Alumni
Emily Craig (French, Politics '20)
Emily Craig graduated from the University of Dallas in 2020 with a B.A. in Politics
and French. Emily was a French tutor and volunteered with Reading Partners during
her time at UD. After graduating, Emily worked at a law firm for a year before attending
law school. While in law school, Emily served as Editor-in-Chief of the On The Cusp law review and was a Teaching Fellow for 1L legal writing courses. Emily's undergraduate
courses at UD, particularly French senior thesis and Politics senior seminar, prepared
her to succeed in law school. She graduated Cum Laude from UNT Dallas College of Law
and was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 2024. Emily now practices probate and estate
planning in Dallas.
Jake Loel (French, International Studies Concentration '16)
Jake Loel graduated from the University of Dallas in 2016 with a major in French and a Concentration in International Studies. During his time at UD, he was Commentary Editor for The University News and Charity Week Co-Chair. Upon graduating, he accepted a position serving as a Teaching Assistant with the Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale, the French Education Ministry, in Avignon, France. He then spent several years in the nonprofit space in roles which included using his French skills in serving Francophone African refugees. While working in the nonprofit space, he earned a Master’s degree in International Security Studies from the University of Arizona, where he was an Intelligence Community CAE scholar and served an Internship with the Department of State. Jake’s nonprofit experience exposed him to complex philanthropic strategies as part of personal financial planning. This eventually dovetailed into a career transition to finance. He passed the Series 7 and Series 66 exams in 2022. Jake currently works as a Financial Solutions Advisor with Merrill, part of the Bank of America Company.
Jake and his family reside in the greater Phoenix area.
James Ryan (French '24)
James Ryan graduated from the University of Dallas in 2024 with a major in French
and a Business minor. He spent his senior year as an intern with the European American
Chamber of Commerce Texas, formerly the French American Chamber of Commerce Texas.
Of the time he spent there, he is most proud of his work on the Ambassador’s Gala,
an event which honored Spanish Ambassador to the U.S., Santiago Cabanas, during his
visit to Dallas. He worked two jobs on-campus, one as a French tutor and the other
as an attendant at the Beatrice M. Haggerty Art Gallery. James wrote a thesis on the
music of Claude Debussy, entitled “La découverte et la suppression: Le processus par
lequel Debussy crée la musique synesthésique.” This helped him to earn the Prix d'Excellence
en Français before closing out his time at UD. After graduation, he accepted a position
from the Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale to work as an English teaching assistant in Taverny, France.
Ashton Robinson (Italian '22)
Ashton Robinson graduated in 2022 from the University of Dallas with a major in Italian.
During her time at UD, she served as an Italian tutor, studied abroad on the Rome
Program, and wrote her thesis on the theme of consolation in Boccaccio’s The Decameron and Dante’s Vita Nova. After graduation, she wanted to deepen her study of Italian by living in Italy.
She received a prestigous SITE Fellowship and worked for two high schools located
in Verolanuova and Manerbio as an English teacher while doing a home stay with an
Italian family in the remote village of San Paolo. Additionally, she conducted English
lessons for adults and had the opportunity to be a guest lecturer at the local middle
and elementary schools. She has since moved back to her hometown of Austin, Texas
where she is in her second year of teaching 4th grade English and history at Valor
North Austin, a classical charter school.
Kathleen Blute (French '21)
Kathleen graduated in 2021 with a major in French and concentrations in German and
Computer Science. She used her fluency in the TAPIF program for a year, teaching English
in Paris and navigating foreign bureaucracy with aplomb. Currently Kathleen serves
the Houston community by uplifting performing arts as the Donor Stewardship Manager
and Board Liaison for Theatre Under The Stars. She loves exploring the diverse and
excellent theatres in Houston, caring for her rainforest of houseplants, and discussing
practical applications of faith in today's world.
