Academics

Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese mourns passing of Tom Houston

Faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the Penn State Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese are mourning the death of Tom Houston, senior lecturer in Spanish, on May 3. He was 60 years old.

“We are deeply saddened by Tom’s passing,” said Giuli Dussias, professor and department head. “In his 15 years in the department, Tom helped hundreds of undergraduate students improve their language abilities in Spanish. His excellent work was recognized with an Outstanding Teacher Award from the College of the Liberal Arts in 2012 and a teaching award from the Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese in 2016.”

Houston received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and his master’s degree in Spanish from Penn State; he also received a master of divinity degree from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh.

Houston taught Spanish at the College of Allegheny County and Geneva College while completing his seminary studies. He was appointed lecturer in Spanish at Penn State in 2001 and was promoted to senior lecturer in 2015. 

Click here to read the full obituary published in the Centre Daily Times.

Thomas Houston, senior lecturer in Spanish at Penn State, passed away on May 3, 2016. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated May 16, 2016

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