The 2026 Polyglot Event brought together approximately 120 students, faculty, and language communities on Wednesday, April 22, from 3:30 to 6:00 PM at JC Cinema. The event drew one of the strongest turnouts in recent memory, marking a resounding success for the department. Participants showcased their linguistic skills, cultural knowledge, and creative expression through traditional stories, songs, poetry, and other forms of artistic performance, fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation within the academic community.

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages partnered with the German Embassy to highlight the long-term benefits of studying a foreign language, hosting more than 150 high school students from Fairfax County and Loudoun County public schools.

A vibrant celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month took place on Sunday, May 3, from 3:00 PM at Dewberry Hall, Johnson Center, on the George Mason University Fairfax Campus. The cultural exhibition opened at 2:00 PM, with performances beginning at 3:00 PM, followed by a reception.

A free webinar on the critical implementation of artificial intelligence in the Spanish language classroom took place on Tuesday, May 5, at 1:00 PM online, delivered by Prof. Román Mendoza and organized by Edinumen Publishers.

The Chinese Program welcomed celebrated poet Wang Jiaxin for a guest lecture on Tuesday, April 28, from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in West Building, Room 1008, at George Mason University.

The 2026 Chamberlain Memorial Lecture brought together students, faculty, and the broader university community on Tuesday, April 21, from 4:30 to 7:30 PM in Merten Hall 1204. Director Ahn, who runs the Seoul-based animation studio Pencil for Meditation (연필로 명상하기), is known for his adaptations of Korean short fiction, including Buckwheat Season, A Lucky Day, Spring Spring and The Shower

Voice as a Bridge featured poems read by poets and writers representing different cultures, including Andrew Wong, Jona Colson, Diane Wilbon Parks, William Gilcher, Mike Maggio, Chong McDermott, Zeina Azzam, Karren Alenier, and Majda Gama.

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages at George Mason University has launched a new Master of Arts in Foreign Languages with a Concentration in Korean (한국학 석사), marking a significant milestone for Korean Studies at the university.

Modern and Classical Languages professors captivated educators at the FLAVA Fall Conference on world language education. The department also promoted its graduate programs, drawing strong interest from many Virginia educators.

When Liang Luo steps into a classroom—or works on a film, for that matter—she brings with her a rare blend of scholarship, creativity, and cultural sensitivity. This fall, Luo begins her role as chair of George Mason University’s Department of Modern and Classical Languages, a position that recognizes her academic leadership as well as her global perspective. 

Associate Professor of Italian Kristina Olson has published a new volume: A World of Possibilities: The Legacy of the Undivine Comedy, as part of the Cultural Inquiry series of ICI Berlin Press (November 2025).

GMU Faculty Contributes to Howard–Georgetown Africa and Middle East Literature Workshop

"The Heroine with a Thousand Faces: Rethinking the Interpretations of 'The Arabian Nights'"

"Advancing Pragmatic Competence in Chinese through Theatrical Texts: A Practitioner Inquiry on 'The Thunderstorm'"

Dr Peiyu Yang was awarded a Kluge Fellowship from the Library of Congress

Dr. Román Mendoza, Professor of Spanish at George Mason University, delivered a plenary talk titled "Possibilities and Limitations of Generative Artificial Intelligence for the Personalization of ELE/L2/LH Teaching" at the III Conference of Spanish Language Learning in Italy.

Dr. Jasmina Savic, Assistant Professor of Russian Studies, presented "Parapushkinistika: Remythologizing Aleksander Pushkin through Taboo" at the 14th MCL and Cultural Studies Faculty and Graduate Student Forum on Wednesday, April 22, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM in Horizon Hall 5225.

Daeyong Kim, Senior Instructor of Korean Studies at George Mason University, presented "Gen-AI Powered Task-based Language Instruction: Engagement, Collaboration and Gen-AI for Classroom Projects" at the 12th MCL and Cultural Studies Faculty and Graduate Student Forum on Wednesday, February 18, from 1:30 to 3:00 PM in Horizon Hall 5225.

Dr. Mika Hama, Visiting Assistant Professor at George Mason University, presented "Peeking into Language Assessment" at the 11th MCL and Cultural Studies Faculty and Graduate Student Forum on Wednesday, January 28, from 1:30 to 3:00 PM in Horizon Hall 5225.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences will host the CHSS Degree Celebration on May 16 at 2 p.m. in the EagleBank Arena to honor our bachelor's and master's graduates.

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages closes Spring 2026 on a high note. The department has continued to grow in both scholarly ambition and collegial spirit. This year brought a remarkable number of well-deserved recognitions, reflecting the dedication and excellence of our faculty across teaching, research, and service.