{"id":144,"date":"2021-07-28T15:31:02","date_gmt":"2021-07-28T15:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/?page_id=144"},"modified":"2026-03-16T19:03:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T19:03:50","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/history\/#center\">Center History<\/a> |<a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/history\/#latino\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> Latino\/Latina\u00a0<\/span>Studies Program History<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/history\/#brazil\">U.S. Brazil Program History<\/a><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies launched in Fall 2021. It emerged from combining two dynamic units on campus: The Center for Latin American Studies and the Latino and Latina Studies Program. CLACX, however, is an intellectual project in its own right, more so than just the merger of two administrative entities. Our work entails examining connections between both fields\u2014Latinx Studies and Latin American and Caribbean Studies\u2014to rethink big scholarly and public-facing questions from comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives. We are lucky to build from the numerous existing strengths of the respective units, while at the same time working to build new areas of excellence, with a particular interest in Latinx Studies in the South. Historian Celso Thomas Castilho heads the center, working in tandem with an experienced and accomplished team that includes anthropologist Avery Dickins de Gir\u00f3n (executive director, PhD), Latinx literary scholar Gretchen Selcke (assistant director, PhD), Luisa Mattos (program coordinator, S.Ed), and Alma Paz-Sanmiguel (administrative staff).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"About CLACX - History\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UWtfsL095iQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"center\">Center for Latin American Studies<\/h2>\n<p>Chancellor Harvie Branscomb established the Institute for Brazilian Studies at Vanderbilt with\u00a0funding from the Carnegie Corporation as part of a cooperative grant with four other institutions\u2013 Tulane University, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and the University of Texas at Austin.\u00a0In the aftermath of WWII, the United States government sought to establish academic programs that would produce specialized knowledge about countries around the world, with a particular emphasis on Latin America.\u00a0Inaugurated in 1949,\u00a0the Institute at Vanderbilt was the first of its kind in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>By 1961, funding sources and intellectual interests had shifted and the Institute for Brazilian Studies expanded into the Graduate Center for Latin American Studies (GCLAS), with an emphasis on the Southern Cone. As a result of the influential directorship of economist Reynold Carlson in the 1950s, GCLAS worked closely with the Graduate Program in Economic Development (GPED) at Vanderbilt, established in 1956. Vanderbilt received a USAID\/Ford Foundation grant in 1965 to create graduate economics programs in S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil and the initiative was jointly administered by GPED and GCLAS. At the same time, William Nicholls, a faculty member in the Department of Economics, became the Director of GGCLAS in 1965 and remained there until 1977. The transition to the Graduate Center for Latin American Studies proved highly successful, facilitating diversified funding sources and a growing list of affiliated faculty. GCLAS began recruiting PhD candidates in the 1960s after receiving National Defense Education Act federal grants. These funds provided critical support for students and faculty to study lesser-commonly-taught languages like Portuguese and Nahuatl, in addition to Spanish. The 1970s saw the addition of undergraduate courses on Latin America and a push to build up the Vanderbilt Libraries collection on Latin American topics.<\/p>\n<p>In 1981, GCLAS was renamed the Center\u00a0for Latin American and Iberian Studies (CLAIS) and came under the leadership of Enrique Pupo-Walker. Pupo-Walker, a specialist in Latin American and Spanish literature, brought a renewed sense of purpose and vision to the Center. Under his guidance, CLAIS was chosen as a training program for US military cultural attach\u00e9s bound for service in Latin America. Through\u00a0the creation of international student exchange programs and hosting multi-disciplinary international conferences, Pupo-Walker reconnected the Center with Latin American scholars and gave the program global visibility. His co-editorship of the renowned\u00a0<em>Cambridge History of Latin American Literature<\/em>\u00a0series brought numerous writers and artists to Vanderbilt\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n<p>The program emerged as the Center for Latin American Studies in the early 2000s. Renowned historian Jane Landers directed CLAS from 2000-02, becoming the first\u2014and still only\u2014woman to hold that position. She again served in that capacity in 2011-12. Acclaimed Brazilianist historian Marshall Eakin was the Acting Director in 2004-05, instituting the famed gateway course \u201cLAS 201,\u201d now \u201cLAS 2101.\u201d Landers and Eakin spearheaded international exchanges between Vanderbilt and Brazilian students through the FIPSE-CAPES program from 2004 to 2014. Jointly administered through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and the Brazilian Ministry of Education, the program brought 35 students to campus.