Melissa Patiño-Vega, who has been at Portland State since 2019 as a visiting scholar in Chicano/Latino Studies and World Languages and Literatures, returns this fall as an assistant professor, continuing to split her time between both departments.
"I am thrilled and look forward to continuing my service and advocacy at Portland State University," she says.
A proud first generation Latina raised in the small agricultural town of Patterson, California, Patiño-Vega says the academic and socio-economic hardships she has faced have encouraged her to advocate for underrepresented communities on and off campus.
At UC Davis, where she earned a Ph.D. in Spanish linguistics with an emphasis in second language acquisition, she coordinated, taught and researched the Spanish heritage language program and peer-tutoring group and was an active service leader in various student centers, including the Educational Opportunity Program, Special Transitional Enrichment Program, Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success and Intercambio.
Her teaching and research interests include Spanish as a heritage language, Spanish in the U.S., Spanish-English bilingualism, language maintenance, language ideologies, community-based language education, and Latinxs in education.
What makes this work meaningful to you?
There are various factors that guide my teaching and research including the language values deep-rooted by my family, students and community, the constant oppression and discrimination towards multilingual speakers in the U.S., the lack of representation, and the socioeconomic hardships faced by many in my community.
What drew you to PSU and in particular, the School of Gender, Race and Nations?
My goal as an educator and researcher is to serve as a mentor and advocate for students who share similar backgrounds as my own; I am committed to helping my students thrive and achieve their dreams and aspirations in higher education. My interdisciplinary joint position in the Department of World Languages & Literatures and Chicano/Latino Studies allows me to maximize my contributions to the student body while leveraging my expertise to strengthen the Spanish heritage language program at PSU. The university’s safe, equitable, inclusive, collaborative, and transformative work-environment, surrounded by its naturally beautiful physical environment, further solidified my decision to work for PSU.
What’s a course you’re particularly excited to teach?
I am thrilled to be teaching ChLa 360: Bilingualism in U.S. Latinxs Communities (CRN: 14427) this fall! From an interdisciplinary perspective, this course examines Spanish-English bilingualism among Latinx communities in the U.S. We will critically analyze bilingualism through sociohistorical, sociopolitical, and sociocultural lenses with the goal of dismantling monolingual ideologies and empowering speakers of multilingual discourses.
Additionally, I will also be teaching SPAN 301H (CRN: 13339), the first Spanish heritage language course of the upper-division program series. Our course series (SPAN 201H-203H & 301H-303H) is designed for students who grew up speaking Spanish with their families or communities and are interested in strengthening their linguistic repertoires. Furthermore, our courses seek to develop bilinguals’ language confidence, celebrate multilingual identities, and promote social justice through diverse class materials.
What’s one thing you hope students who take a class with you will come away with?
As a Spanish and Chicano/a Studies educator, I find it imperative to validate and acknowledge the diverse linguistic experience of Spanish-English bilinguals in the U.S. Mis estudiantes son mi otro yo; not only do I identify with my students, but we also often share a common goal — to promote, celebrate, and cherish our multilingual identities, language, and culture that we continue to practice with our families, communities, educational and professional settings.
What are you most looking forward to doing in your first year at PSU?
I look forward to meeting, collaborating, and supporting my new colleagues at the School of Gender, Race and Nations. I also look forward to rejoining PSU in a more permanent capacity. My first two years as a Visiting Scholar were invaluable and I am excited to continue to grow our Spanish heritage language program.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
Outside of my teaching and research, I enjoy spending time outdoors, exploring nature both locally and abroad. My favorite places in the PDX area include Sauvie Island and Cannon Beach. When traveling abroad, my favorite destinations include Spanish-speaking countries and the Caribbean. I also enjoy reading books and exploring diverse stories written by Latinx authors such as Julia Álvarez, Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez, and Erika L. Sánchez.