Notes & News December 2018
From the President
I want to extend best wishes for the holidays and for the New Year of 2019 to the International Institute in Spain community.
Throughout 2018, the International Institute has remained dedicated to its extraordinary mission of strengthening the bonds between the U.S. and Spain. Our organization strives to share the best of American culture and educational practices with the people of Madrid. We continue promoting study in Spain for American students through our collaboration with American universities and colleges. Across the year, we have invited thousands of Spaniards and Americans into the Institute’s home at Miguel Ángel, 8 for programs that encourage girls to acquire technological savvy, boost study at U.S. colleges and universities for Spaniards, promote children’s reading through storytelling mornings, present concerts, cultural events, and lectures, and offer an urban summer day camp. We have cooperated with both the U.S. Embassy, Madrid and the Comunidad de Madrid in offering courses to encourage innovative, student-centered teaching in Madrid public schools. We have established a presence in educational institutions ranging from public and private K-12 schools to the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. We have created new ties with other Madrid institutions such as the Casa del Lector at the Matadero and public libraries. We continue to host the American Space Madrid, a center for information about the U.S. that presents imaginative and exciting events, and end the year by welcoming a new ASM Director, Lee Douglas.
As the holiday season approaches, I want to send greetings to the members of our team in Madrid, who devote every day to advancing the cause of international exchange to the International Institute is dedicated. ExecutiveDirector Pilar Piñón; Nicole Rosow, Director of the English Program; Andrew Bennett, head of American Cultural Studies; and our librarians Nuria Seguí and Ana Alonso all deserve our gratitude for their efforts. We also send our greetings and thanks to Juan González, our facilities manager; María José (Cota) Cotarelo, administrative assistant; María Díez, English Program administrative assistant; Juan López, cafeteria manager; Andrés Fernández and Victor Martínez, our porteros; and Trinidad Almansa, María del Mar Ortega, Teresa Zabaleta, and Isabel Falquina, the members of our cleaning staff. We send holiday wishes to our excellent English Program and American Cultural Studies faculty. All of us committed to the enduring project of the International Institute in Spain are grateful to these people, who realize our organization’s goals in concrete ways.
I also want to thank my colleagues on the International Institute’s all-volunteer Board of Directors: Karen Arenson, Prof. Stanley Brandes, Prof. Martha L. Gray, Prof. Raquel Halty, Thomas M. Hotaling, Prof. Linda Gould Levine, Francis V. Lloyd III, Álvaro Mendiola Jiménez, Meredith A. Simmons, Theresa Tobin, and Prof. Nicolás Wey-Gómez.
We offer a special salute to Andrés Fernández de Usa, who retires at year end after 10 years of service as portero, greeting guests to Miguel Angel, 8 and helping the Institute run smoothly. We wish Andrés well in his retirement.
I want to thank those of you who have made donations to the International Institute in Spain for 2018. Our donors follow in the American tradition of private philanthropy that led to the formation of the Institute and the construction of its historic building. The International Institute in Spain, a 501(c)(3) organization, relies on the generosity of donors who support its mission of cultural and educational exchange, a mission that is more important in today’s divided world. We welcome your contributions, which will enable the International Institute to uphold its traditions even as it pursues innovation and renewal in 2019.
Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!
Prof. Margery Resnick
President