<\/p>\n<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">In 2006, and under the direction of anthropologist Edward \u201cTed\u201d Fischer, CLAS was first designated a National Resource Center on Latin America by the US Department of Education. The center maintained this comprehensive NRC status throughout four grant cycles to the present. Through Title VI funding, the center expanded its mission to develop and provide educational programming for the university, K-12 educators, and the general public about Latin America. \u00a0During the early 2010s, the Center used an interdisciplinary collaboration model to bring together scholars from every school and college at Vanderbilt and build research projects that have broad and sustainable impact. Hired as the Center\u2019s executive director in 2008, Avery Dickins de Gir\u00f3n oversees the Title VI grants, interdisciplinary collaborations at Vanderbilt, and regional institutional partnerships. \u00a0The position of outreach coordinator was created in 2006 and is currently held by Luisa Mattos.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Through Title VI funding and community engagement, CLAS organized professional development workshops, summer institutes, and cultural arts events to engage K-16 educators and community stakeholders both locally and nationally. Key local partnerships have included Metro Nashville Public Schools, Frist Art Museum, Cheekwood, Nashville Children\u2019s Theatre, Nashville Public Library, and the Global Education Center.\u00a0 Collaborative programming has ranged from Cheekwood\u2019s annual D\u00eda de los Muertos festival, exhibits at the Frist Art Museum (for example, \u201cExploring Art of the Ancient Americas\u201d in 2013, \u201cFrida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection,\u201d in 2019), and original performances (for example, \u201cThe Amazing Twins\u201d marionette show with NPL, \u201cReturn to Sender\u201d with NCT, and Nashville\u2019s first opera in Spanish \u201cFlorencia en el Amazonas, with Nashville Opera).\u00a0 Partnerships at the national level include ReadWorks (a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing reading comprehension for K-12 students) and the Am\u00e9ricas Award (for quality children\u2019s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinx) with the Library of Congress. During this same period, CLAS established strong partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions, supporting public programming and curriculum content development with Tuskegee University, Meharry Medical College, Fisk University, and Tennessee State University through Title VI funding.<\/p>\n<p>View some of the performances here:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/library.nashville.org\/blog\/2019\/09\/amazing-twins-brings-ancient-maya-life\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Amazing Twins<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nashvillescene.com\/arts_culture\/theater\/i-return-to-sender-i-takes-on-tough-issues-at-nashville-children-s-theatre\/article_4a8b3db8-6981-5607-8569-9c3b1fb3980b.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RTS<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/static1.squarespace.com\/static\/523741ace4b05227e9571e60\/t\/5478e39de4b0db8f16a3267a\/1417208733919\/8-14-14+Florencia.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Opera<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For over twenty-five years, the Center has administered Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) grants that support language instruction to complement the Latin American Studies curriculum for undergraduates and graduates at Vanderbilt. An initial focus on Portuguese instruction and the development of a major in Spanish and Portuguese was followed by the introduction of four semesters of K\u2019iche\u2019 Mayan instruction. In 2016, a new digital classroom and partnership between Vanderbilt, Duke University, and the University of Virginia instituted a program of distance language instruction between students at these universities. This expanded Vanderbilt\u2019s language offerings to include Haitian Creole. In collaboration with Tulane University, CLAS developed and continues to support summer language programs for the study of Portuguese in S\u00e3o Paulo (2011) and K\u2019iche\u2019 Mayan in Guatemala (2006).<\/p>\n<p>Under the direction of LAS Bibliographer Paula Covington, Vanderbilt\u2019s Latin American Collection became a signature strength of the Jean and Alexander Heard Library.\u00a0 The core Latin American collection holds 400,000 items and approximately 2300 serials. Reflecting LAS faculty research and teaching, the collection has depth in Colombian, Brazilian, and Mayan resources. It also includes the J. Le\u00f3n Helguera Collection, Manual Zapata Olivella Collection, and the Delia Zapata Olivella Collection.\u00a0 Since 2006, Title VI funding has been used to digitize these collections, as well as to expand LAS acquisitions and fund Covington to travel to Latin America to purchase recent publications and special collections.<\/p>\n<p>Over the first decades of the twenty-first century, the center gained national prominence in Guatemalan and Mayan studies, deepened partnerships with universities in the US and abroad, and built areas of excellence in Colombian, Peruvian, and Afro Latin American studies. The center grew to have over 130 affiliated faculty members working on Latin American issues and instituted a program of external faculty affiliates representing partner institutions in the United States and Latin America.