Foreign Languages Faculty
B.A., French, 1969, Ripon College
M.A., French, 1971, University of Michigan
Ph.D., Spanish Literature, 1984, University of Michigan
I am passionate about learning and teaching. Teaching at Guilford is rewarding; our students are willing to delve deeply into their work and they accept that often we are exploring together; I am learning with them and from them in dialog. I also thoroughly enjoy learning from colleagues and being challenged to adjust my teaching to new interests and techniques.
When I arrived at Guilford College in 1984 we taught language and literature. Today, culture is a central aspect of our program; technology brings that culture to life making the classroom far more interactive.
With a specialty in Golden Age Spanish literature, I have always enjoyed venturing into other areas. Contemporary Spain is one of my favorite courses to teach because it keeps me on my toes about new trends and current events in Spain. I am Cuban-American and like many immigrants, I live on the hyphen: I am both Cuban and American, and neither. My latest interest is, in a sense, another hyphen: the mutual influencing of Peninsular and Latin-American cultures through centuries of contact.
When I am not teaching or traveling I cook and garden for relaxation. I cook because I love to experiment (and eat!), and I garden other (and hike in the mountains) because it keeps me in touch with nature.
Sylvia teaches:
- SPAN 201: Intermediate Spanish
- SPAN 202: Intermediate Conversation and Composition
- SPAN 211: Intermediate Spanish for Business I
- SPAN 212: Intermediate Spanish for Business II
- SPAN 220: Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis
- SPAN 221: Advanced Spanish for Business
- SPAN 310: Contemporary Latin America
- SPAN 311: Contemporary Spain
- SPAN 320: Culture and Society: Mexico, Central America and Caribbean
- SPAN 321: Culture and Society: Golden Age of Spain
- SPAN 322: Culture and Society: South America
- SPAN 323: Culture and Society: Beginnings of a Nation (the Integration of Three Cultures)
- SPAN 340: Film, Life and Literature of Latin America
- SPAN 342: Latino Culture in the United States
Contact Sylvia at strelles@guilford.edu.