Irene Kaufmann

Irene Cotelo is a Senior Lecturer of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages at the University of Mississippi, where she has been teaching since 2001. She holds degrees from the University of Mississippi (M.A. in Spanish, B.A. in Music), and the University of Texas at Austin (M.A. in Music).

At the University of Mississippi, Ms. Cotelo has paired in-the-classroom teaching techniques for various levels of Spanish learners with out-of-the-classroom programming. For over ten years, Ms. Cotelo has been hosting weekly gatherings for students (el Café de los Lunes) to provide an informal setting to discuss life and current events in Spanish. Her approaches inside and outside of the classroom focus on providing opportunities for students of all levels to learn and practice the language through conversation and real life experience. In the last year, she has expanded the weekly gatherings to the Oxford community. Students have credited her commitment and unique teaching styles for helping them incorporate Spanish into their careers after graduation (see article pages 12-15).

Ms. Cotelo’s other interests include performing with the Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble, visiting her daughters in the Northeast, and planning her second trip to Spain’s Camino de Santiago.

Awards: 2018 College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Instructor of the Year