Language and Culture

Major

BA

Meet Our Faculty

Department Chair

Gari Laguardia
Associate Professor of Spanish and Literature
Co-Chair of Language and Culture
- BA, Columbia University
- PhD, University of Pennsylvania
gari.laguardia@purchase.edu

Full-Time Faculty

Carlos Amado

Assistant Professor of Communications and French
- BA International Development, Brigham Young University
- MBA International Administration, Thunderbird School of Global Management
- MA French Studies, Brigham Young University
- MA French, Vanderbilt University
- PhD French, Vanderbilt University

Part-Time Faculty

Ernesto Menedez Conde

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Language and Culture

PhD, Duke University
Patrizia Farina

Lecturer of Italian
- BA, University of Pisa (Italy)
- PhD, University of Alberta (Canada)
patrizia.farina@purchase.edu
Xiang He

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Chinese and Asian Studies

PhD, NYU
Camilla Jantke-Chiappari

Lecturer of German
- BA, Humberside Business School (UK)
- BA, Fachhochschule Münster (Germany)
- MA, Manhattanville College
c.jantkechiappari@purchase.edu
Andoveloniaina Rasolofo

Lecturer of French
- Licence-ès-Lettres, Maitrise-ès-Lettres, University of Antananarivo (Madagascar)
- MA, University of Cincinnati
- PhD, University of Oregon
a.rasolofo@purchase.edu
Chris Reineck

Lecturer, Language and Culture
Deborah Symons

Lecturer of Spanish
Mary Waller

Lecturer of Spanish
- BA, University of Leeds, England

Faculty Emeriti

James Cookman
Associate Professor Emeritus of Language and Culture (French)
- BA, Iona College
- MA, New York University
Maria Gagliardo
Associate Professor Emerita of Spanish and Literature
- Maestra Normal Nacional (Argentina)
- BA, MA, Hunter College, City University of New York
Naomi Holoch
Associate Professor Emerita of French and Literature
- BA, Oberlin College
- Licence-ès-Lettres, University of Aix-en-Provence (France)
- PhD, Columbia University
Ronnie Scharfman
Professor Emerita of French and Literature
- BA, Bryn Mawr College
- Licence-ès-Lettres, Maitrise-ès-Lettres, University of Aix-en-Provence (France)
- MPhil, PhD, Yale University
- Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
Renneth Sorhaindo
Associate Professor Emeritus of Language and Culture (Spanish)
- BA, Iona College
- MA, Hunter College, City University of New York
- MSc, Lehman College, City University of New York
- PhD, Pennsylvania State University
- Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
David Villecco
Associate Professor Emeritus of Language Arts
- BA, Iona College
- MA, St. John’s University
- PhD, Universidad Interamericana (Mexico)
Kalin Wang
Faculty Emeritus of Chinese
- BA, Peoples University of Beijing (China)
kalin.wang@purchase.edu
Philippa Wehle
Professor Emerita of French, Drama Studies, and Literature
- BA, Bucknell University
- MA, Middlebury College
- PhD, Columbia University
- Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching