Yolanda Pineda-Vargas

Yolanda Pineda-Vargas is a Continuing Spanish Lecturer at the University of California, Merced. She holds a Master of Science in Microbiology from Purdue University (1999) and a Master in Education with an emphasis in University Education Assessment from Universidad Industrial de Santander (1994). After 15 years as faculty in Colombia, she joined UC Merced in 2006. Her teaching emphasizes active learning through service projects connecting students with the Merced community.

Her academic focus includes Spanish language pedagogy and experiential learning strategies. She advises two student organizations: Club de Español and Ballet Folklorico.