AIFS Partnership Programs: Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs

Faculty Bios

Dr. Ana Afzali
Citrus College

Ana Afzali has been teaching all levels of Spanish for native and non-native speakers for the past 25 years, and she has been a full-time faculty member at Citrus College since 1997. In addition to teaching, Dr. Afzali was the Faculty Advisor for the European Heritage Club and helped to host the event “An evening in Spain.”
She has published numerous Spanish literary articles, and she is the author of the books Modern Spain (2006) and Nuestra Lengua: Cuaderno de gramática, redacción y cultura para hispanohablantes (2001). Dr. Afzali was born and raised in Madrid, Spain, and she came to the United States in 1984 to study abroad. The experience had such a profoundly positive impact on her life that she decided to remain in the U.S. where she went on to study Foreign Language Education at the University of Maryland. In 1992 she moved to California where she earned both her Masters and Doctorate degrees from UCLA in Spanish Languages and Literature. Dr. Afzali is a firm believer in the power of learning while experiencing different cultures, and she looks forward to sharing the language, history and customs of her native Spain with our group of students.

Jack Call
Citrus College

Jack Call has sixteen years of experience teaching philosophy at Citrus College. He is the author of two books on philosophy of religion, God is a Symbol of Some- thing True and Dreams and Resurrection, and numerous essays on the relations between philosophy, religion, and social science published in The National Social Science Journal. He is also the author of the article “Cloning Human Beings” in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties. Professor Call has travelled extensively in Europe, North and Central America, and Asia, and has a firm belief in the educational value of firsthand experience of another culture. While a college student himself, he spent a month in Spain, including what he says was the unforgettable city of Salamanca the Golden. In the fall semesters of 2010 and 2013 he taught on the study abroad program in London. He says that the study abroad program has been a transformative experience both for him and the students, many of whom have kept in touch with him and his wife since those semesters in London. He looks forward to introducing a new group of students to philosophy, logic, and religions of the world in the ancient and beautiful city of Salamanca.

Gilbert Puga Jr.
Rio Hondo College

Gil Puga, Jr. is an Associate Professor of Speech at Rio Hondo College. He has over 15 years of experience in Speech instruction including courses in Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Small Group Communication, Argumentation & Debate, and Forensics (speech and debate team). His leadership experience includes former Academic Senate President, Faculty Senate Executive Commit- tee, Community College Association Board of Directors, and Legislative Committee member for the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges. He was the former Director of the Debate team at Rio Hondo College, where he led the program to 4 National Sweepstakes awards (2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004). He’s published Argumentation and Debate: Engaging the Issues and The 21st Century Orator: A Complete Program to Achieve Excellence in the Public Speaking Situation. He currently is serving his second term as Rio Hondo College’s Speech department coordinator. Professor Puga has traveled to all continents and conducted visitations, lectures, judging at University Speech tournaments in China, Ireland, Korea, New Zealand, Holland, Japan and across the United States. He has judged at the European University Debate Championship tournament (in Holland), and China Open Tournament (Beijing, China). Professor Puga is a member of the London Debate Society, and he’s involved in local ventures such as the Southern California Debate Society. He is a dedicated instructor, and with his extensive travel experience and cultural knowledge, he’s looking forward to the opportunity to create meaningful education experiences for his students in Salamanca.