NC A&T College of Arts & Sciences

News & Events

New Chairperson for the Department of Foreign Languages

The new chairperson of the Department of Foreign Languages, Dr. Jose Bravo de Rueda, seeks to combine teaching of languages with teaching of culture. Ongoing community service outreach efforts and a special cross-campus initiative this fall exemplify his vision.

Born in Lima, Peru, Bravo de Rueda moved to the U.S. in 1989 and attended the University of Maryland, where he received his master’s and Ph.D. In 1995, Bravo de Rueda was hired as an adjunct instructor at North Carolina A&T State University. Since then, he has gained experience of how the department works; networking with other chairpersons and friends also gave him insight on how to do the job.

Dr. Bravo de Rueda plans on “changing and updating the curriculum in other languages, creating new courses, and increasing retention and graduation rates.” He continued that he would like “every student to have a wonderful experience and to study abroad, and transform students to mature through the languages.”

Dr. Bravo de Rueda is working on a proposal to offer nontraditional languages such as Chinese, Arabic, and Yoruba (African language). His intent was to be able to receive native speakers and instructors for this institution to expand offerings in these languages since they are high in demand. The Fulbright Foundation, for instance, can help bring scholars from different countries.

“In order for these new directions to impact the Foreign Languages Department, I want to make the community aware of different cultures and languages, and to prepare students to be better qualified for jobs for international organizations,” he said.

He would like to see the department grow in the numbers of faculty and students, and in the number of advanced classes, beginning with Spanish. Other goal includes establishing more linkages with other departments and colleges.

A special project this fall involves the Departments of History and Political Science, along with professors at Guilford College. It will be held on Thursday, October 15, from 7-9 p.m. in the Bryan Jr. Auditorium at Guilford College. This conference on the U.S. Latin American & Caribbean Relations: Crisis or Opportunity? will inform the community about issues in Latin America.

Dr. Bravo de Rueda encourages students at the intermediate level to do community service and to help local organizations such as “Casa Guadalupe,” which helps immigrants with legal issues, filling out forms, housing issues, etc. “The university needs to be related to the community. The Latin community adds diversity to the university and attracts more students with a Latino background,” he said.

The new chairman also visited local schools and spoke with a number of Latino students, and said one of his major challenges is how to attract students who may not have documentation because their parents brought them to the U.S. when they were little. His ambition is to find a solution to enroll Latino students in community colleges regardless of their legal documentation. “I want to be able to build links with the Latino community.”

As he makes these and other changes in the department, Dr. Bravo de Rueda said that the study of foreign languages helps students “to expand their social life and become aware of different cultures and languages; the more languages, the more possibilities.”

By Shakeevia Hughes, JOMC student

Happenings
Faculty & Staff

the aggie minute!

Vote for the blue and gold marching machine!

BLACK NATIVITY

Jazz Ensemble

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The Blue & Gold Marching Machine of North Carolina A&T State University has joined nearly 5,000 student-musicians from 45 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in taking their first steps on "The Road to the Honda," in hopes of being one of the eight lucky bands slated to finish their journey in Atlanta, Ga., at the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase.

The Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase, scheduled to take place Sat., Jan. 30, 2010 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, is the world's largest and most highly anticipated HBCU musical event of its kind. The Invitational Showcase not only serves as a platform to highlight and showcase the heritage and showmanship of the HBCU college marching bands, but it also serves as the only national music scholarship program of its kind. For the 2010 program, the A&T Blue & Gold Marching Machine is among the 45 participating bands that will receive a $1,000 grant for their musical programs, with an additional $20,000 awarded to the eight institutions selected to advance to the 2010 Invitational Showcase.(Read More)

Back by popular demand, the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Department of Visual & Performing Arts, Theatre Arts Program will present its annual production of "Black Nativity" by Langston Hughes.

This high-energy gospel musical chronicles the birth of Christ using vibrant songs and dance of praise and worship. Storytellers guide the viewer through the glorious words of the Holy Scripture allowing the audience to fully experience this biblical story.

Show dates and times will be Thursday - Friday, Dec. 3-4 at 8 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday, Dec. 5-6, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Harrison Auditorium. Tickets are: $15 - general admission; $10 - senior citizens; $10 - non A&T students and $5 – children 12 and under. A&T students are free with Aggie One Card.

For more information call the Ticket Office at 336.334.7749.

Date	Thusday, November 19, 2009
Event	Duke Ellington was one of the most popular and prolific composers, pianists and big band leaders in the world. A&T’s Jazz Orchestra commemorates Ellington with “A Salute to Duke” directed by A&T Music Department adjunct professor and director of jazz, noted jazz trumpeter and composer Mondre Moffett. Moffett performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, from 1995 to 2000. Ellington’s music is so rich and varied that it really is a treasure trove of very artistic entertainment and music education at the same time. The first half of the concert features music by other jazz greats such as John Coltrane and W.C. Handy, leading up to the exciting Salute to Duke.
Location	Harrison Autorium 1601 E. Market St. NC A&T State University Greensboro, NC 27411
Ticket Information	General Admission - $10.00 Non-A&T Students - $5.00 A&T Students Free with Aggie One Card
Box office Information	336-334-7749

FACULTY AND STAFF IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The new chairperson of the Department of Foreign Languages, Dr. Jose Bravo de Rueda, seeks to combine teaching of languages with teaching of culture. Ongoing community service outreach efforts and a special cross-campus initiative this fall exemplify his vision. Born in Lima, Peru, Bravo de Rueda moved to the U.S. in 1989 and attended the University of Maryland, where he received his master’s and Ph.D. In 1995, Bravo de Rueda was hired as an adjunct instructor at North Carolina A&T State University. Since then, he has gained experience of how the department works; networking with other chairpersons and friends also gave him insight on how to do the job. (Read More)	Dr. Goldie Byrd has been invited to speak at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington DC, on the topic of Alzheimer. Read the invitation letter here. Congratulations, Dr. Byrd!	Dr. Sarita D. Jackson, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice, has been selected as a Fulbright scholar to the Dominican Republic. Dr. Jackson will conduct research on the impact of business associations on the U.S.-Dominican Republic and Central American free trade negotiations. Her project titled, “DR-CAFTA from the Room Next Door,” will be funded from January to May 2010. In addition, Dr. Jackson gave a guest lecture at UNC-Charlotte on March 25, 2009 upon receiving an invitation from the Latin American Studies program. Her lecture titled, “International Power through Multilateral Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean," was based on a current research project analyzing the establishment of particular institutions among the developing countries in the Western Hemisphere.