News

FRENCH, ITALIAN, CHINESE — Three professors in the College of Arts and Sciences received Oregon Humanities Center Fellowships for 2026–27 to do just that. The professors — all members of the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages — include Roy Chan, Fabienne Moore and Eleanor Paynter.

ROMANCE LANGUAGES — In the last decade, nationwide, majors in the Humanities such as Romance languages have been a challenged academic discipline. However, over the past two years, the Department of Romance Languages completed a lengthy overhaul of its curriculum to promote student success, with a focus on one-on-one advising with students, and enrollment is up.

LINGUISTICS, EALL — Three faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences were inducted as Fellows into the premiere linguistics organization and a doctoral student receive an exclusive award for her research paper.

STUDY ABROAD — The Arlene Schnitzer Study Abroad Scholarship is a new opportunity for students majoring in one of the programs offered by the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages to experience its interdisciplinary curriculum out in the world.

ROMANCE LANGUAGES — Brandon Rigby, PhD ’17 (romance languages, literatures, linguistics) never imagined he would speak Spanish as a career, let alone use it to represent the US around the world as a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State. Seven years and three countries later, he would not change a thing. 

SPANISH - Dulce Gutierrez valued the flexibility to explore different majors and minors. Originally a biology major, she switched her major to political science and government and picked up a minor in Spanish. She went to law school and is now a practicing attorney and finds herself using her multilingual studies in a practical manner.

CINEMA STUDIES, EAST ASIAN STUDIES — For Natalie Jacobsen explored multiple majors before landing on cinema studies and media history. That well-rounded education took her across the globe and to her current position as director of marketing and communications at Airlink, a humanitarian aviation nonprofit. She is also a published novelist!

GLOBAL STUDIES - After announcing a landmark $25 million commitment, Portland developer, philanthropist and alumnus Jordan Schnitzer shares his thoughts on living in an ever-globalizing world—and his hopes for the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages.

FOOD STUDIES, GLOBAL STUDIES - For more than 30 years, College of Arts and Sciences scholar Stephen Wooten's research has focused on Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa. His new book explores the role that women have in rural Mali.

SPANISH - Alumna Kara Buckley works as a senior advisor to the US Olympic and Paralympic Team. She consults on sponsorship and marketing and is helping prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy. She also serves on the Charles H. Lundquist College of Business’s Board of Advisors. What Buckley learned while studying Spanish—both the language itself and the process of learning a language—has helped her advance her career.

ANTHROPOLOGY, GLOBAL HEALTH - Mentored by professors Jo Weaver of global studies and Josh Snodgrass of anthropology, CAS students in this research group all share a common goal: conducting interdisciplinary research with a social impact.

SCHOOL OF GLOBAL STUDIES AND LANGUAGES — This year's Foreign Language and International Studies Day offered a vibrant celebration of languages, cultures and the arts for high school students. Attendees came from 19 Oregon high schools, some traveling from as far north as Seaside, as far south as Roseburg and as far east as Pendleton.

GLOBAL STUDIES, ROMANCE LANGUAGES - The School of Global Studies and Languages continues to grow with new faculty members who are expanding its perspectives and areas of expertise while contributing to its interdisciplinary curriculum, innovative language teaching, and abundant learning opportunities outside the classroom.

GLOBAL STUDIES - It’s a big world, and decisions that happen in one region often ripple out to others. The School of Global Studies and Languages provides students with an internal atlas that helps them understand the forces and decisions that have human impact.

GLOBAL LANGUAGES – Migration “crises” continue to make headlines, but according to Professor Eleanor Paynter, the ways we often talk about migration in public debate rarely line up with the experience of migrating across a border. She's been researching the issue and published her findings in her new book, "Emergency in Transit: Witnessing Migration in the Colonial Present."