The International Studies Committee of NOVA Alexandria presents its annual Spring Seminar on Migrations the week of March 28-31.

Please join us on Thursday, March 31 from 12-2:00 p.m. in AA196 for a screening and discussion of the Mexican film, La misma luna (Under the Same Moon). Questions? Please contact mdavis@nvcc.edu.

As part of Celebrate Language Week, on Tuesday, March 15 the World Languages Department held an International Poetry Reading, featuring poems in Russian, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese.

Pictured below are the student readers, who brought the poets’ verses to life.

The International Poetry Reading also featured the dedication of a new collection to NOVA Alexandria’s library donated in honor of former NOVA student, Patrick Hamm, an avid reader and caring friend who took pride in his Mexican heritage. After Patrick died suddenly on October 9, 2015 at the age of 32, his friends from his Fall 2014 Spanish 202 class raised $500 to purchase Mexican and Mexican-American literature and non-fiction, in Spanish and English. Each book contains a bilingual bookplate indicating that it was donated in Patrick’s honor. Patrick’s friends take comfort in knowing that the the books will be enjoyed by generations of students to come.

Pictured below with a sample of the collection of the donated books are L to R: Matt Todd (Library Director), Patricia Escamilla-Hamm (Patrick’s mother) and Martha Davis (Assistant Dean, World Languages).

Pictured below with Patricia Escamilla-Hamm is Marcy Delos, who dedicated her reading of Libro de segunda mano by Antonio Deltoro in memory of Patrick Hamm.

Thursday, March 17 featured three events. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, Terry Nealon, Alexandria resident, native of County Mayo, Ireland, and CEO of Fishtree presented a Celebration of Irish Culture and Language. Among the aspects he highlighted were Ireland’s economic achievements, the “troubles,” world-renowned writers and musicians as well as common Irish phrases and sayings.

Pictured above, left to right, with Terry Nealon are Shon Grant (Lead Assistant Dean, Liberal Arts) and Martha Davis (Assistant Dean, World Languages).

An International Karaoke Contest followed. Pictured below with Prof. Amanda Trostle (Spanish), who hosted the event, are the three winners, who sang in French, Chinese and Spanish and were presented with gift cards. Congratulations, singers!

The Chinese and Spanish Boardgames event began with a performance by Alan Morris, who sang in Chinese and played the ukelele. Alan has taken nearly every Spanish course offered at NOVA and is now a student of Chinese 102.

“Happy Birthday” was sung in Chinese and Spanish to one lucky student.

And, as Spanish custom dictates, the birthday boy’s ears were pulled 20 times, once for each year.

Let the games of Scrabble en español and mah jongg begin!

Thank you to all who made Celebrate Languages possible, especially Professors Dali Tan, Laura Franklin, Amanda Trostle, Eddy Arana, Lama Hamdan and Nadya Malagò-Blackburn of the World Languages Department and NOVA Alexandria’s World Languages student participants, and for the support of Matt Todd, Library Director, Lexi Franklin, Coordinator of the Hodge Language Center, and Patricia Escamilla-Hamm.