Welcome to the brand new NLU Faculty Newsletter for the Summer 2022 term!

We began developing this idea shortly under a year ago after the old newsletter had ceased last May. Our intentions were to create a casual place for faculty to not only catch up with each other and what is happening on campus, but to also showcase their individual qualities and teaching methods.

As we enter the summer term, our new issue features the following Faculty Spotlights:

• Denise Smith Allen

• Sanjay Paul

Look forward to a fresh NLU Faculty Newsletter in the terms to come!

If you have a submission, something to share, or would like to be featured in a future newsletter—please reach out to gdimartino@nl.edu

1. The NLU Online Faculty Playbook will be moving from its sites.google.com address and integrated into the nl.edu website by the Fall 2022 term. Please be on the look out for the new link!

2. Key Term Dates for the Summer 2022 have been posted

3. The brand new NLU Faculty Spotlight is below. In this issue:

• Denise Smith Allen was featured in an article by Alvernia University Alumni Magazine. On April 5th in Reading, PA, she also presented a session on "Tenacity and Resilience" to the Berks Leadership Council. That same evening she was the featured speaker at the Annual Criminal Justice Alumni Dinner. Read that article below!

• Sanjay Paul took a trip to Portugal this past year and shares his insight and takeaways from his journey. He discusses important topics such as work vs. life balance, how to teach online while traveling, and what lessons teachers can bring to the classroom from their experiences abroad.

My Time in Portugal

by Sanjay D. Paul

Visiting Portugal took me back into centuries passed and allowed me to reminisce of what life was like in the neighboring country of Spain in 1997 and 1998, when I was joining other Americans in a study-abroad program. I had returned the subsequent year and became an English teacher through a University of Cambridge (International House of Madrid).

Though I had passed through the Lisbon airport in recent years, I never ventured out. The Christ Statue inspired me to take a closer look at the city. Finally, earlier this year, I decided to take the plunge and enjoy myself. I was able to visit sites, listen to Fado music, participate in online teaching, and even complete my graduate work. I was able to make international friends and acquaintances from South Africa, from Brazil, meet other Americans, and find out what the various lifestyles were like.

I was able to enjoy my hobbies while abroad. Some mornings, I practiced the grand piano at Hotel Smart and took a plunge in the reflection pool. I loved lifting weights and was able to enjoy a 360-shower, get a Thai massage, enjoy buying artwork (like a vintage Christ piece), and even Italian and Spanish clothing. I also had a chance to perform with a visiting musician in a Lisbon plaza. We sang a trio of “La Bamba”, “Guantanamera”, and “Twist-and-Shout”. Due to the international presence in the downtown area of Lisbon, we found ourselves well-received. I was even able to play piano for a group of Americans and Portuguese folks, as Miguel and Alberto attended to me and while we were waiting for the next Fado show to start!

Walking down the cobblestone streets and enjoying a café became the norm. Visiting bookstores, getting to meet the representatives, and finding books in Portuguese and English inspired me to plan future visits to various neighboring islands and countries. Finding a way to make my life in the U.S. and Portugal, work simultaneously, has now become my new life mission. If you ever want to visit a fantastic culture, warm people (like the kind we have here in the U.S.) and are willing to have an open-mind, you could be pleasantly surprised. I have been indelibly-marked by Portugal and I know you will too!

THANK YOU FOR READING!

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