June 2005 -
League of Their Own

Distinguished Contributions to Lifelong Learning Award
Recognizes a Faculty Member Rendering Exceptional Service to Continuing Education

Maria GillmanMaria Gillman

Department: Romance Languages, 15 years at UW

Courses Taught: Literatures of the Maya World, Introduction to Hispanic Cultural Studies

Achievements: Students may have difficulty keeping their heads in their textbooks if Gillman is their professor. Teaching at UW's Intensive Summer Institute for Spanish Teachers since 1998, she serves as on-site co-director in Oaxaca, Mexico, and Antigua, Guatemala. Gillman, who coordinates the third-year Spanish program, provides opportunities for 300-level students to interact with Spanish language and Latino culture outside the classroom. She also introduced the first service-learning program in the division of Spanish and Portuguese studies.

Quote: "Maria is the best! She's an adviser and very professional and organized but is also very warm and comforting."-Summer Institute participant Kalya Welch

Degrees: B.E., Escuela Normal de Jalisco, 1974; B.A., University of Guadalajara, 1978; Certificate, Instituto Anglo-Mexicano, 1979; M.A., Oregon State University, 1985