Irina Rodriguez Ph.D.
Affiliate Assistant Professor of Modern Languages
Dr. Irina Rodriguez has taught in the Spanish, Italian, French and Comparative Literature programs at the University of Dallas since 2010. She also serves as Spanish Placement director and advisor of the UD Spanish Club, and she oversaw senior theses in Comparative Literature Program. She has always been interested in the study of foreign languages and linguistics, and is fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, and Ukrainian. Comparative literatures and cultural pluralism are another area of interest, and she wrote her M.A. thesis at the University of Kharkiv on the literary aspects of humor in American literature. During her M.A. studies in the Spanish program at the Texas A&M University-Commerce, she assisted Dr. Maria Lamarque in the research of dystopic aspects of Latin American literature. During her doctoral studies, she researched cultural identity formation in memoir and wrote her dissertation on post-Soviet cultural identity construction in memoir.
Dr. Rodriguez established the UD study-abroad program at the Catholic University of Lyon, France, and led study abroad programs to Costa Rica, France, Italy, and South Korea at UD and other universities. She has led groups of UD alumni on cultural trips to Peru and Southeast Asia and plans further international opportunities for the UD community. Prior to coming to UD, she taught Italian at the University of Kansas and worked in international marketing. Her book, My Soviet Youth: a Memoir of Ukrainian Life in the Final Years of Communism (McFarland, 2019) is a memoir about being a part of the last generation to grow up under the Soviet regime. Outside of UD, Dr. Rodriguez is active in the DFW Ukrainian community leading Ukrainian cultural events and concerts of the Zorya Ukrainian Dance ensemble of Dallas, as well as participating in various humanitarian efforts.
- Ph.D., English Literature, Texas A&M University-Commerce
- M.A., Spanish and Spanish/Latin American Literature, Texas A&M University-Commerce
- M.S., Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Kansas
- M.S., Philology and Foreign Languages, Kharkiv State University of Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Exchange Student, University of Kansas, ACTR-ACCELS (American Council of Teachers of Russian/The American Council for Collaboration in Education and Language Study) Program
- B.S., Philology and Foreign Languages, Kharkiv State University of Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Comparative Literature
- European history and politics
- Russian and Ukrainian Literature
- Soviet and post-Soviet memoir
- Affiliate Assistant Professor of Modern Languages
- Spanish Placement Director
- Spanish Lower-Division Coordinator (2012-2014, 2016-2018, and Spring 2022)
Spanish:
- First Year Spanish I (MSP 1301)
- First Year Spanish II (MSP 1302)
- Second Year Spanish I (MSP 2311)
- Second Year Spanish II (MSP 2312)
- Advanced Spanish Communication and Grammar (MSP 3323)
- Advanced Spanish Composition and Grammar (MSP 3324)
- Spanish American Literary Traditions (MSP 3318)
- Business Spanish for Continuous Education Program
Russian:
- Introductory Russian Language (GST-1V45)
Italian:
- First Year Italian I (MIT 1301)
- First Year Italian II (MIT 1302)
- Survival Italian
French:
- First Year French I (MFR 1301)
- First Year French II (MFR 1302)
Comparative Literature:
- ST/Intro to Russian Literature (ENG 3357/ MCT 3V50)
- ST/Intro to Russian and Ukrainian Literature (ENG 3357/ MCT 3V50)
- Soviet Society in Literature, Arts and Film (Eng 3357/ MCT 3V50)
- “I am an Ethnic Russia-Ukrainian from Kharkiv. Putin is not Defending me.” The Dallas Morning News, March 4, 2022.
- My Soviet Youth: A Memoir of Ukrainian Life in the Final Years of Communism. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2019.
- “Specifics of Contemporary Foreign Language Education in the Higher Institutions of the United States: Challenges and Opportunities,” XI International Scientific Conference: Problems and Perspectives of Linguistic Preparation of the International Students Conference Proceedings (Kharkiv, Ukraine) October 2016
- “Problems and Advantages of Long-Distance and Online Platforms in Language Education” in VI International Scientific and Methodical Conference Linguistic Training for University Students of Non-Philological Specialties Conference Proceedings (Odessa, Ukraine) October 2015
- “Using Films in the Spanish-Language Classroom” in X International Scientific Conference: Problems and Perspectives of Linguistic Preparation of the International Students Conference Proceedings (Kharkiv, Ukraine) October 2015
- “Intertextuality and Normalcy/Abnormality Trends in Almodovar’s Films” Revista Destiempos 45 (June 2015): n. pag.
- Russian-Portuguese Conversation Book Kharkiv: Torsing Publishing House, 2004
- Dean’s Office Travel Funds awarded for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Conference presentation, Boston, Mass, November 2022.
- Participation Scholarship for South Central MLA Conference from Texas A&M University – Commerce. October, 2017; October 2018; October 2019.
