Lorena Medrano

Lorena Medrano serves as an Associate Professor of Spanish at McPherson College. With prior industry experience in food manufacturing at companies including Mission Foods and ConAgra, she transitioned to academia in 2003 when Missouri Valley College offered her a Spanish teaching position. She subsequently taught business courses and advanced Spanish levels at multiple institutions including Stephens College, where she began literature and civilization instruction in 2008.

Her educational background comprises:

• B.A. in Animal Science from Universidad Rafael Urdaneta, Maracaibo, Venezuela
• M.S. in Management Production from Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela
• M.S. and M.A. in Agribusiness and Peninsular Literature from the University of Missouri-Columbia

Prof. Medrano specializes in Spanish language pedagogy and Peninsular literature with particular expertise in Cervantes' works. Her teaching philosophy asserts that language learning enables students to challenge cultural mindsets, communicate ideas effectively, and achieve personal goals through cross-cultural understanding. While her Latin American heritage informs her perspective, her scholarly focus centers on Spanish literary traditions rather than research output.

Though she pursued Ph.D. coursework in Peninsular Literature at the University of Missouri-Columbia, she emphasizes teaching as her primary vocation. Her industry background in agribusiness management provides practical context for business Spanish instruction, though she now concentrates exclusively on language education across beginner to advanced levels.