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"latino\">Latino and Latina Studies Program<\/h2>\n<p>Founded in 2013, the Latino and Latina Studies Program at Vanderbilt University was spearheaded by Gertrude Conaway Professor of Spanish William Luis and then Associate Professor of English Lorraine L\u00f3pez. In their proposal to the Dean of the College of Arts and Science Carolyn Dever in May 2012, Professors Luis and L\u00f3pez proposed the Latino and Latina Studies Program (LATS) as a multidisciplinary program that considers the presence of Latinx and Hispanic people as an integral part of US culture and history. As part of its mission statement, LATS courses were designed to explore Latinx experiences, mainly in the United States, but also as they intersect with other national and geographic boundaries across the disciplines. Beyond demonstrating investment in Latinx students, scholars, and faculty members and providing support to the current Latinx population on campus, the Program offered much-needed resources to existing departments and programs on campus by disseminating information and facilitating outreach to the growing Latinx population in this community and region. LATS effected measurable increases in student and faculty participation, outreach, and university-wide collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>The first cohort of LATS undergraduate students finished their courses of study in 2016. Under the helm of founding director William Luis, the Program added a Graduate Certificate in Latino and Latina Studies and worked to secure University resources. As part of these efforts, the Program closely collaborated with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afrohispanicreview.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Afro-Hispanic Review<\/a> to bring scholars and artists to campus. For instance, LATS hosted D\u00eda de la Raza events to offer a more inclusive interpretation of \u201cColumbus Day\u201d and closely collaborated with campus partners including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/bcc\/\">Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 2017, Gretchen Selcke was added to the faculty as assistant director, the first full-time faculty hire by the of the program. LATS quickly partnered with the Owen Graduate School of Management, the Office of Inclusion Initiatives and Cultural Competence, and the Office of Active Citizenship and Service to increase Latinx visibility and opportunities at Vanderbilt. The Latino and Latina Studies Program initiated the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/scsji\/latinx-graduates-recognition-ceremony\/)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>Latinx Graduates Recognition Ceremony<\/u><\/a>, \u201cRa\u00edces y Sue\u00f1os,&#8221; or &#8220;roots and dreams,\u201d to celebrate the achievements and successes of all graduating Latinx students (undergraduate, graduate, and professional).<\/p>\n<p>During the academic year 2018-2019, the program launched the \u201cEstamos Aqu\u00ed\u201d initiative while Gertrude Conaway Professor of English Lorraine L\u00f3pez served as Interim Director. Under this rubric, LATS courses featured cultural production by Latinx authors and artists sharing their experiences. Notably scholars and writers visiting the campus included Daniel Alarc\u00f3n, Quiara Alegr\u00eda Hudes, and Carmen Mar\u00eda Machado. The Program also invited Afro Cuban artist Olivera Rubio to campus in early January for installation and display of his work. The exhibition opened on January 18, 2018, drawing more than one hundred guests, including members of the community. Olivera Rubio remained in Nashville until mid-February, to meet and collaborate with Vanderbilt faculty, students, and staff.<\/p>\n<p>In August of 2019, Gretchen Selcke was appointed to director of the Latino and Latina Studies, and the program\u2019s university-wide visibility continued to expand. During the 2019-2020 academic year, LATS brought the documentary The UNAFRAID to campus with the Department of History, hosted visits by writers Jaquira D\u00edaz and Daisy Hern\u00e1ndez, collaborated on the Aponte exhibition, and hosted Dolores Huerta on campus with the <a href=\"https:\/\/studentorg.vanderbilt.edu\/alas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Vanderbilt Association of Latin American Students (ALAS)<\/a>. In addition, LATS celebrated the first successful cohort of interns with Conexi\u00f3n Am\u00e9ricas. Interest in the LATS Graduate Certificate Program blossomed, and the Program welcomed certificate enrollments from graduate students from professional schools. LATS developed and expanded outreach to Vanderbilt\u2019s Latinx alumni. This outreach included spearheading a welcome reception for incoming LATS students, creating a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/alumni\/community\/affinity-groups\/VAHLA.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Latinx Alumni Network (VAHLA)<\/a> with the help of Beth Porter in alumni development, and holding a Latinx Alumni event on Reunion weekend. These efforts became the SomosVU initiative.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"brazil\">U.S. Brazil Program &#8211; FIPSE\/CAPES<\/h2>\n<p>The U.S. Brazil Program launched by Presidents Bill Clinton and Fernando Henrique Cardoso provided grants for up to four years for two academic institutions from Brazil and the United States to foster the exchange of students and faculty within the context of bilateral curricular development. The program was administrated jointly by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), the U.S. Department of Education, and Coordena\u00e7\u00e3o de Aperfei\u00e7oamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES), and the Brazilian Ministry of Education.<\/p>\n<p>From 2002 through 2010, Vanderbilt received a number of Title VI FIPSE grants and more than 60 students from Vanderbilt and Brazil participated in exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n<!-- NEW ACCORDION * AID 1890-->\n\n<div class=\"panel-group VUaccordion_1890\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\" aria-multiselectable=\"true\">\n\n<!