Sophie Gart (Italian Concentration, Biology B.S. '20)
Sophie Gart graduated from the University of Dallas in 2020 with a major in biology and a concentration in Italian. During her time at UD, she served as co-president of Circolo Italiano, president of the Tri Beta biological honor society, and worked as an anatomy lab coordinator and tutor. Additionally, she studied piano and voice on a music department scholarship, which inspired her senior thesis on the use of music throughout Dante’s Divine Comedy. In 2018, Sophie became part of the inaugural cohort of the Rome Research Program, where she combined her proficiency in Italian and her scientific background. She worked in the molecular botany lab at the University of Tor Vergata, researching the bioactive effects of oregano on melanoma cells in vitro and assisting with the translation of several scientific manuscripts from Italian to English for publication. Following graduation, Sophie earned a Master of Science in Medical Anatomy and is now completing her final year of medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her experience learning a new language and working in Italy has given her a deep appreciation for those navigating communication in a foreign language. As a medical professional, she works closely with immigrant patients and is committed to advocating for their diverse needs, utilizing her Italian skills as a translator whenever possible. Sophie is a published author with scientific manuscripts in JAMA Dermatology, Pediatric Dermatology, and The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery, and she has presented her research at multiple national conferences. Recognized for her dedication to community service, she was named one of five classmates honored for service at her medical school and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. Sophie is currently applying for residency with plans to specialize in dermatology.
Monserrat Ortiz (Spanish, Secondary Education Concentration '24)
Monserrat Ortiz graduated from the University of Dallas in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a concentration in Secondary Education. Her enthusiasm for education and supporting other students shone in her valued contributions across campus as a Spanish tutor, a First-Generation Student Peer Mentor, and a Resident Assistant. Montserrat excelled in advanced Spanish courses from her first year at UD. She continued to impress her professors throughout her coursework and the successful defense of her senior thesis, “Cocinando la historia: feminismo en ‘Lección de cocina’ por Rosario Castellanos.” Her academic accomplishments were recognized with the Spanish Departmental Award her senior year. Monserrat has achieved her goal of uniting her dual interests in Spanish and education. She now teaches Spanish at Scroggins Middle School in the Frisco Independent School District.
Joanna Márquez-Espinoza (Spanish '22)
Joanna Márquez-Espinoza graduated from the University of Dallas in 2022 with a Bachelor
of Arts in Spanish. While at UD, Joanna was a Spanish tutor and involved with Spanish
Club and other department initiatives. Her senior thesis, La muñeca menor: el cuerpo femenino cómo sitio de opresión y empoderamiento used Puerto Rican author Rosario Ferré’s short story “La muñeca menor (The Youngest
Doll)” to explore concepts of feminine agency and authorship. While finishing her
Bachelor’s degree, she took advantage of UD’s 4+1 program to earn her Master of Arts
in Teaching. She won the prestigious Spanish Departmental Award her senior year as
she completed her student teaching. Joanna currently works as a Spanish teacher at
Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy in Dallas. In addition to crafting and
implementing meaningful lessons for her Spanish students, Joanna supports her fellow
teachers in their professional development and advocates for bilingualism and biliteracy
in her community. Inspired by her own study abroad experience at the Catholic University
of Ávila, Spain, she assists high school students with their applications to participate
in study abroad programs. Joanna is the author of a dual-language children’s book,
Mi cocina mexicana / My Mexican Kitchen (La Sociedad Free Press, 2022). Her Spanish and education classes at the University
of Dallas prepared her to meet the challenges and reap the rewards of teaching a diverse
population of high school students who look to her as a model of leadership and compassion.
Joseph Rodriguez (Spanish '08)
Joseph Rodriguez majored in Spanish with Italian as a second language, and wrote his
thesis on "El Castillo Interior" of St. Teresa of Avila. After graduation he spent
8 years as a missionary seminarian in Boston and then Ireland, where he completed
a BA in Theology at St Patrick's Pontifical University of Maynooth, Ireland before
returning to Dallas in 2016. After teaching Theology of the Body at Cristo Rey Dallas
for 5 years, Joseph founded Vocatio Travel, a Catholic travel agency that serves parishes,
dioceses, ministry groups, Catholic high school and university groups from around
the country by organizing personalized pilgrimages, mission trips, and educational
tours around the globe. Vocatio's two principal offices are in Dallas and in Rome,
where he enjoys traveling with his wife and two young sons.
Clare Slattery (Spanish '19)
Clare Slattery graduated magna cum laude from the University of Dallas in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a concentration
in International Studies. While at UD, she was active as a Spanish tutor, Student
Ambassador in the Office of Admissions, and was involved in Student Government for
four years, serving as SG Secretary from 2017-2018 and SG President from 2018-2019.
