Service to Profession
University and Departmental Service
Service to Profession
Mentor for Northeast Modern Language Association Job Clinic (2021-).
Committee member of Indiana University Comics Studies Group (2019-2020):
- lead organizer of Panels on Panels, inter-departmental conference on comics, February 13-14, 2020.
Committee member for Indiana University Preparing Future Faculty (2017-2018):
- co-organizer of Preparing Future Faculty conference, February 9, 2018.
Graduate Student Organization Representative for the Italian Program at Indiana University (2016-2018):
- co-organizer of Department of French and Italian Professionalization Workshop, February 23, 2018;
- co-organizer of Department of French and Italian bi-annual colloquium Crossing Borders, Breaking Walls, March 10-11, 2017.
University and Departmental Service
The University of Chicago, 2020-
Coordinator of first-year courses (2021-).
Coordinator of placement and diagnostic assessments in Italian (2021-).
Social Media Manager (Instagram, Facebook & Youtube) for the Italian Language Program (2020-).
Organizer of cultural activities for the Italian Language program (2020-).
Mentor for Graduate Student Instructors (2020-).
Grader for Practical Language Proficiency Certification and Advanced Language Proficiency Certification for the University of Chicago Language Center (2021-).
Advisor for Recognized Student Organization CIAO Italian club (2020-2021).
Thesis Advisor for Luna Splendori’s BA Honors Paper “Italianità o italoamericanità? La cultura fraintesa di una comunità” (2020-2021).
Counselor for Virtual Language Fair with The University of Chicago Language Center (7 August 2020).
Indiana University
Social Media Manager (Instagram and Twitter) for Department of French and Italian, Italian Language program (2018-2020).
Designer of syllabus Italian Reading & Expression: “Comics and 20th century Italy: a Parallel History” (spring 2019).
Presenter at Associate Instructor Orientation for Center for Language Excellence (CLE) and French and Italian Department (fall 2018).
Instructor for “Italian for Travelers” at IU Lifelong Learning (spring 2018).
Contributor to Intermediate Italian II course on Canvas based on Paese che vai (fall 2017).
Research Assistant to Prof. Massimo Scalabrini, Chair of the Department of French and Italian (2017-2018).
Designer of syllabus for Italian Conversation & Diction in Florence 2017 (summer 2017).
Contributor to the creation of cultural material for the E-book Paese che vai – chapter on “congiuntivo imperfetto & trapassato” in the context of Italian comics (spring 2017).
Research assistant to the Director of Language Instruction in Italian – reviewing syllabi, creating Canvas pages for basic language courses, creating Canvas quizzes; “Circolo Italiano” coordinator: co-curricular activities in Italian; helping promote the program through social networks and advertising (2014 – 2015 & spring 2017).
Co-designer of syllabus for Italian Reading & Expression (fall 2016).
Counselor for abroad studies program at the IU School of Education (spring 2015 & 2016).
Co-designer of Power Point lectures for Intermediate Italian I and II Online (2014 – 2015).
Social Media I run (and ran) on behalf of the Program
Some co-curricular events I organized and the ads I designed
M301: Italian Expression & Composition
I developed a new syllabus that pairs the study of Twentieth century Italian history with the history of Italian comics, in order to have students familiarize themselves with less conventional materials such as fumetti and graphic novels. The association of pictorial and linguistic elements in comics helped students develop complex analytical skills in both verbal and visual literacy.
M250: Intermediate Italian II
Each section of the course analyzes different topics through the lenses of history, literature, art, comics and cinema. Structured with the goal of easing the transition from language-based to content-based courses, this course provides the opportunity to craft multilayered, all-encompassing activities. This way, I encourage students to identify meaningful aspects of Italian culture and make significant comparisons with their own culture.
Sara Dallavalle, PhD 