- Faculty DirectoryProf. Debra AmesProf. Richard BensonProf. Karen BerrierProf. Jennifer BjornstadProf. Sarah Degner RiverosProf. Sarah DeMarisProf. Randa DuvickProf. Mark FarmerProf. Carol GossProf. Stacy Hoult-SarosProf. Frederick KavanaghProf. Paul KeenProf. Timothy MalchowProf. Jianyun MengProf. Carlos Miguel-PueyoProf. Benjamin RidgwayProf. Timothy TomasikProf. Nelly Zamora-Breckenridge
- Faculty Profile
Prof. Sarah Degner Riveros, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish
Arts and Sciences, ASB 271
219.464.5404
Sarah.Degner@valpo.eduBiography
Sarah Degner Riveros is a visiting assistant professor of Spanish at Valparaiso University. She teaches Spanish language and service learning. Her emphasis is teaching and learning the use of Spanish language and culture in a real-world context. Prior to full-time teaching, she worked in the local Latino community with a nonprofit service organization. Her doctoral studies at Columbia University were in medieval Peninsular literature.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. -- Columbia University, 2007
M.Phil. -- Columbia University, 2001
M.A. -- Columbia University, 1999
B.A. -- University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 1997
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Immigration and Latino cultural identity; portrayals of motherhood in Peninsular, Latin American and Latino literature; medieval and early modern poetry; service and community-based learning; linguistic and cultural immersion.
COURSES TAUGHT
• FLS 101 Elementary Spanish I
• FLS 102 Elementary Spanish II
• FLS 103 Accelerated Elementary Spanish
• FLS 203 Intermediate Spanish• FLS 308 Spanish for Service Professionals
PRESENTATIONS
“Servir Conviviendo: Learning Spanish Through Community Engagement”
• Session: Exploring the Immigrant Experience in the Spanish Language Classroom and Beyond
• AATSP Conference, July 6, 2011, Washington DC"Children as Actors and Agents for Miraculous Change in Alfonso X's Cantigas de Santa Maria"
• Calvin College, Spanish Department, February 17, 2009
• YMCA Intro to Spanish workshop, Summer 2011
• Northwest Indiana Homeschool Spanish immersion course, spring 2008
• Spanish for Ministry eight-week course, Hobart, Indiana, spring and summer 2008
• Mommy and Me Spanish six-week course, Valparaiso, Indiana, summer 2008
• Spanish beginning Bible classes at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Highland, Indiana, 2008
• Lake County Public Library, Hobart Branch, Hobart, Indiana, spring 2007
• Series of Preschool Spanish workshops in Hobart, Indiana, 2007
• Preschool and elementary summer Spanish workshops, Munster Parks Department, 2007“Art and Architecture of the Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrim’s Perspective”
• Munster High School, AP Art History guest lecture, February 2003 and February 2005“Cultural and Historical Aspects of the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Experience”
• Sierra Club, Hobart, Indiana, February 24, 2005
PUBLISHED WRITING AND TRANSLATIONS
Wholly Family: Parental-Filial Relationships in the Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X. Peter Lang. Forthcoming.
Prayers in the Name of Jesus. Omar Weber. Translator. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 2010.
Champions of the Faith. Campeones de la fe. Bilingual Vacation Bible School Program. Translator. Concordia Publishing House. 2012.
Operation Rescue. Operación rescate. Bilingual Vacation Bible School Program. Translator. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 2011.
The Good News Train. El tren de las buenas noticias. Bilingual Vacation Bible School Program. Translator. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 2010.
A Tiny Adventure: Discovering the Greatness of God. Bilingual Vacation Bible School Program. Translator. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 2009.
Editor and contributing writer for Crossing Borders, the Northwest Indiana Lutheran Hispanic Missions Quarterly Newsletter, January 2008 – July 2010.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
• MLA: Modern Language Association
• AATSP American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese