Biography

Jamilet Ortiz is an Associate Professor of Spanish in the Humanities department and has been a faculty member at HCC since 2010. Prof. Ortiz received her B.A. degree in a double major of English and Spanish Literature from Hamilton College, Clinton, N.Y. and an M.A. degree in Spanish and Latin American Literature from Columbia University in New York, NY.  She is the 2015 recipient of the Connecticut Board of Regents HCC Teaching Award and a two-time Merit Award recipient for her service to Housatonic. 

Prof. Ortiz teaches all levels of language courses from Elementary through Advanced, US Latino Literature and Humanities 119. She also coordinates foreign language advising and placement.  Since 2015, she has been leading HCC’s short-term study abroad program offering students the opportunity to develop global perspective through the study of cultures via the humanities. Prof. Ortiz’s broader research and teaching interests include: Bilingualism, Cultural Histories, and Latino Literature.

In her classes, Prof. Ortiz fosters a nurturing and welcoming environment that encourages critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. She strives to help students recognize how language learning opens the door to a world of possibilities, fascinating cultures and new experiences.