The University of Texas at San Antonio recently announced the newest recipients of the Ricardo Romo PhD Endowed Professorships.
First established in 2010, the academic position is presented to faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, and service to undergraduate students enrolled in the Honors College. This year, the university selected three professors for the endowed post, who will develop experiential learning courses for honors students and deliver annual lectures in their area of expertise. Two of the appointees are women.
Whitney Chappell is a professor in the department of modern languages and literatures. A faculty member since 2013, she studies linguistic variation across regions, groups, and individuals. Through her research, she aims to understand how different social groups use language to negotiate their identities and stances, particularly among Spanish-speaking communities. Dr. Chappell is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where she double-majored in Spanish and English. She earned her master’s degree in English linguistics from Northern Illinois University and her Ph.D. in Spanish linguistics from Ohio State University.
Rosalind Horowitz is a professor in the department of interdisciplinary learning and teaching with a joint appointment in the department of educational psychology. A scholar of literacy, language development, and communication, Dr. Horowitz has served on the UTSA faculty for 45 years. Her research interests include the influence of oral and written communication on the survival of cultures and communities, how reading and writing influence individual critical thinking and identity, and the achievement gap in reading and writing. Dr. Horowitz received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Ph.D. all from the University of Minnesota.