FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gita Brown, 401-456-8465, gbrown@ric.edu
Chad Minnich, 401-456-8395, cminnich@ric.edu
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – On April 23 Rhode Island College's Portuguese studies program inducted two outstanding students and two honorary members into the Sigma Chapter of Phi Lambda Beta, the Portuguese Collegiate Honor Society of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. The society strives to stimulate greater interest in the advanced study of the Portuguese language and Luso-Brazilian cultures and literatures and rewards outstanding achievement in the field.
Also recognized were recipients of the John A. and Mary V. Lima Scholarship in Portuguese Studies, the Arthur M. Andrade Memorial Scholarship in Portuguese Studies and the Lema-Fernandes Study Abroad Scholarship.
The ceremony opened with a welcome address by Rhode Island College President Frank D. Sánchez, who expressed pride in RIC's modern languages-Portuguese program and in the more than 300 students who take Portuguese courses each year. Sánchez noted that Rhode Island College is the only public institution in the state that offers a B.A. degree in modern languages-Portuguese.
The keynote was presented by Marie Fraley, former director of RIC's Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone World Studies (IPLWS), titled "Growing Up Portuguese in the Lace Trade of the Pawtuxet Valley." Fraley shared her ongoing research, which is being conducted in collaboration with current IPLWS Director and Associate Professor of Portuguese Studies Silvia Oliveira, on Portuguese and Cape Verdean mill workers in Rhode Island. As managing director of the Portuguese American Leadership Council of the United States, Fraley is also organizing the inaugural Portuguese-American National Conference in Washington, D.C. in June.
Marie and David Fraley were made honorary members of Phi Lambda Beta, recognized for their service, scholarship and advocacy in the promotion of Portuguese studies; the Portuguese language; and Portuguese, Brazilian and African Lusophone cultures at Rhode Island College and in the community.
This year's honor society inductees are Providence resident Uzziel Gomez, a nursing major with a minor in Portuguese; and Rumford resident Kasey Jeronimo, a modern languages-Portuguese major.
Members of Phi Lambda Beta must have completed a minimum of three years of college Portuguese or its equivalent, including at least one course in literature, and they must have maintained a high level of scholarship in their Portuguese courses.
Recipients of IPLWS scholarships are:
Kassandra DoRosario, who was awarded a $2,000 John A. and Mary V. Lima Scholarship in Portuguese Studies. DoRosario is a resident of Pawtucket, double-majoring in justice studies and modern languages-Portuguese.
Raquel Martins, who was awarded $4,000 over four years by the Arthur M. Andrade Memorial Scholarship in Portuguese Studies. Martins is a resident of North Providence, with an intended major in medical imaging and minor in Portuguese.
Sabrina Brum, Nélida Silva, Erin Plowman and Brian Ajucun, who were each awarded $1,000 by the Lema-Fernandes Study Abroad Scholarship. Brum is a resident of Bristol, majoring in modern languages-Spanish and minoring in Portuguese. Silva is a resident of Pawtucket, majoring in business management and minoring in Portuguese. Plowman is a resident of Warwick, majoring in business management and concentrating in human resources. And Ajucun is a resident of Central Falls, majoring in health care administration.
Established in 1854, Rhode Island College serves approximately 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students through its five schools: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the School of Business, the School of Nursing and the School of Social Work. For more information, visit www.ric.edu.
– 0 –
