Department of Literature and Languages News
Alum Tabbed to Lead Union Grove ISD as Next Superintendent
Alumnus Greg Bower was named the lone finalist for the position of superintendent of the Union Grove Independent School District.
Graduate Student named Teacher of Promise in Dallas ISD
East Texas A&M graduate student Adrian Anderson, who is pursuing a master's in Spanish, was recently named Teacher of Promise in Dallas ISD.
Award-Winning Author Reavis Z. Wortham Visits East Texas A&M to Inspire Future Writers
East Texas A&M’s Department of Literature and Languages welcomed alumnus and acclaimed novelist Reavis Z. Wortham to campus on Nov. 10 for a special reading from his latest work, Comancheria.
A Meme About Nothing: Professor Featured in Washington Post Article on Viral ‘6–7’ Meme
East Texas A&M University Professor Salvatore Attardo, Ph.D, was recently featured in a Washington Post article discussing the linguistics and origin of the trending “6-7” meme.
Alum and Current Graduate Student Crowned Miss Dallas 2026
Current East Texas A&M University graduate student and alumna A'Jah Moore was recently crowned Miss Dallas 2026.
ETAMU Faculty Receives 2025-2027 Texas OER Grant
Dr. Flavia Belpoliti, associate professor and director of Spanish graduate studies at East Texas A&M University, recently received a grant worth more than $16,000 to develop course curricula based on Open Educational Resources.
Computational Linguistics Professor Featured in Article About A.I.-Created Humor
Dr. Christian Hempelmann, professor of computational linguistics at East Texas A&M University, was recently featured in an article by Undark Magazine discussing the science behind humor and whether artificial intelligence could truly be humorous.
English Faculty Receives Technology Innovator Award
East Texas A&M University Director of Writing, Assistant Professor and English Program Coordinator Dr. Charles Woods was recently honored with the Technology Innovator Award by the Conference on College Composition and Communication.
Doctoral Students Honored with University Innovation Award
ETAMU students Emily Littlejohn and Gouda Taha were selected for the 2025 Graduate Assistant Teacher of Record (GAToR) Innovations in Writing Pedagogy Award.
Building Real-World Skills in AI: A New Path for College Students
With rapid changes to every industry being brought on by artificial intelligence, East Texas A&M is offering a program to prepare students for the future workforce.
Lion Alum Named One of the Best Butchers in Dallas
A Lion alum has just been named a top butcher in the Dallas area by D Magazine.
A&M-Commerce Faculty Named Prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar
TAMUC Assistant Professor Eralda Lameborshi, Ph.D., received the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award.
TAMUC Literature & Language Faculty Receive Honors for Scholarly Work
Faculty in the Department of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University-Commerce were recently recognized by a pair of academic journals in the field of rhetoric and composition. Dr. Gavin Johnson and Dr. Charles Woods, both assistant professors at A&M-Commerce,…
TAMUC Alum Named National Forensic Interviewer of the Year
A Texas A&M University-Commerce alum recently received national recognition for their work as a forensic interviewer. Rachel Mitchell was recently named the National Forensic Interviewer of the Year by Guardify, a digital evidence management platform, as part of the platform’s…
A&M-Commerce Awards First Annual Innovations in Writing Pedagogy GAT Award
Four A&M-Commerce doctoral students received the Innovations in Writing Pedagogy GAT Award from the Department of Literature and Languages. The recipients are Dr. Rachel McShane, Dr. Brian McShane, Gouda Taha and Reza Panahi.
The award was established this year to…
A&M-Commerce Alum Recognized for Leadership in Local, State Bar Associations
A lion alum was recently spotlighted for her leadership while serving as the head of multiple bar associations in Texas as well as her abilities in the courtroom. Lynne Liberato, a 1976 graduate of East Texas State University (now Texas…
A&M-Commerce Professor Receives Prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
Dr. Maia Lamarque, a professor in the Department of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University-Commerce, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for the 2024-2025 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.…
A&M-Commerce Alum Appointed to Preside over 73rd District Court
In February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed Marialyn Barnard to the 73rd Judicial District Court in Bexar County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2024. Barnard is a 1983 graduate of East Texas State University (now Texas…
TAMUC Co-Hosts Privacy Week to Explore Digital Privacy
A&M-Commerce played a significant role in organizing and hosting an international event to promote discussions about digital privacy in academics and the wider community.
Flyer for the DRPC’s Privacy Week | Courtesy of the DRPC
Texas A&M University-Commerce played a…
Dr. David Talbot: TAMUC’s Champion for Civil Rights
Black History Month Series Part 1: Honoring and Recognizing Impactful Black Figures in the Lion Family
Photo of Dr. David Arlington Talbot, circa 1980 | Texas A&M University-Commerce
Many students at Texas A&M University-Commerce have wandered the halls or taken…
Strokes of Brilliance—10 TAMUC Alumni with Successful Artistic Careers
Did you know that A&M-Commerce has produced several talented and incredibly successful artists? “Successful” as in famous, well known and award-winning! Whether you're studying the arts at A&M-Commerce or simply dabbling in it on the side, you're in a lineage…
True Crime Meets Academia—Dr. Charles Woods Shares His Research
Part 4 of the Spooky Stories Series
Content Warning: Although not described in detail, this article does mention topics of murder and sexual assault that may be triggering to some.
