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Bringing It Home – The Saint Rose Blog

Professor Shout-Out! Meet Dr. Claire Ziamandanis

Dr. Claire Ziamandanis, World Languages and Cultures Department, Associate Professor of Spanish, Faculty Advisor to Study Abroad, Outgoing Department Chair. Has been with Saint Rose since 1992.

About:

  • "The photo was taken in Sarria, Spain in October, when I set out for one week on the Way of Saint James, or the Camino de Santiago."

    Where did you attend school?  BA St. Lawrence University, but I was only on campus 1 ½ years – too cold!  I spent a visiting year at Georgetown and 1 ½ years in Madrid, Spain.  MA, PhD University at Albany, where I was able to work with the President of the Royal Academy of Spanish.

  • Where have you been employed?  Besides Saint Rose, waitressing at the Victory Café put me through graduate school!
  • Did you always want to teach?  I had no clue, until I became a TA at U-A, and then it all clicked.  I loved it right away.
  • What classes do you teach at Saint Rose?  Spanish language, culture and linguistics
  • Highlight of academic career, thus far:  There are two I would point out:  1) motivating kids to study abroad, and then hearing their stories while away and upon their return.  I have alums over 10 years out who still point to a summer or semester abroad as pivotal in their life, and still very much influencing who they are and what they do.  2) first annual World Languages and Cultures Alumni Symposium held March 16.  We had over 30 alumni return for a half day of workshops, presented by the some of those same alumni.  They are successful, productive and inspirational adults.

Fun Facts:

  • What’s your favorite color? Food?  Just about anything Italian, but if I had to decide, I would say Eggplant Parmigiana, made the way my grandmother used to make it.
  • Favorite place to eat in the Capital Region?  Athos on Western Avenue – Greek food at its finest!
  • Favorite TV show?  Item of technology?  My iPhone!  I converted from a BlackBerry, so the first week was rough, but now I take my iPhone to bed with me.
  • What is the last book you read?  I just finished La Reina del sur by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, and will be finishing Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes shortly, but those are for classes this semester.  Outside reading – I have something in historical fiction going on my Nook, but I can’t remember the title right now.  It’s not that great, or I would remember the title.
  • If you could have one superpower, what would you choose?  The ability to understand and speak all world languages.

*BONUS!*

Shout out to heritage speakers of Spanish on campus.  They’re such a fun and engaging group of students!

Follow Dr. Ziamandanis on “Vinoteca,” her Times Union blog. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to ask here!

 

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