Our Faculty

Background

Dalya Alkass-Blaise earned four degrees in Spanish, including a Bachelor of Arts, two Master of Arts in Latin American literature and modern peninsular literature, and a Ph.D. in modern peninsular literature. Her dissertation, titled “Identity Shifts in the Works of Marina Mayoral, Rosa Montero, and Javier Marías," focuses on shifting social roles through communication between Francoist Spain and the contemporary era, as illustrated in the literature of these three authors.

She has lived in Seville, Spain; traveled through Mexico and the Caribbean; and tutored Spanish since her undergraduate days, as well as English as a Second Language. In addition to working as a translator and interpreter, Alkass-Blaise has taught Spanish at SUNY Buffalo, Elmira College and Binghamton University, with experience teaching beginner and intermediate levels, as well as conversation and composition.

At Binghamton, her experience includes Spanish 111, 115, 211, 215 and 251 during the academic year and summer session. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she helps host the weekly Spanish Table for students interested in Spanish conversation, mentors teaching assistants, has assisted with Spanish conferences, and works as a faculty advisor for Spanish majors and minors and students planning to study abroad. Alkass-Blaise has a great love of foreign language, culture and literature, which she shares with her students.

Education

• State University of New York at Buffalo, MA, PhD
• University at Albany, MA
• Drew University, BA

Teaching Interests

• Spanish grammar, culture and literature