- 2017 Travel Grant from the American Association of Teachers of Italian to the AATI Conference, Palermo, Italy, June 27-29, 2017.
- Dean’ Office Travel Funds awarded for the presentation at the International Scientific Conference: Problems and Perspectives of Linguistic Preparation of the International Students, Kharkiv, Ukraine, October 2016.
- Selected for the Education Abroad workshop organized by the Trade Commission of Spain, all expenses paid. Madrid, Barcelona, Tarragona, December 2011.
- 2000 Best Graduate Instructor of Italian Award from the University of Kansas French and Italian department
- 1997 Kharkiv State University Honors Award
- 1995 University of Kansas Award of Excellence in Advanced Italian
- 1994-1995 ACTR/ACCELS University Exchange Scholarship to the University of Kansas
- “Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky.” Book discussion with the author and Times Senior Correspondent Simon Shuster. Moderator, DFW World Affairs Council, January 31, 2024.
- “Finding the Core in Core Language Classes.” Presenter, Modern Languages Panel at the CTL faculty meeting, University of Dallas, October, 2023.
- Faculty book discussion on Fathers and Children by Ivan Turgenev. Panelist, University of Dallas, August 17, 2023.
- “A Look at the Eastern Ukraine: History and Culture.” Panelist, Multidisciplinary Panel on Ukraine, University of Dallas, March 4, 2023.
- “Strategies for Successful Student Engagement in a Hybrid Classroom.” Presenter, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Conference, Boston, Mass, November 19, 2022.
- “Eastern Ukraine and the Russian War in Ukraine.” Invited Panelist. Tarrant County Community College, Arlington, Tx, April 5, 2022.
- “Finding the Core in Core Language Classes.” Panelist, Modern Languages Panel. University of Dallas Teaching and Learning Conference, University of Dallas, Irving, Tx. December 8, 2022.
- “Strategies of Foreign Language Learning.” Panelist, UD Modern Language Symposium for Beginning Students of Modern Languages, September, 2022.
- Evgeniy Vodolazkin’s Laurus Book Discussion for Cowan’s Archives. Invited Panelist, University of Dallas, March 8, 2021.
- Mesoamerican Civilizations. Presentation for the Spanish Club, University of Dallas, Irving, Tx, March 5, 2021.
- “Cabeza de Vaca: Early Explorer of Texas and Travel Writer.” Presenter, Europeans in Texas: A Modern Languages Perspective Seminar, University of Dallas, Irving, Tx, March 4, 2020.
- Russian Language and Methodology Session, Chair. Southern Central MLA Conference, Little Rock, Ar. Oct. 24-26, 2019.
- “My Soviet Youth: The Insight into the Recent Russian Memoir and the Literary Construction of the Post-Soviet Identity." Presenter, Southern Central MLA Conference. Little Rock, Ar. Oct. 24-26, 2019.
- “My Soviet Youth: Book presentation.” Presenter, University of Dallas, Irving, Tx, October 4, 2019.
- Slavic Literatures Panel Moderator, Conference on Christianity and Literature: The Christian Storyteller. University of Dallas, Irving, Tx. Sept. 13, 2019.
- “From Active to Passive Existentialism: Dostoevsky’s Underground Man and Jose Camilo Cela’s Martin Marco.” Presenter, Southern Central MLA Conference, San Antonio, Tx, Oct. 12, 2018.
- “Transgressive Animal Transformations in “Little Brother and Little Sister” and A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz.” Presenter, Southern Central MLA Conference, Tulsa, Ok, Oct. 5, 2017.
- “Playing with Grammar: Using Games to Explain Grammar Concepts in Italian-Language Classroom.” Presenter, American Association of Teachers of Italian Conference, Palermo, Italy, June 27-29, 2017.
- Italian Language Teaching Session, Chair. American Association of Teachers of Italian Conference, Palermo, Italy, June 27-29, 2017.
- “Specifics of Contemporary Foreign Language Education in the Higher Institutions of the United States: Challenges and Opportunities.” Presenter, XI International Scientific Conference: Problems and Perspectives of Linguistic Preparation of the International Students, Kharkiv, Ukraine, October 2016.
- “Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Legacy in the Russian Literature.” Invited Presenter, Recent World Graduate Course, February 2013.
- “Westernizers and Slavophiles Movement in the Russian Literature.” Invited Presenter, Modern World Graduate Course, October 2015, 2012.
- Spanish – English Interpreter, Lingopartners (medical, legal)
- Ukrainian-English, Russian-English Interpreter, Dallas World Affairs Council (educational)
- Ukrainian-English, Russian-English Interpreter, International Visitors Council of Greater Kansas City
- Adjunct Instructor of Spanish, Texas A&M-Commerce
- Adjunct Instructor of Italian, Dallas College
- International Customer Marketing Manager, Kidstuff, Topeka, Ks.
- International Marketing Coordinator, Great Plains Laboratory, Inc., Lenexa, Ks.