http://cmarketinjapan.blogspot.com/
Other award recipients include Mahalia Miller and Bianca Tayina Tardieu (Distinguished Student Awards) and Dorian Dargan (Summer Study in Mexico Scholarship).
Preisverleihung - Public Award Ceremony
Wednesday, April 29th 2009
from 5:00-6:00pm in 14E-304
TWO - 1st Prizes: Round-trip to Germany with Lufthansa and participation in a visitor program
All applicants (and their supporters!) are requested to attend the 13th Anniversary Award Party on April 29th from 5:00 - 6:00pm in14E-304. Delicious refreshments will be served.
Participants submit their work demonstrating original and creative excellence in German Studies no later than April 24, 2009 to their German instructor. We are planning to publish the most interesting entries on our Web site <http://web.mit.edu/course/21/21.german/www/>
The application for the 2009 Contest for Summer Study Scholarship in Mexico is now availble for download. Please download the application through the following link:
Download Application (Word Document)
SPONSORED BY: Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, MIT Foreign Languages and Literatures & MIT-México
SCHOLARSHIP INCLUDES:
- Tuition for a Five Week Language and Culture Study Program in the Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus in Puebla, México
- Lodging
- One meal a day
- Cultural Trips
- Round trip airfare to Mexico
DATES: JUNE 8 - JULY 10, 2009
CONDITIONS:
- Who may apply: Students who have completed Spanish IV by time of travel.
- Complete the Application Form
- List the Spanish courses taken at MIT
- Write a one page essay explaining how the study of Spanish Language and Culture will enhance your future career plans
- Upon the student’s return, he/she will submit a report/pictures/diary which will be displayed on FL&L's website throughout the year. If possible, the student may visit a Spanish class to describe his/her experience.
Deadline to submit applications: April 6, 2009 by 5:00 PM.
The winner will be presented at the FL&L Awards Ceremony Reception on April 16, 2009
Applications can be submitted on paper to your Spanish instructor or electronically to this address: mgroeger@mit.edu.
|
Carmel Mercado |
Foreign Languages and Literatures is pleased to announce that Carmel Mercado (senior in Biology) was awarded the FLL Award for Excellence. The award includes a $1000 prize to be used for travel and cultural exchange. Carmel’s background and achievements speak to the importance of global education and foreign language teaching at MIT.
Carmel grew up in South Florida at the intersection of Filipino and American culture, what she calls “a mini-Philippines hidden within a cookie-cutter suburban community,” Her Asian appearance and Spanish sounding last name forced her to confront the question, “What are you?” In her essay, she describes her struggle to respond.
- Should I consider myself Filipino because the values instilled in me came from my conservative immigrant parents? Should I consider myself American because although I was Filipino in appearance, my mannerisms and language were reflective of my interactions in the community? How does one define culture and how does this influence my ability to communicate with others? . . . it was through language study that I developed a better understanding and appreciation for my identity as a Filipino American.
At MIT, Carmel took courses in French, Spanish, and Japanese, and she impressed her teachers in each of these languages. To quote one referee’s letter, “Among our many wonderful and talented students, Carmel is truly outstanding. . . . Carmel is now multilingual (five languages) and she navigates between all these languages and cultures thoughtfully; she is a true cosmopolitan and model for the best of what global students can be.” She participated in the January Scholars in France program and will be spending this coming summer in Kobe, Japan on the MISTI program.
Carmel is working towards a career in medicine and has numerous travel plans, which the FLL Award for Excellence will help with. She has not yet settled on which (or how many) of her languages she will use, but here is a sampling of her ideas.
Carmel will spend the summer in Kobe, Japan on the MISTI program, and she may use some of the award to travel within Japan.
While in Asia, she hopes to visit the French Polynesian islands to come to a better understanding of the varieties of mixing between ethnic Polynesians, Europeans, and East Asians (and to use her French).
Carmel is also eager to explore northern Spain, for example to travel the route of the pilgrammages to the Santiago Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, perhaps traveling from the Basque country. The route would provide additional sustenance for her hunger for languages because, as she notes, “Along the way, I would go through at least 5 of Spain’s autonomous communities, each having a unique language, history, culture and economy.”
To read about the travels of last year's Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages recipient, Lisa Nakano, please click here!
 Lisa Nakano |
To read about the travels of previous Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages recipients, please click here!
The January Scholars in France have returned! Please visit their website to read about their journey: http://web.mit.edu/jsf/2009/
JSF 2008
To read about the 2008 trip, visit the JSF 2008 website to read about their journey: http://web.mit.edu/jsf/2008/
JSF 2007
To read about the 2007 trip, visit the JSF 2007: The Colors of Paris website: http://web.mit.edu/jsf/2007/!
JSF 2006
To read about the 2006 trip and see the wonderful pictures, visit the JSF 2006 Webpage!
For more information on the January Scholars in France Program, please visit the January Scholars in France Website.