-- NEW PANEL ITEM * ID 10779-->\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading10779\"><h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a name=\"\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item10779\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item10779\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Brazilian Students Attending Vanderbilt University<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"item10779\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading10779\"><div class=\"panel-body\"><ul>\r\n\t<li>Daniel dos Santos<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Naiana Ara&uacute;jo<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Gustavo Furuta<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Vin&iacute;cius Vieira<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Hugo Gama<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Jefferson Freitas<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Gilmara dos Santos<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Rebeca Freire<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Maiara Olveira<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Edilza Sotero<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tulio Cust&oacute;dio<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Allones da Silva<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Arivaldo de Souza<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Amanda Caitit&eacute;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Murilo Arruda<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Puala Galr&atilde;o<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Roberta Grudzinski<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Werner Hertzog<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Rodrigo Dornelles<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Rita Lewkowicz<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tatiana da Silva<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Marcus Castro<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Maira da Silva<\/li>\r\n\t<li>J&eacute;rsica Assis Lozado<\/li>\r\n\t<li>J&eacute;ssica Torres Costa e Silva<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Vinicius Silva Santana<\/li>\r\n\t<li>B&aacute;rbara Lorena de Souza Prado<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Carlos Eduardo Juvencio<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Pedro Torreao S&aacute; de Almeida<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Larissa Cykman do Paula<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Emerson Lua de Souza<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Sandro Freitas<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Vict&oacute;ria Pereira<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Eduardo Dutra<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Renata Bruscato<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<!-- END PANEL * ID 10779 -->\n\n\n\n<!-- NEW PANEL ITEM * ID 10783-->\n\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading10783\"><h4 class=\"panel-title\"><a name=\"\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" href=\"#item10783\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"item10783\"><i class='pull-right fa fa-chevron-circle-down' aria-hidden='true'><\/i>Vanderbilt Students Attending Brazilian Universities<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div id=\"item10783\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading10783\"><div class=\"panel-body\"><ul>\r\n\t<li>Jason Bainbridge<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tomi Castle<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Candace Robinson<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Sarah Birdwell<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Holly Eberly<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Monty Bryan Pitts<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Heather Bishop<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Mariela Cede&ntilde;o<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Eddie Fern&aacute;ndez-Calienes<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Emily Prouty<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Nicolette Wilhide<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Laura Morgan<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Morgan Maswell<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Ellington Griffith<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Joanna Elrick<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Becky Reuse<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Max Pendergraph<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Matthew Layton<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Brittany Jenkins<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Daniel O&#39;Maley<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Avi Richman<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Courtney Campbell<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Isaiah Marcano<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Ashley Larson<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Yvonne White<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Isaiah Marcano<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Eileen Zhu<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tyler Wells<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<!-- END PANEL * ID 10783 -->\n\n\n<\/div><!-- END ACCORDION * AID 10783 -->\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Center History | Latino\/Latina\u00a0Studies Program History | U.S. Brazil Program History\u00a0 The Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies launched in Fall 2021. It emerged from combining two dynamic units on campus: The Center for Latin American Studies and the Latino and Latina Studies Program. CLACX, however, is an intellectual project in its own&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"spay_email":""},"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/144"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/144\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3036,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/144\/revisions\/3036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/as.vanderbilt.edu\/clacx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}