About the Department

Mission Statement

Georgia Southern University is located in southeastern Georgia, a region of the state where accelerating economic development is opening global markets while labor becomes increasingly international in its character. The impact on the region is felt in the need to heighten global awareness and inter-cultural understanding and to build the language skills to function in this environment.

The mission of the Department of Foreign Languages is to address these pressing language and culture needs by offering curricula, services, and research that broaden cultural understanding, increase language proficiency, and enable people to function in the global and international settings of southeast Georgia and throughout the world. The programs of the Department serve all academic divisions of the University in providing the language and culture training necessary to support their international and inter-cultural endeavors.

History

Foreign Languages at Georgia Southern began in 1955. The following have been head or chair, respectively, since then:

• Zoltan Farkas, Head, 1955-1971
• Lowell Bouma, Head, 1971-1992
• David Seaman, Chair, 1992-1998
• Donnie Richards, Chair, 1998-2008
• Eric Kartchner, Chair, 2008-present

Foreign Languages Faculty: June 1975

From left to right: Claude Britt, Jerry Weatherford, Zoltan Farkas, Monika Lynch, Nancy Barrett, Ed Cornbleat. Seated: Charles Forton, Kathleen Dahir.

Foreign Languages Faculty: March 1997

From left to right, standing: Catherine Johnson (German), Jeanette Hecker (French), Donnie Richards (Spanish), Nancy Shumaker (Spanish), Maryann Manchuelle (Secretary), Doralina Martínez-Conde (Spanish), Judy Schomber (Spanish), Jorge Suazo (Spanish), Denise McCaslin (Spanish), Horst Kurz (German), Galal Dimetry (Arabic), Helena Hernandez (Spanish), Clara Krug (French), Jerry Weatherford (German), David Alley (Spanish), Jean-Paul Carton (French). Front row/kneeling: David Seaman (Chair; French), Luis Carriedo (Spanish), Dai Osanai (Japanese).

Last updated: 3/30/2022