Carmen De Lorenzo

Biography

Carmen De Lorenzo is an instructor and the Coordinator of the Italian Program in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies. Since 2005 she has been teaching Italian and French at all levels. In addition to teaching language courses, Carmen works on curriculum development for the 100 and 200 level Italian Program. In particular, she specializes in technology integration in the curriculum and use of technology in the classroom. She developed the currently used blended courses formats for the first- and second-year Italian courses. Another interest of Carmen is assessment, and she developed the currently used Italian Placement test online. Carmen’s professional interests include mentoring students, promoting strategies for active learning, teacher training, and creating equitable and inclusive learning environments.  Her ongoing passion includes creating service and outreach projects that create meaningful connections between diverse groups of people both at MSU and in the greater community. In 2019 Carmen was nominated by the Italian Consul in Detroit ‘Local promoter of the Italian Culture’. The biggest event she promotes every Spring semester since 2017 is the nonprofit Italian Film Festival USA (http://www.italianfilmfests.org/2021/detroit.html ) on the MSU Campus. With the help of the MSU Italian Club (which she advises), in Fall 2016 She organized an Italian Career Event and in Spring 2017 the event History of Italian Americans in Detroit. In Summer 2021 she collaborated with the MSU Community Language School (CLS) and the MSU Extension to offer an online Italian Culture Event (https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/a-virtual-visit-to-italy ). Carmen is also an active instructor and curriculum developer for the MSU Community Language School where she teaches online synchronous Italian courses and she trains students to teach language classes (https://celta.msu.edu/language-school/cls-online-programs-for-adults/ ). Finally, Carmen serves as new director for the Summer Education Abroad Program ‘Language, Literature, and Culture in Ferrara, Italy’ (https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/visitor/programs/12197 ). Her research interests focus on teaching languages with technology, online testing, and community language teaching to adults. She has presented her work in local, national,and international conferences for educators (ACTFL MIWLA, IALLT).

Carmen holds an M.A. Foreign Languages and Literatures from the University of Pisa (Italy) and an M.A. in TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) from Michigan State University. Prior to coming to MSU, she taught Italian and French at the secondary and university level.

Degree:  M.A. in Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Pisa and M.A. TESOL, Michigan State University