As an undergraduate sociology major at the University of Buenos Aires, Karina Vázquez took a teaching practicum class one semester where she created learning activities for the students.

“What I loved, and what led me to teaching, was that the classroom was a place of transformation,” said Vázquez, in a melodic accent reflective of her Argentinian homeland. “I feel absolutely free in the classroom.”

Vázquez, who received her Ph.D. in Spanish at the University of Florida, is a UR professor of Latin American, Latino, and Iberian Studies (LALIS) and director of Community-Based Learning. She recently received the 2024 Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award from the Council on Undergraduate Research, a national recognition for her innovative teaching and commitment to students. The award was established in 2018 to nurture undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry in arts and humanities disciplines.

“The award was a recognition of the community-based work that I did, which is unusual in the second-language classroom,” she said.

In addition to their traditional language and literature classes, LALIS majors have the option to take up to five classes in Community-Based Learning. As the program’s director, Vázquez connects students interested in providing translation and interpretation services with community partners, such as local government agencies, non-profit organizations, healthcare providers, and immigrant and refugee coalitions. Starting this fall, students will also provide this type of support to the Richmond School of Law’s Access to Justice Clinic.

As a prerequisite for graduation, all students must present their research at an annual symposium. Vázquez likes it when students drop by to discuss these research projects, especially during the early stages. Her office is warm and inviting, with shelves lined with Spanish books and a few toys that she has knitted. A cozy corner by the window has a chair with a crocheted throw pillow, and a cheerful, butterfly coffee mug sits on a small table.

“At the first meeting, when I sit here with them, they have a mixed bag of knowledge they may have gained in a different course or through a summer experience or an internship or abroad,” said Vázquez.

Moving forward, she assists the students through the process of formulating their research questions. “I work toward modeling a working path where we are unafraid of asking questions and constantly revising interpretations." As a mentor, the process begins with listening, she said.

“It is exciting to see their faces when they realize that they have just articulated a question or inquiry that opens paths in their investigation.”

For many students, aha moments come as they work in the community.

One of those students was Julia Abbott, a 2024 graduate who helped lead creative writing workshops through the Richmond nonprofit Podium. She taught a number of students for whom English is their second language. Many of these students had fallen behind their peers in their reading, writing, and communication skills.

“As I continued to observe them, I found that students in this demographic had extraordinary interpersonal communication skills with each other, their teachers, and their classmates who spoke English as a first language,” Abbott said. “I found that this opportunity to communicate and assist in the classroom was an essential part of their learning and that bolstering this practice in multilingual classrooms would contribute to student success in their pursuit of higher education.”

This finding was the basis for her research symposium presentation.

“I was nervous about making my presentation because it took me a while to figure out what my approach would be. I could not have narrowed down my topic or felt nearly as confident in my observations without Dr. Vázquez,” Abbott said. “In the weeks leading up to the presentation, she helped me fine-tune my scattered thoughts and helped me uncover what I was truly passionate about to transform it into an argument.” 

Vázquez says that writing papers and making presentations are a critical part of her students’ professional development. Research from her mentees have been published in VA Engage Journal and Latinx Talk.

But first, the students must work through their uneasiness.