Ian Condry was quoted in a story in the Los Angeles Times regarding the synthesis of American Hip-Hop with Japanese Anime in the series Afro Samauri. The article can be read at the following location:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-afrosamurai2-2009feb02,0,752137.storyCongratulations to all of the Award Winners in Foreign Languages & Literatures:
Lufthansa Prize--for excellence in German studies
- First prize: Jason Bryslawskyj '09, physics, Park Ridge, N.J.
- First prize: William Near '10, electrical engineering and computer science, Moultonborough, N.H.
- Second prize: Irida Altman '08, mathematics, Belgrade, Serbia
- Second prize: Asilata Bapat '10, mathematics, Pune, India
- Third prize: Christopher Barnett '09, music, Wichita Falls, Texas
- Third prize: Michael Blaisse '10, chemistry, Harrisburg, Pa.
- Third prize: Stacy Figueredo G, mechanical engineering, Port Charlotte, Fla.
- Third prize: Gleb Kuznetsov '10, electrical engineering and computer science, Sandy, Utah
- Third prize: Victoria Popic '09, electrical engineering and computer science and mathematics, Chisinau, Moldovia
- Third prize: Lucia Tian Tian '08, electrical engineering and computer science and economics, Salem, N.H.
January Scholars in France--for excellence in the French language
- Alona Birjiniuk '09, chemical engineering, Weston, Mass.
- Alicia DeFrancesco '08, biology, Milton, Mass.
- Lauren McLendon '08, biology, Marietta, Ga.
- Carmel Mercado '09, biology, Coral Springs, Fla.
- Emilienne Repak '09, biological engineering division, Churchville, Pa.
- Lisa Song '08, earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences, Chelmsford, Mass.
- Serginio Sylvain '08, economics and mathematics, Malden, Mass.
- Tess Wise '10, foreign languages and literatures, Salt Lake City, Utah
Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages and Literatures--to an undergraduate who achieves proficiency in a foreign language, cultural understanding and enthusiasm for foreign language learning
- First place: Lisa Nakano '08, brain and cognitive sciences, Sunnyvale, Calif.
- Second place: Vladimir Mirkin '08, chemical engineering, Brookline, Mass.
- Second place: Roxana Safipour '09, earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences, Saratoga, Calif.
Click on the images below to enlarge.
 Lufhansa Prize 1st place winner William Near stands with Christoph Fay and Marius Carstensen, both of Lufthansa. |
 Lufhansa Prize 1st place winner Jason Bryslawskyj stands with Christoph Fay and Marius Carstensen, both of Lufthansa. |
 Winners of the Foreign Languages & Literatures department's 'Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages and Literatures,' from left to right, Roxana Safipour, Lisa Nakano, Vladimir Mirkin. |
 The January Scholars in France group along with their tour guides and Professor Isabelle de Courtivron. From left to right, are Ludovic de Courtivron (guide), Lisa Song, Emilienne Repak, Vincent Delaveau (guide), Sophie de Loubens (guide), Professor Isabelle de Courtivron, Quentin Cucuel (guide). |
 January Scholars in France group members Carmel Mercado, Tess Wise, Alona Birjiniuk, Alicia DeFrancesco, Lauren McLendon, Serginio Sylvain. |
l. to r., in front: Emily Moberg '11, actor Dominique Pinon
l. to r, behind: Alexa Herman '08, Professor Irving Singer [MIT/Philosophy], Tess Wise '10, Safia Chettih '08, Professor Edward Baron Turk [MIT/Foreign Languages and Literatures], actor Hilario Saavedra, Professor Ilana Zinguer [University of Haifa, Israel, Department of Comparative Literature], playwright Valère Novarina, Carrie Niziolek 'G.'
[Photo taken by Dr. Johann Sadock (MIT/Foreign Languages and Literatures)]
The Language Learning and Resource Center's Chinese Language catelog was featured in the January/February 2008 MIT Information Services and Technology newsletter for its use of "Exhibit" database techonogy.
The article can be accessed at the following link: http://web.mit.edu/ist/isnews/v23/n03/230312.html
Twenty-one students started their adventure in Germany with a two-day workshop with Deutsche Bahn in Berlin, working together with young German professionals. Still in Berlin, they started the German language course with MIT instructors and had plenty of opportunity to get to know Germany's exciting capital. After a week in Berlin, the group got to know two more cities and regions in Germany's south west, Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, and Freiburg, situated in the Black Forest. The students visited many cultural and corporate sites in all three cities and tried out their German in get-togethers with German high school and university students.
The Perfect Insult for Every Occasion: Lady Snark's Guide to Common Discourtesy by FL&L's A.C. Kemp is now available.
Check out the new Web-Based E-Journal "e•Merging: Voices on the New Diasporas"
New Edition Released May 2007! Now available at http://web.mit.edu/emerging/!
Head over to http://web.mit.edu/emerging for more details.
