Damaris Puñales–Alpízar 
Incoming Director of International Studies Program, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies 

Beginning July 1, 2022 Dr. Damaris Puñales–Alpízar will serve as Director of the International Studies Program.  She will focus on long-term program planning and implementation, advising students, and assisting other staff members with projects. Dr. Puñales–Alpízar studied Journalism at the University of Havana and has a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies from the University of Iowa. She has worked as a journalist in Belize, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Her work as a literary critic and transatlantic and translation scholar has taken her to Belize, Cuba, Mexico, Russia, and Spain to conduct research, and to Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Mexico, Russia, and Spain to share her findings. Her scholarly articles have appeared in leading journals or in books in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, and the United States. 

Celebrating Dr. Kelly McMann’s 11-years of service as International Studies Director and the incoming director Dr. Damaris Puñales–Alpízar, the International Studies Program is seeking contributions toward student practicum scholarships.  Learn more about this campaign here.