Belen Rodriguez-Mourelo recently was named head of the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Division at Penn State Berks.
In this position, Rodriguez-Mourelo will participate in program development and evaluation, oversee long-range planning and acquisition of external funding for the division and act as an advocate for the faculty.
Rodriguez-Mourelo joined Penn State Berks in 1999 as assistant professor of Spanish and was named associate professor in 2005.
Her primary research interest is Cuban writers in exile, and she published a book on this topic in 2006 titled "Encounters in Exile," in which Rodriguez-Mourelo reviews the concepts of exile and diaspora, and analyzes the narratives of Cuban authors in exile that write from different locations (Mexico, Miami, New York, Spain, France, and Sweden) and what she identifies as “mechanisms of identity” in their writing that make them belong to a Cuban Diaspora.
Rodriguez-Mourelo holds a doctorate in modern languages from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve my colleagues in this capacity,” says Rodriguez-Mourelo. “This is the perfect place to make a difference and help faculty, staff, and students to succeed. I am looking forward to continuing the HASS contribution to the Penn State Berks vision to become a regional leader in the delivery of quality academic programs, scholarly research, and community enrichment.”