WWU’s Spanish Linguistics Faculty and Student Present at 54th Annual LASSO Conference

Western's Spanish Linguists made a strong showing at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest (LASSO), with presentations by faculty members R. Mata and S. Bernardo-Hinesley, along with undergraduate alumna Dana Gravseth, a graduate of Western's Spanish with a Teaching Endorsement and Latin American Studies with a minor in Linguistics.

Also presenting was Jennifer Lang-Rigal, associate professor of Spanish at James Madison University, who received her undergraduate degrees in Spanish and Biology at Western in 2002.

Bernardo-Hinesley served as vice president and program chair for this year's conference, which centered on the theme "Borderless Language." The theme invited scholars to explore multilingual and multicultural research that addresses crucial issues such as language and social justice, critical pedagogies, linguistic landscape, language maintenance and revitalization, sociolinguistics, and language in healthcare.

The conference brought together linguists from across the Southwest and beyond. Gravseth's participation reflects Western's strong commitment to undergraduate research and mentorship, showcasing the valuable contributions of its students and recent alumni in professional academic settings. The event was co-sponsored by Western's Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.