Faculty, Students Present at 2026 Modern Language Association Conference in Toronto

Assistant Professor of English Dr. Jonathan Shelley and students Robert Campbell ’29 and Gloriann Perez ’29 recently traveled to Toronto, Ontario to present at the 2026 Modern Language Association Conference.

The presentation shared progress and student work that has contributed to the Flower City Award Scholar Learning Communities, supported by the Pathways Step Grant awarded by the Modern Language Association of America last fall. The grant supports the development of new resources that bolster the recruitment, retention, and career readiness of undergraduate students. The presentation was part of the Innovation Room Poster Session.

“It felt great to represent Fisher on an international stage because Robert and I were some of the few undergraduate students who were there presenting. It was amazing to see the work others were presenting and their passion for it,” said Perez, an inclusive childhood education and Spanish major.

She noted that the feedback they received from conference attendees helped them see their work in a new way and reaffirmed that the work led to a strong community among the scholars, both inside and outside of the classroom.

“When I wrote the grant, I knew I wanted to apportion some of the funding to bring students to the conference. The work of the grant is essentially collaborative. It’s not just me and Professor Siracusa coming up with ideas for the Flower City Award program but the student scholars telling the University how best to develop it,” said Shelley. “Having students with me at the conference was the best way to reflect that dynamic. I was grateful that Gloriann and Robert took the time out of their schedule to make it to Toronto. They represented the University and themselves incredibly well.”