Center forLanguage Acquisition

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Gil Watz Memorial Lectures

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Gil Watz Memorial Lectures

Gilbert R. WatzGil Watz Memorial Lectures are endowed by Gilbert R. Watz (PSU ’49), who was a committed supporter and benefactor of the Center for Language Acquisition. He believed that mastery of a second language was essential not only for successful participation in the global marketplace, but also as a bridge to increased intercultural understanding and community service. Though an oil industry executive by trade, he dedicated himself to learning Spanish as an adult, and provided many years of volunteer service as an interpreter in the Greater Houston area. His generosity has provided substantial resources for building a vibrant and exceptional Applied Linguistics community at Penn State, including dissertation fellowships, awards to outstanding graduate students, sponsored lecture series, and in 2011, an endowed Early Career Professorship in Languages and Linguistics. Gil Watz was a warm and enthusiastic supporter of undergraduate and graduate education at Penn State, and we are truly grateful for his many contributions over the years.