Faculty Member Presents at ACTFL Conference

Parker Languages and Cultural Studies Department Co-Chair Dr. Cynthia Marker recently presented at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages 2025 Annual Convention and World Languages Expo. This event is globally recognized as the most comprehensive professional development event for language educators in the United States, providing impactful learning opportunities for professional educators of all languages and at all levels of instruction.

“I was there to present a session entitled: L'art du court-métrage: Film Shorts for the World Language Classroom,” Dr. Marker shared. “Happily, the session was received well by an audience of more than 50. I always offer to share my presentation at the end and have had a good number of requests. It was very rewarding to see the support, engagement and commitment to strengthening educational ties on the part of French teachers from around the country.”

Dr. Marker found additional rewards from the experience. “I was also profoundly impacted by the opening general session presented by Miguel Cervantes, who played the lead in the musical Hamilton in Chicago. He spoke about the powerful connection world languages provide in helping to unite communities in the same way artistic performances can. The empathy and warmth he generated in that huge auditorium were particularly moving when he related the personal tragedy that inspired him to take an active role in raising funds to fight epilepsy, the condition to which his own daughter succumbed at the age of 10.”

Dr. Marker continued, “I am very proud to represent Parker. Our progressive values are always on display in my presentations, which largely focus on a share-out of student-centered, inclusive and creative resources and projects and can be adapted for use at all levels.”

Parker is very proud of Dr. Marker for sharing her expertise with language educators from around the world.

Click here for photos from Dr. Marker.