GUILLERMO DE LOS REYES HEREDIA NAMED NEW FACULTY-IN-RESIDENCE

Dr. Guillermo de los Reyes Heredia, Associate Professor of Latin American Literature and Cultural Studies and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Hispanic Studies, has been chosen as the newest Faculty-In-Residence (FIR) in Residential Life & Housing (RLH). The FIR Program is a collaboration between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs and is designed to strengthen the connection between student residents� academic and residential learning experiences. Faculty-In-Residence live in the residence halls and interact with residents informally, such as sharing a meal in the dining hall, passing in the hallways, meeting in the lounges, attending hall meetings or social events, etc., and may also interact more formally, such as giving lectures, holding discussion groups, etc. FIR work with RLH area coordinators and resident assistants to present interesting and educational programming to residents.

Dr. de los Reyes brings a wealth of multicultural and diversity experience to the residence halls. He holds a B.A. in International Relations and M.A. in American Studies from the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico, as well as a M.A. in Folklore and Folklife and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to the previously mentioned titles, he is the Associate Director of the Women�s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program. Dr. de los Reyes is a member of the Board of Directors of an international organization, International Phi Beta Delta and the Honorary Society for International Scholars where he is also International Director of Membership. In addition, he is a Life Member of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) where he is Secretary/Treasurer to the Sexualities Section. Dr. de los Reyes serves as a member of two Editorial Boards: �kala: Revista de Lenguaje y Culture and Politics & Policy. Further, he was awarded the 2006 Provost�s Core Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr. de los Reyes also has residential life experience in his background. He was a resident assistant (RA) at the Universidad de las Americas-Puebla, where he was involved in the transformation of their dorms into residential colleges. At the University of Pennsylvania, he served as a graduate assistant (graduate-level RA) at the Casa Hispanica and then at The Latin American College House.

De los Reyes was one of four faculty members considered for the post. Mark Vitek, Assistant Director for Residence Life, said, �It was a very hard decision to make. We had four highly qualified individuals applying for the position. It was an embarrassment of riches, but that is a very nice problem to have.�

Vitek further expressed the hope that the other applicants would remain interested in the program. �We want to grow the FIR program and create new positions,� Vitek stated. �We hope that these applicants will remain supportive of the program and consider reapplying. As our programs grow, we hope that it will generate more interest and excitement, encouraging more faculty members to apply for FIR or participate in other RLH endeavors.�

De los Reyes will be moving into Settegast Hall in the Quadrangle before students begin to move in so he will be there to greet them when they arrive for the Fall semester. RLH currently has three other FIR: Dr. Raul Ramos, Associate Professor of History, residing in Cougar Village; Carroll Blue, Research Professor at the Texas Learning and Computation Center and University of Houston Center for Public History and filmmaker, residing in Moody Towers; and Dr. Cathy Horn, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, also residing in Moody Towers. All three are about to start their second year with the FIR Program.

For more information about Residential Life & Housing or Faculty-in-Residence Program, go to the website at http://www.housing.uh.edu/.