Frances Ramos-Fontán is a Professor of Practice of Spanish at Goucher College. She is also the Director of the Futuro Latino Learning Center, an on-campus educational program that offers classes to the Latinx community of the Greater Baltimore Area. Goucher students work as instructors, teaching assistants or community-based learning program assistants. Frances is currently working on her graduate degree in Cultural Sustainability, a program that combines courses in cultural policy, documentation and partnerships with professional management courses in nonprofit leadership and grant writing. Prior to her arrival at Goucher in 1997, she taught at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At both institutions she completed several years of graduate coursework in Latin American Literature and Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies. She holds a Teacher Certification in Spanish from the State of Massachusetts. At Goucher College, she teaches introductory and intermediate courses in Spanish and a course she created for the First-Year Seminar Program, the Latino Experience in the United States. She has also taught the course American Identities as part of Goucher’s International Scholars Program, and advanced intermediate courses in Spanish, such as Spanish in the Workplace: Language & Culture and Spanish in the Media.
Collaborating with Community-Based Learning Director, Cass Freedland, on an article on community-based learning best practices based on the work done and the initiatives developed at the Futuro Latino Learning Center.
Research Team Member, Maryland Folklife Center Feasibility Study (2017-18)
Crosby Course Development Grant, Goucher College, December 2017, May 2017, and May 2013
Summer Course Development Grant, Goucher College, May 2017
Community Service Grant for Futuro Latino Learning Center ($20,000), Baltimore Women's Giving Circle, 2015-2016
Innovation Grant, "Una Mejor Vida: Latino Voices on Survival and Transformation," May 2013
Mellon Summer Sustainability Institute, May 2012.
Faculty Grants Mentoring Award, May 2011
Interdisciplinary Course Development Grant: “Acá y Allá: Identity Transformations in Contemporary Puerto Rican Families”, U.S. Department of Education, 2006-2008
“Roundtable: You May Say I’m a Dreamer,” Goucher College, September 28, 2017.
“The Futuro Latino Learning Center: In Direct Contact with the Community,” Intercultural Horizons Conference, State University of New York, October 5, 2012. In collaboration with Prof. Michael Curry, former France-Merrick Director of Service Learning.
Intercambiando Ideas/Creando Comunidades: A New Community-Based Learning Model. Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Conference, Coppin State University, March 31, 2012.
“Intercultural Communication in Health Care and the Latinx Community” University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. October 12, 2016.
“The Futuro Latino Learning Center at Goucher College,” Grantee Showcase, Baltimore Womens’ Giving Circle Meeting, December 9th, 2015.
“Latinidad: Spanish Language and Culture in the Medical Field.” University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. September 17, 2015.
“Aquí Se Habla Español: Language as the Primary Cultural Expression of Latinidad,” University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD. September 17, 2014.
“Breaking Barriers and Creating Communities: The Futuro Latino Learning Center,” Pericles Fall Meeting, Goucher College, November 21, 2013.
“The Futuro Latino Learning Center,” Family Weekend Open House, October 5th, 2013.
Presentation on the Futuro Latino Learning Center, Comparative Race and Ethnic Relations Course, Goucher College, May 8, 2013.
“Reflection and Best Practices in a Community-Based Learning Course,” Community-Based Learning Strategy Session, Goucher College, November 19, 2012.
“Student Involvement at the Futuro Latino Learning Center,” Committee of Visitors Meeting, President’s House, Goucher College, April 27, 2012.
“Serving the Adult Population of Cockeysville at Creative Kids Community Center.” Proposal to offer ESL and Basic Spanish to area adults, Creative Kids Community Center, Summer 2011.
Composed and Presented an Introductory Analysis to Movies Presented as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Goucher College, 2008-2011.
Golden Key National Honor Society
Modern Language Association
Oregon Ridge Nature Center Council Member