Karina Vázquez
Karina Vázquez , a faculty member in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Iberian Studies at the University of Richmond, recently received the 2024 Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award from the Council on Undergraduate Research. This prestigious award, given to a single faculty member from CUR-member institutions, honors her exceptional mentorship of undergraduate researchers in the arts and humanities.
Vázquez’s innovative approach combines community-based learning with professional development, a model that has enriched her students’ research experiences. “Karina’s unique approach has made her students more culturally aware, professionally prepared, empowered, and eager to contribute to the community,” said Jennifer Cavenaugh, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Richmond. Vázquez , who has been teaching at UR since 2016, is passionate about guiding students to use research as a tool for social change. Her mentees’ work has been published in notable outlets like VA Engage Journal and LatinxTalk.
Lauren Lambie
Lauren Lambie’s experience studying Spanish at UF has profoundly impacted her career as a healthcare provider. Often encountering Spanish-speaking patients who feel apprehensive due to language barriers, Lambie is now able to connect with them confidently and provide high-quality care thanks to her UF Spanish coursework. “The gratitude from my patients, from calling me their best friend to blessing me, has brought fulfillment and purpose to my career,” Lambie said.
Beyond her professional role, her Spanish skills have enriched her personal life as well, enabling her to connect with her partner’s family and even become a Latin dancer. Her journey from limited proficiency to fluency has built her resilience and self-confidence, and she is grateful to UF’s language program for challenging her to reach new heights.
Carolina Chau
As the digital communications manager at Global Energy Monitor, Carolina Chau leads communications efforts that support climate change mitigation worldwide. Her role includes managing social media, maintaining GEM’s website, and supporting report launches, with a special focus on expanding GEM’s impact in Latin America. Her recent projects include the launch of GEM’s first country-specific report on Colombia, providing valuable data for environmental activism and policymaking.
Chau’s journey in digital communications for social justice began with her dual foundation in journalism and Latin American studies at UF. Guided by Víctor M. Jordán-Orozco’s courses in the Spanish department, she developed a passion for social movements and human rights in Latin America, which continues to shape her career. Before joining GEM, she worked with non-governmental organizations focused on human rights and immigrant rights, including the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and RAICES in the U.S., and the Colectivo de Abogados José Alvear Restrepo in Colombia. Through her work, Chau aims to use her communication skills to bridge cultural divides and tackle global challenges collaboratively. Returning to her home country of Colombia, she is dedicated to using her skills in service of social good.
Anne Lingwall Odio
Anne Lingwall Odio, a 2012 graduate with a master’s degree in Hispanic linguistics from UF, went on to earn her doctorate in bilingualism and second language acquisition from Rutgers University. She has built a career focused on teaching, course development, and community engagement, especially around bilingual language maintenance. Her doctoral research examined bilingual language acquisition among Spanish-speaking children and adults in the United States, and while at Rutgers, she co-founded RUBilingual, an outreach organization aimed at making academic research on bilingualism accessible to the community.
Currently, Lingwall is an assistant professor of Spanish and linguistics at the University of Cincinnati, where she also serves as the associate director of programs and partnerships for the CEDAR Language Resource Center, a Title VI center supported by the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, she oversees the Summer language institute, a professional development workshop designed for K-16 world language instructors to strengthen teaching practices through current research and innovative strategies. Additionally, she leads an academic-year webinar series, bringing together educators to share insights and best practices in language instruction, including topics on multilingual education and culturally responsive teaching. Through these programs, Lingwall aims to foster a dynamic learning community that supports professional growth for language instructors and promotes high-quality, accessible language education across diverse learning environments.
In her free time, Lingwall loves spending time with her husband (whom she met while at UF!) and two small children exploring Cincinnati.
These inspiring alumni showcase the diverse paths and meaningful impacts that a foundation in Spanish and Latin American studies can lead to, both professionally and personally.