Viviana Valdés Santos
MODERN LANGUAGES
“I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Cuban exiles.”
B.S. Georgetown University; M.A. Middlebury College; M.S.Ed. University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. Rutgers University. Appointed 2001.
On Harkness teaching: “I want my students to think for themselves, to challenge preconceived notions, and to feel the pride that comes with discovery.”
Other hats: Dorm head in Lamont Hall. Director of France summer program. Outdoor Challenge assistant. Adviser to History Club and Womens' Rights Action Coalition. Has advised Afro-Latino Exonian Society (ALES), La Alianza Latina, French Club and Foreign Film Society.
Favorite quotation: “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus
Advice: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. See everything—from dorm relationships, to sports competitions, to classroom banter—as a learning experience. Be flexible. Dream.”
Learn more about modern languages at Exeter...
