Megan Echevarria

Megan Echevarria is a Professor of Spanish and Film/Media at the University of Rhode Island's College of Arts & Sciences, holding a PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her academic focus bridges Hispanic literary, cultural, and film studies with language education, emphasizing intercultural sensitivity, social justice, and interdisciplinary approaches.

• PhD, Spanish Literature, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• MA, Spanish and Spanish-American Literature, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• BA, International Studies & Spanish, University of Richmond, Virginia

Research interests include:

• Intercultural education through literature and film
• Curriculum innovation in language programs
• Integration of humanities with STEM disciplines
• Hispanic cultural production and social justice

Her recent work Rehumanizing the Language Curriculum (2023) advocates for literature as a core component in language education. The 15 most recent publications span interdisciplinary pedagogy, Hispanic film analysis, and curriculum development.

Leadership roles include:

• Director, University of Rhode Island Research Foundation (2023–present)
• MLA Delegate Assembly member (2022–2025)
• NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (2021–2024)
• Former Faculty Senate President (2020–2021)

Major awards:

• NEH Humanities Connections grant (2023–2025)
• URI Innovation and Entrepreneurship RISE-UP Fellow (2024)
• Principal Investigator for Obama-era 100,000 Strong in the Americas grant (2014)

Teaching spans courses like ¡¡¡GOOOL!!! Soccer Literature and Culture, Microtheater: Textual Analysis and Performance, and Revolution in Hispanic Film. She also directed the Spanish International Engineering Program (2008–2014) and coordinated language curriculum initiatives.