Faculty: Maria Salome Chavarria
Salomé Chavarría, a professor from the University of Houston-Victoria’s partner university in Cuernavaca, Mexico, is working at UHV this semester to teach Spanish to area community members and students.
Chavarría is a professor of methods for teaching languages, Spanish as a foreign language and English as a second language. She also organized and elaborated the plans and programs for the master´s in teaching Spanish as a foreign language which opened up 4 years ago at Universidad Internacional. She is working with UHV students in Oral and Written Communication I, II, Advanced Oral and Written Communication and Professional applications of Spanish classes offered in Victoria and Sugar Land. The classes, which are new at UHV this semester, are geared toward those with some Spanish-language experience. Students in the classes receive either academic or continuing education credit.
Chavarría’s semester in Victoria is part of UHV’s partnership with Rector Javier Espinosa, president of the Universidad Internacional, to develop programs that will increase the international skills of students, faculty and staff at both universities. The program includes sending students, faculty, staff and community members to the Mexico institution to study at various times throughout the year.
Chavarría received her bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1992 from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos in Cuernavaca and then came to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., as a Spanish professor. She decided to stay and received her master’s degree in teaching languages in 1997 from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has worked in numerous jobs teaching English and Spanish and editing and translating publications.