Showker Scholar To Speak At BC
September 18, 2019
By KATHLEEN SHAW
Daily News-Record 9/18/19
BRIDGEWATER — As a cultural consultant for accredited broadcasts such as Pixar’s “Coco” and Fox’s “Bordertown,” Lalo Alcaraz often combines his heritage and career. His latest recognition? Bridgewater College’s first Showker Visiting Scholar of the school year.
Since 2015, the Zane D. Showker Institute for Responsible Leadership has annually hosted one prestigious leader on campus for a few days as a “visiting scholar” so students can have more intimate discussions with the guest and learn from their journey to success. Alcaraz is arriving today to present a discussion titled “Drawing on walls” in Cole Hall at 7:30 p.m. and free to attend.
Mahan Ellison, associate professor of Spanish at BC, has taught a first-year seminar course titled after Alcaraz’s historical cartoon book, Latino USA, for the past five years. Alcaraz will visit Ellison’s class as well as professor Jen Babcock’s persuasion class over the next two to three days to speak with students.
Alcaraz often incorporates art techniques from indigenous Mayan and Aztec into his modern Hollywood work. Ellison said the pointed humor in Alcaraz’s satirical history engages his students, and that it is vital for their education that they are exposed to various scholastic disciplines.
“To be a full citizen of a democracy, specialists are important but … the wide breadth of education makes us better humans and better citizens,” Ellison said.
This past Sunday marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. Alma Ramirez Trujillo, assistant professor in the Department of World Languages, said the visit comes at a great time to celebrate Hispanic professionals in the world, especially one with a defined relationship to Latinx culture in their work.
“We hope that students feel or are able to develop more connections with this diverse community, and especially our students who have a diverse background in this mixture of culture that we have,” Ramirez Trujillo said. “We have the opportunity to opportunity to talk to Lalo, who I think is someone who can help us see the world with different eyes.”
The Showker Institute provides financial support so one of the four divisions within the school can invite a visiting scholar each year. Randall Young, director of the Showker Institute, said he hopes to expand the program so all divisions of the school can host a professional each year.
Young said Showker Scholars provide a wonderful opportunity for students to meet with leaders and visualize how to take the concepts they learn in class to apply for a successful future.
“We’ve tried to create more sort of visual, experiential opportunities to deal with and to develop leadership skills and to be exposed to leaders and to meet leaders,” Young said.
Alcaraz is among the inaugural Showker Scholar recipients since the distinction was created five years ago. Previous visiting scholars include Judge Richard Claybrook, a district court judge for the 26th Judicial District; Michael Casson, an economist; Thomas Yeates, a comic book illustrator; and Dave Essinger, an author. Scholars are selected cross-disciplinarily so all students can engage professionals in fields relevant to their interests.
Alcaraz’s speech tonight is open to the public and there will be time after his presentation to meet and discuss with him. Cole Hall is located at 402 E. College St. between North Third Street and College View Drive.
Daily News-Record 9/18/19
BRIDGEWATER — As a cultural consultant for accredited broadcasts such as Pixar’s “Coco” and Fox’s “Bordertown,” Lalo Alcaraz often combines his heritage and career. His latest recognition? Bridgewater College’s first Showker Visiting Scholar of the school year.
Since 2015, the Zane D. Showker Institute for Responsible Leadership has annually hosted one prestigious leader on campus for a few days as a “visiting scholar” so students can have more intimate discussions with the guest and learn from their journey to success. Alcaraz is arriving today to present a discussion titled “Drawing on walls” in Cole Hall at 7:30 p.m. and free to attend.
Mahan Ellison, associate professor of Spanish at BC, has taught a first-year seminar course titled after Alcaraz’s historical cartoon book, Latino USA, for the past five years. Alcaraz will visit Ellison’s class as well as professor Jen Babcock’s persuasion class over the next two to three days to speak with students.
Alcaraz often incorporates art techniques from indigenous Mayan and Aztec into his modern Hollywood work. Ellison said the pointed humor in Alcaraz’s satirical history engages his students, and that it is vital for their education that they are exposed to various scholastic disciplines.
“To be a full citizen of a democracy, specialists are important but … the wide breadth of education makes us better humans and better citizens,” Ellison said.
This past Sunday marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. Alma Ramirez Trujillo, assistant professor in the Department of World Languages, said the visit comes at a great time to celebrate Hispanic professionals in the world, especially one with a defined relationship to Latinx culture in their work.
“We hope that students feel or are able to develop more connections with this diverse community, and especially our students who have a diverse background in this mixture of culture that we have,” Ramirez Trujillo said. “We have the opportunity to opportunity to talk to Lalo, who I think is someone who can help us see the world with different eyes.”
The Showker Institute provides financial support so one of the four divisions within the school can invite a visiting scholar each year. Randall Young, director of the Showker Institute, said he hopes to expand the program so all divisions of the school can host a professional each year.
Young said Showker Scholars provide a wonderful opportunity for students to meet with leaders and visualize how to take the concepts they learn in class to apply for a successful future.
“We’ve tried to create more sort of visual, experiential opportunities to deal with and to develop leadership skills and to be exposed to leaders and to meet leaders,” Young said.
Alcaraz is among the inaugural Showker Scholar recipients since the distinction was created five years ago. Previous visiting scholars include Judge Richard Claybrook, a district court judge for the 26th Judicial District; Michael Casson, an economist; Thomas Yeates, a comic book illustrator; and Dave Essinger, an author. Scholars are selected cross-disciplinarily so all students can engage professionals in fields relevant to their interests.
Alcaraz’s speech tonight is open to the public and there will be time after his presentation to meet and discuss with him. Cole Hall is located at 402 E. College St. between North Third Street and College View Drive.
