Professor Emerita

• BA, Barnard College, Columbia University
• MA, University of Virginia
• Ph.D, University of Virginia

Dr. Rosa Mirna Sánchez has been teaching at Caldwell University since 2015. As Associate Professor, she teaches Spanish language, literature and culture courses in the Department of Modern Languages. She earned her Bachelors in Latin American Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University and her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Spanish Literature from the University of Virginia. Her research focuses predominantly on re-writings of canonical works. She has presented at various national and international conferences (most recently in Buenos Aires, Argentina). Dr. Sánchez also takes students every summer on a study abroad adventure to Segovia, Spain. Additionally, she is an advisor for the Spanish Club and Phi Sigma Iota, the foreign language honor society; and enjoys meeting students for coffee every other Friday for some Café y conversación.

Margarita Moreno Adjunct Instructor BA, Universidad Complutense de Madrid MA, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Education:
M.A. in Spanish, Middlebury College

Professor Scarduffa is presently an adjunct professor of Spanish. She has taught Spanish and Italian at Caldwell for 25 years. She holds a Master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College, VT and also studied at the University of Madrid. She began teaching Spanish at Hackensack High School. Later, she implemented a Language for Life Skills program at Passaic County Community College with specialized vocabulary and conversational tools for Medical Professionals, Police and Fire workers and City Hall employees. She also taught adults at Clifton Adult/Senior School with a special emphasis on Spanish language skills for Engineers, Doctors and Nurses, Realtors, Social Workers, and Construction/Factory Foremen. Her interests include travel to South America, Spain and Italy.

EDUCATION:
M.A. in Spanish, Montclair State University

Professor Obregón is an adjunct professor of Spanish. She holds a Master’s degree in Spanish from Montclair State University where she taught from 1988 to 1992. She also teaches as an adjunct at Drew University and Farleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey.

Professor Obregón is a native of Spain who loves her language and the cultural diversity of the Spanish speaking world. She feels very fortunate to bring her knowledge, energy and passion to her classes. She has taught various levels of Spanish, Elementary and Intermediate, Phonetics, Advanced Grammar and Composition, Film and Literature, as well as Spanish for Business. She is a co-advisor for the Spanish Club.

Her interests include research on second/foreign languages teaching methodology, cross-cultural studies, film, literature, and theater. She loves acting and writing. She participates in theater and creative writing workshops. She also loves traveling to different countries, to experience and learn about other cultures and ways of being.

• B.A. William Paterson University
• M.A. Rutgers University
• Ph.D. New York University

Dr. Maffei is the Chair of the Department of Modern Languages. He has worked to develop new programs in Applied Language and American Sign Language. He has attended numerous conferences on language pedagogy and instructional design.

EDUCATION
M.A., Spanish, Montclair State University
M.A.in Bilingual Education, Seton Hall University

Professor Violante is an adjunct professor of Italian and Spanish. She holds a Master’s degree in Spanish from Montclair State University and a Master’s degree in Bilingual Education from Seton Hall University. She began her teaching career as an instructor of Italian, Spanish and Latin in the Newark Public School system.

Prior to coming to Caldwell University, she was the Supervisor of World Languages and ESL for eleven years in the West Essex Regional School District in North Caldwell. During this time she implemented a distance-learning program in Japanese. She was also supervisor of World Languages, ESL and Business for eight years in the Paramus School District. From 1986 to 1990, she was an adjunct professor at Montclair State University where she taught Italian and Spanish and was an instructor in the study abroad program at the University of Siena, Italy.

Professor Violante is a native of Italy who is very passionate about teaching languages. Her interests include traveling to different countries to enrich her knowledge of other cultures which she imparts to her students. She continues to research and implement effective teaching methods that provide her students with an optimal level of instruction in order to foster an appreciation for other languages and cultures.