Successful Inauguration of Arconexiones Spanish Graduate Student Conference at Idaho State

The Arconexiones Spanish Graduate Student Conference, hosted by Idaho State University’s Department of Global Studies and Languages, concluded with great success on Saturday, February 10th.

The virtual event attracted more than 40 participants, including Spanish MA students, English PhD students, Spanish faculty, Spanish MA alumni, and advanced Spanish undergraduates.

“I've seen online-only programs tend towards the transactional,” said one participating MA student. “But the joy and camaraderie I saw on Saturday was quite warm and supportive.”

The highlight of the conference was Professor Gibette Encarnación's keynote address titled “Fording Rivers: Dominican/Haitian Connections at the Massacre Border.” Professor Encarnación’s talk delved into the intricate literary narratives addressing the border and conflict between the two Caribbean nations. Attendees engaged in post-talk discussions, reflecting their interest in themes surrounding borders, nation-building, and race.

A round-table event in the afternoon brought together faculty, Spanish MA alumni, and current MA students to discuss topics such as how to select and apply to a PhD program, how to fund a PhD, employment options for people after completing an MA in Spanish, what makes someone a strong candidate for a job teaching at a community college, and what kinds of experience a Spanish graduate student should collect on their CV in order to be a competitive candidate for a college teaching job. Faculty members Dr. Eduardo Villalobos-Graillet, Dr. Marin Laufenberg, Dr. Karliana Sakas, Dr. Gibette Encarnación, and Dr. Carmen Febles all provided advice and feedback as participants in the round table discussion.

“Encontré las presentaciones muy beneficiosas y aprendí mucho,” another participant shared. “También me ayudaron a explorar temas posibles para enfocarme en mis exámenes en el fin de la maestría.” (I found the presentations very beneficial and learned a lot. They also helped me explore possible topics to focus on for my exams at the end of the Master's degree.)

Sixteen ISU students presented their original research across five thematic panels. Research topics encompassed a diverse array of subjects, including Latin American literature, Spanish Peninsular literature, US Latinx literature, film and theatre studies, and pedagogy. This approach fostered interdisciplinary collaboration among participants.

To enhance community engagement, a virtual "meet and greet" session preceded the conference, facilitating networking opportunities and technical troubleshooting. Additionally, all participants received welcome packets containing curated items such as Argentinian yerba mate tea, Argentinian alfajores cookies, Latin American coffee, and conference memorabilia, fostering a sense of camaraderie and cultural immersion. During the lunch break, attendees and participants had lunch together and chatted informally about ideas from the panels they had just watched.

Organizers expressed enthusiasm for expanding the reach and diversity of future conferences. Plans are already underway to broaden participation and incorporate new elements to enrich the conference experience next year. 

The Organizing Committee of Arconexiones included Spanish MA students Rick Andreasen, Hillary Buckner, Jessica Ferronetti, Amantina Jeppson, Juan Miguel Martínez Martínez, Tracy Stapleton, MA alumnae Sonia Beccaria and Marleni Colvin, as well as faculty advisor Dr. Marin Laufenberg.

Look for the second annual Arconexiones Conference in 2025! For more information please email spanishma@isu.edu or marinlaufenberg@isu.edu.