2025 Linda E. McMahon Distinguished Guest Series

The first week of April was busy and inspiring one for the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Just prior to the Annual Award Ceremony, the department welcomed Dr. Priscilla Meléndez as this semester’s Linda E. McMahon Distinguished Guest Lecturer.

Dr. Meléndez engaged with our community in many ways: hosting a student lunch, guest lecturing, visiting a Dr. Paul Fallon’s Spanish course, Introduction to Cultural Analysis, and delivering the keynote address at the FLL Awards Banquet.

Her lecture, “Usurping, Buying, Destroying: Puerto Rico’s Ecological and Political Erosions in Teresa Hernández’ Wandering Performance,” explored themes of ecological devastation, political mismanagement, and the cultural impacts of colonialism and exploitatoin, as represented in the performances of Puerto Rican artist Teresa Hernández.

Special thanks to Dr. Katherine Ford, Linda E. McMahon Distinguished Professor, for inviting Dr. Meléndez, and to the FLL staff for their coordination and support of the week’s events.