Department of Modern Languages Commencement Award Winner

It is our pleasure to announce that the 2018 Department of Modern Languages Commencement Award is awarded to Kevin Ludemann. Kevin is a Spanish and Human Resources Management Double Major. 

Kevin with Profesoras Moon and Gomez

Kevin Ludemann’s contributions to the academic and co-curricular life at Bryant are numerous, and extend far beyond his contributions specific to the Department of Modern Languages. However, his dedication to academic excellence, and his extensive involvement in the co-curricular offerings within Modern Languages make him the obvious choice for the 2018 Department of Modern Languages Commencement Award winner.

Kevin has been the student representative and public face of the Spanish program in a number of organizations on campus, including (but certainly not limited to): the My Path program (2 years), the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Council (2 years), and as President of the student cultural organization, BUSCO (1 year), a member of Phi Sigma Iota foreign language honor society since 2016, and President of the Bryant chapter during 2107-18. He also traveled abroad to Argentina and Chile for the Sophomore International Experience. His enthusiasm for Bryant’s Spanish program is seemingly boundless, and he represents our program exceptionally well in all of his interactions on campus. His perspective on the importance of acquiring language and understanding culture demonstrate his awareness of how intercultural competence helps all of us respond and adapt to the communicative and social needs of culturally different others. This perspective earned Kevin the Cultural Ambassador Award from the Department of Modern Languages in April 2017.

As a Spanish major, Kevin has also excelled academically, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA in his Spanish major courses.

Kevin is currently piloting a directed study in the area of medical Spanish in which he shadows members of the Bryant PA program in clinical settings in Providence, interpreting for Spanish-language patients.

Kevin is also the first student to complete his senior Honors Capstone in the Department of Modern Languages. Written completely in Spanish, his capstone explored how the modern day Spanish Drag Queen has come to be, and the role that they play in society.

By looking at the role that cross dresser played in “Comedias”, or plays, that mimicked
Spanish society during the 16th century, the repression of sexual identity under the Franco dictatorship in the 20th century, and the post dictatorship period, known as La Movida Madrileña, through two films, “Ocaña” and “La Mala Educación” that both have Queens as protagonists and demonstrate the transition away from Franco’s strict laws that sought to prevent individual expression. Finally, the capstone included a look at various modern day drag performances and interviews with Drag Queens who live and perform in Spain.

This project was truly a culmination of the entirety of Kevin´s Spanish coursework here at Bryant.

Kevin is also the recipient of The NEHRA Management Department Commencement Award for Excellence in Human Resources Management, The Bryant University Good Citizenship Award, and The Student Senate Service Award.