For October, we have been exploring scary stories at A&M-Commerce,…
Whoooooo’s There?: The “Hauntings” of David Talbot Hall
Part 2 of the Spooky Stories Series
On the farthest east side of campus stands David Talbot Hall. It's a fairly plain-looking building from the outside: red brick, rectangular in shape, uniform windows neatly lined up on all four sides.…
The 2023 Manhattan Short Film Festival at TAMUC—Doctoral Student Ranks the 10 Finalists
On September 29, Texas A&M University-Commerce hosted the annual Manhattan Short Film Festival in David Talbot Hall. The festival is a global event held from September 28 through October 8 in over 500 cities across six continents. A&M-Commerce has hosted…
Scary Stories and Staying Power—TAMUC Professor Shines a Spooky Light on a Children’s Horror Classic
Part 1 of the Spooky Story Series
For many of us, a childhood rite of passage was to get our hands on a book from Alvin Schwartz's “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” series. The spine-chilling tales and Stephen…
A&M-Commerce Faculty Secure $100k College Readiness Grant
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has selected A&M-Commerce to receive a $100,000 College Readiness and Success Models grant. Dr. Pamela Webster, associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, and Dr. Gavin Johnson, assistant professor and director of writing in…
TAMUC Faculty Win Grant Award for Digital Privacy Lab on Campus
A collective featuring two Texas A&M University-Commerce faculty members is the recipient of a monetary award that will be used to establish a digital rhetorical privacy lab on the university campus.
Dr. Charles Woods and Dr. Gavin Johnson, both assistant…
A&M-Commerce Faculty Member Receives Awards for Podcast
Texas A&M University-Commerce Assistant Professor Charles Woods, Ph.D., was recently honored with a pair of awards for his podcast, “The Big Rhetorical.” Woods' podcast bills itself as “your home for all things rhetoric, composition, technical communications, Ph.D. life, and so…
Multiple TAMUC Faculty Members to be Recognized at Virtual Ceremony
Eight faculty members at A&M-Commerce will be awarded the 2021 Dr. Augustine “Chuck” Arize Junior Faculty Award in a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 5.
Dean Kimberly McLeod in the College of Education and Human Services will serve as keynote…
TAMUC Hosting Annual Viewing of Manhattan Short Film Festival
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Department of Literature and Languages will restart its yearly tradition of hosting a viewing of the Manhattan Short Film Festival on Sept. 29.
The festival is unique in that, instead of a touring event that travels…
TAMUC Senior Receiving Valuable Experience with Dallas Media Outlet
Texas A&M University-Commerce student Brianna Patt is currently receiving first-hand experience in her chosen field as an intern with Dallas Weekly. Patt, a senior majoring in journalism with a news-editorial emphasis, is also the current opinion editor for The East…
Multiple A&M-Commerce Professors to Receive Junior Faculty Award
The A&M-Commerce Faculty Senate and the Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education have selected eight outstanding faculty members to receive the 2021 Dr. Augustine “Chuck” Arize Junior Faculty Award.
The award recognizes A&M-Commerce faculty who exhibit professional excellence.…
Accomplished TAMUC Alum Highlighted in WLUC-TV Article
WLUC-TV in Michigan featured a story about A&M-Commerce alum Kia Jane Richmond, Ph.D.
Richmond is an English professor at Northern Michigan University who has been selected as the faculty speaker for NMU's virtual commencement ceremonies on December 6.
According to…
A&M-Commerce Professor Publishes New Book on Cultural Impact of Fairy Tales
Dr. Maia Lamarque, professor in the Texas A&M University-Commerce Department of Literature and Languages, recently published a new book, “Fairy Tales and its Adaptations in Spanish,” which focuses on how fairy tale analysis is the paradigm of globalization. Lamarque posits…
A&M-Commerce Lit & Lang Professor Wins Intramural Tennis Tournament
Texas A&M University-Commerce Professor Dr. Maia Lamarque was crowned champion of the A&M-Commerce Intramural Tennis Tournament on Oct. 22. Lamarque, who teaches in the Department of Literature and Languages, won in straight sets against Kinesiology student Hyaznarely Ramirez. Lamarque stated…
A&M-Commerce Faculty Named Editor of National Journal
Texas A&M University-Commerce Associate Professor of Linguistics Dr. Christian Hempelmann was recently named Editor-in-Chief of HUMOR, an international journal of humor research. The publication was founded in 1988 and is the official journal of the International Society of Humor Studies.…
A&M-Commerce Writing Program Receives Certificate of Excellence
A&M-Commerce's Writing Program received a Certificate of Excellence from the Conference on College Composition and Communication. The award will be presented in March at the Conference's annual convention, held in Pittsburgh.
“The Certificate of Excellence is one of the highest…