Nanette H. Naranjo receives Alumni Committed to Excellence Award

"The late Dr. (Anthony) Lamb and the late Dr. (Marcel) Bolduc influenced me. History, told by Dr. Bolduc, was better than a Harry Potter novel."

Nanette H. Naranjo was presented the Alumni Committed to Excellence Award (ACE) from Purdue University Calumet's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Purdue Alumni Association-Calumet.

Eighteen alumni, representing each of Purdue Calumet's academic departments/schools, received the ACE Award based on their professional success.

Naranjo, who earned a bachelor's degree in French and Spanish in 1981 and a master's degree in education in 1991 from Purdue Calumet, is a French teacher at Griffith Middle School and an adjunct instructor at Calumet College of St. Joseph. She also holds an associate degree in general studies (1977) from South Suburban (Ill.) College.

At Griffith Middle School, she has developed and teaches an introductory French /Spanish program. At Calumet College, she teaches Spanish, developmental English and Hispanic-American literature.

"A foreign language teacher has to balance teaching with public relations," Naranjo said. "We must always try to interest the students so they will continue with the language. We must impress the importance of learning the language, and the fun that students can have."

Naranjo completed a graduate level course in Contemporary Issues at the Universidad de Madrid in Spain.

She previously taught at Purdue Calumet, South Suburban College, Munster High School and the Montessori Children's Schoolhouse in Hammond.

According to Naranjo, career success in teaching is attained through "hard work, being prepared yet flexible and developing a good rapport with students."

Also, her Purdue Calumet professors were an inspiration to her.

"The late Dr. (Anthony) Lamb and the late Dr. (Marcel) Bolduc influenced me," she said. "Dr. Lamb encouraged me, and Dr. Boluduc's manner of relating history influenced me. History, told by Dr. Bolduc, was better than a Harry Potter novel."