Ms. Marianella Jara
Senior Lecturer of Spanish
Ms. Jara is a senior lecturer of Spanish. She has been at UNCW since 2004.
She is a native of Costa Rica. She completed her undergraduate studies in Political Science and International Relations at Louisiana State University as a Fulbright scholar. She is also a former Seahawk who graduated summa cum laude, receiving two M.A. degrees in Liberal Arts in the areas of Hispanic Studies and Spanish. In 2014, she was recognized with The Lecturer of the Year Award for excellence in teaching and service. In 2023, she was recognized with The Excellence in Online Education Award. She was the Spanish Club advisor for twelve years and she is an active volunteer in the local community. She was the Spanish Lower Division Coordinator from 2022-2024. She is passionate about providing students with opportunities to become global citizens and experience other cultures first-hand. She studied abroad in Spain, France and Ecuador. She has created, directed and co-directed many study abroad programs for her home department and the Honors College at UNCW to include Spain, France, Italy, Argentina and she is working on developing a new program to her native Costa Rica.
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Ms. Vivian Ferreyra
Senior Lecturer of Spanish
Ms. Vivian Ferreyra is a Senior Lecturer of Spanish at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). Born in Argentina, she has lived in several provinces across the country: Chubut (Patagonia, south-central), Buenos Aires (central-east), Santa Fe (central-east), and Salta (northwest). She graduated with a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the National University of Salta (UNSa) before moving to the United States. In Argentina, Ms. Ferreyra also taught Biology and worked for the Department of Environmental Affairs in the Municipality of Salta. In 2009, she earned a Master of Arts in Spanish from UNCW, where she currently teaches in various modalities, particularly in the Accelerated Online RN-BS Program (OAP). In 2023-2024, she coordinated the Spanish Conversation Center at the World Languages and Cultures Department (WLC) and has served as an Academic Spanish Minor Advisor for many years. Her passion for teaching Spanish and Hispanic culture inspires and motivates her students to learn the Spanish language. In 2016, she was recognized with the Discere Aude Award by UNCW for undergraduate mentoring.
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