Upon graduation, she joined the Office of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), where she
is currently employed as Deputy Press Secretary. In her role, Clare handles Senator
Rubio's foreign policy communications and Hispanic media portfolio, with a special
focus on Western Hemisphere issues. She drafts statements and press releases on behalf
of the Senator in both English and Spanish, which are distributed to thousands of
journalists, constituents, and media outlets each day. She credits the UD Spanish
Program's lower-level courses for providing her with a strong foundational understanding
of Spanish grammar rules, and the upper-level courses for challenging her Spanish
reading comprehension and writing skills. Whether reading an indigenous folk tale,
a conquistador's journal entry, or a 17th-century Spanish play, UD's Spanish curriculum provides
its students the ability to digest and analyze complex information and write concisely
on a wide variety of topics - all done in a second language.
Alonna Ray Maddox (French and Comparative Literary Traditions, Drama Concentration '18)
Alonna Ray Maddox graduated from UD in 2018 as a double major in French and Comparative
Literary Traditions with a concentration in Drama. During her time in undergrad, she
developed a biannual publication for the drama department called OnStage Magazine which allows students to write articles contextualizing mainstage productions and
engaging audiences. Her comps presentation examined the Orpheus and Eurydice myth
through its adaptations in ancient verse, mid-century French absurdism, and contemporary
American theatre. Along with her oral defense, she directed staged readings of excerpts
from 6 depictions of the myth in their original languages of Latin, French, and English.
After graduation, she lived the multi-hyphenate-freelance lifestyle by collaborating
on productions and new play development in American Theatre, managing French translation
projects, writing for arts and culture-oriented publications, and generally being
game to jump into any creative challenge that crossed her path. With the pandemic,
she transitioned her career to meetings and events which has perfectly married her
love for live storytelling and passion for people. She now assists with everything
from leading strategy workshops to creating tech tutorials, from producing live streams
to implementing new technologies on-site for events around the world. Her formation
in the classics, drama, and French at UD continues to serve her in her career as she
hosts multi-lingual events and consults with global companies to develop their meetings
technology strategies.
Alexa Hassell (Italian and Politics '23)
Alexa Hassell graduated from the University of Dallas in 2023 with a double major
in Politics and Italian and concentrations in Art History and Ethics. She had never
been exposed to Italian language and literature prior to her arrival at UD but only
three weeks into her first semester, she declared an Italian major given her new found
love for the study of language. During her time at UD, she studied abroad in Rome,
tutored students of Italian, and took courses ranging from Italian Cinema to Florence
to Italian Literature from the 19th to 21st century. Her studies culminated in a senior
thesis focusing on the private letters of Niccolò Machiavelli and his relationship
with the Catholic Church. Alexa now attends the University of Notre Dame Law School
(JD '26) where a surprising number of students speak Italian! There she serves as
a Staff Editor on the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy, as an
oralist on the Moot Court Board, and as the Vice President of the St. Thomas More
Society. She hopes to practice law in Texas upon her graduation and to keep up her
Italian skills in new ways!
Alexandra Koch (German, Politics '21)
Alexandra double majored in German and Politics, writing her thesis on the influence
of Marxism on the political thought of the German poet Heinrich Heine. Alexandra
was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to teach English at a Catholic school in Rheinland-Pfalz
while also studying at the University of Bonn in Germany. After her Fulbright year
she began an MA degree in Politics and theology at the Catholic University of Eichstätt
in Bavaria. She is currently doing a two year missionary stint with FOCUS Missionary
at the University of Vienna
Marlena Figge (Italian, English '20)
Alumna Marlena Figge (B.A. ‘20 Italian, English), began her UD career as a Chemistry
major, but when she found out upon arrival in Irving that an Italian B.A. was in the
offing, she declared as an Italian major—even BEFORE the major had gained official
status. During her time on campus, Marlena was an Italian tutor and mentor, studied
in Rome, and was a camp counselor at both an Italian-language immersion summer camp
in northern Minnesota and at an Italian-language day-camp in Chicago. Marlena spoke
no Italian when she began her study at UD, but in just three-and-a-half years she
went from a 50-word essay to writing, in Italian, an outstanding, 25-page senior thesis
comparing the poetry of Keats and Dante. After graduation she earned two scholarships
and completed an M.A. in Italian at Middlebury College before returning to Italy in
2022-2023 with a SITE Fellowship to work as an English-language teaching assistant
at the Istituto d'Istruzione Superiore (IIS) Dandolo in Brescia. Marlena now writes
a regular feature on literature—often Italian—for the international media organization
The Epoch Times and has published pieces on Italian authors such as Michelangelo, San Francesco d'Assisi, Dante, and Giacomo Leopardi.
