Silvia Bliss

Base

Full Name

Silvia Bliss
Professional Title

Associate Professor of Spanish
Professional Role

Professor
School or Place of Work

SUNY Morrisville
What Level Do You Teach?

Beginners and Heritage Spanish Speakers
Approx. Percentage of Heritage Spanish Students at Your Institution

8%
How Has Spanish Played a Role in Your Personal and Professional Life?

I am Peruvian and in 1992 I had the opportunity to be a Spanish teaching assistant for one year in a college in Massachusetts. In 2003 I returned to the United States and studied a Master’s in Spanish Language Literature and Culture from Syracuse University while I taught Spanish, which paid for my master’s in full. Since 2009 I have been a full time Spanish professor at SUNY Morrisville.

Spanish is my first language. It is central to my identity. I consider myself bilingual and now live in the US and I am applying to citizenship, but Spanish is my mother tongue.

I genuinely enjoy teaching Spanish and love the excitement my Heritage Spanish Learners show when they find themselves in a class where their Spanish strength is valued and reinforced so that they can embrace this aspect of their identity in their personal and professional lives.
How Long Have You Been Teaching?

I started as an English as a foreign language instructor at the end of my freshman years in college. I have been teaching Spanish full time in SUNY Morrisville since the fall of 2009. I have been teaching for more than 16 years.
More About Me

I am a mom, a step mom, a dog mom, a full time Spanish professor, I am an academic adviser, a Latin American Student Organization adviser, a First Year Experience instructor. I am applying for US citizenship so I will be a dual citizen to Peru and the US. I am an immigrant, a daughter, a sister, a citizenship.

I love reading and writing, art, traveling, TV, musicals, crafting.

I love teaching, psychology and literature. I love helping people embrace and develop their talents, build happy contributing lives for themsleves.
Facebook Profile

https://www.facebook.com/silvia.figari.bliss
Heritage Spanish email list

Yes, please add me to the Heritage Spanish email list to receive updates about workshops and new resources.
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