Lizbeth Souza-Fuertes To Serve As Latin American Studies Director
Baylor University's Center for International Education has announced the appointment of Dr. Lizbeth Souza-Fuertes, associate professor of Spanish, as the new director of the Latin American Studies program, effective June 1. She succeeds Dr. Joan Supplee, associate professor of history, who will continue to serve as director of the Argentina summer abroad and exchange program.
"The world never stops changing," said Dr. William A. Mitchell, professor and the Jo Murphy Chair in International Education. "We are committed to helping our students critically and constructively engage that changing world. I can't imagine a better person than Dr. Fuertes to help us do that as we educate students to better understand our neighbors to the south.
"Under outgoing director Dr. Joan Supplee, Latin American studies have made major strides forward, and I want to build on that foundation, looking especially to establish a new exchange program in Brazil to complement existing programs elsewhere in Spanish-speaking Latin America," he added.
Souza-Fuertes earned her master's degree and doctorate from the University of Georgia. Fluent in three languages, she has served on the Baylor faculty for seven years and teaches Portuguese and Spanish, as well as in Baylor's Interdisciplinary Core program.
"Dr. Souza-Fuertes' appointment simply broadens Baylor's world-wide focus," Mitchell said. "I am pleased that new programs are coming on-line elsewhere, but we simply can't overlook countries closer to us. Dr. Souza-Fuertes will help us, as an academic community, engage a part of the Americas with which we have substantial and deepening connections."
Baylor currently has established programs in Middle East studies, Slavic and East European studies, Asian studies and African studies and will begin this fall an exchange program in Cairo, Egypt, where Baylor students will study in Arabic and Middle East politics.
For more information, contact Mitchell at 710-2657.