Giada Mirelli (Spanish, French; Concentrations in Italian and Comparative Literature '20)
Giada Mirelli double majored in Spanish and French with concentrations in Italian
and Comparative Literature. During her time at UD, Giada tutored students in Italian
and Spanish, was the president of Spanish club, and participated in multiple programs
abroad in Lyon (2017), Rome (2018), and Ávila (2019). After graduating she completed
an M.A. in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures at Indiana University (2022) while teaching
Spanish courses as an Associate Instructor. Giada continued her graduate studies at
IU to pursue a PhD in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures with a minor in Renaissance
Studies. She is now a PhD candidate doing a longitudinal study on Saint Teresa of
Ávila’s pedagogy on the way of perfection. While at Indiana University, Giada frequently
talks about her experience at UD and gives credit to UD’s exceptional modern languages
program for her various accomplishments such as receiving the Department of Spanish
and Portuguese Doctoral Student Award for Academic Achievement and the MIND (Motivación,
Inspiración, Dedicación) Award for Impactful Teaching, as well as her editorial and
translation work for Kathleen Ann Myers’ recently published book A Country of Shepherds: Cultural Stories of a Changing Mediterranean Landscape (2024). She is so thankful for her dedicated and acclaimed undergrad professors whom
she aspires to be.
Grant Aymond (German, Economics)
Grant double majored in German and Economics writing his thesis on the Austrian economist
Joseph Schumpeter. Grant was accepted into the London School of Economics and Political
Science where he earned his M.A. in the history of international relations. After
graduate studies Grant worked as a membership coordinator at the Dallas Citizens Council
and is now working for the Goethe-Institut, the cultural institute of the Federal
Republic of Germany as the Director of Goethe Pop-Up Houston. Grant helps to present
contemporary German art and culture in Houston with a broad range of public programs
and projects in the fields of film, arts, theater, dance, music, literature, and more.
Stephanie Stoeckel, PhD (German, Comparative Literature)
Stephanie double majored in German and Comparative Literature writing her thesis on
Thomas Mann’s novel Doktor Faustus. After graduating she earned her MA from the University
of Regensburg with a thesis exploring the influence of Jewish biblical interpretation
on Thomas Mann’s Joseph und seine Brüder. She completed her PhD Comparative Literature
(German and French) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and she is now
adjunct instructor of German at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she is
the sole professor in the newly-revived German program and has been developing most
of her own curriculum. Her current research is focused on the Catholic Revival movement,
in late 19th and early 20th century France and Germany.
Elizabeth Nogan Ranieri, PhD (Italian Concentration, Art)
Dr. Elizabeth Nogan Ranieri decided to attend UD for 3 main reasons: an art scholarship,
the Rome Program, and the Core. Since she knew she would spend a semester in Rome,
signing up for Italian seemed like a no-brainer—and she is so glad that she did! During
her Rome semester she was out and about whenever she wasn’t in class, and ended the
semester with a decent proficiency. In her junior year, she became an Italian tutor,
at which point she had so many Italian credits that Dr. Forte encouraged her to pursue
the Italian Concentration. That year she and a wonderful group of friends resurrected
the Italian Club, which organized (arguably) the best events on campus. After graduating
from UD, Dr. Ranieri decided to go to graduate school for Humanities with an emphasis
in Art History. Her MA work focused on Italian female artists and patrons, and her
education from UD heavily influenced her multidisciplinary doctoral research on the
Neapolitan Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore—she got to use her knowledge of Theology,
Philosophy, Western Civ, Lit Trad, Sacred Art, and, of course, Italian. After earning
her PhD, these days she is right at home in a wonderful multidisciplinary department at the University of North Texas. She has led several study-abroad trips to Italy. She credits UD with her lifelong
love of all things Italian and her undergraduate education with setting her up to
be the multidisciplinary scholar she has become.
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