Coushatta, Blackfeet and Southern Ute are just some of the indigenous languages that will be represented by students this summer at the UA’s American Indian Language Development Institute, according to a press release.

Each year, the UA Department of Language, Reading and Culture in the College of Education holds the institute for language teachers who are seeking innovative ways to preserve native languages, according to the AILDI Web site.

About 60 people from the U.S. and Canada are participating in the institute this summer, although in previous years the session has attracted students from all over the world, said Ofelia Zepeda, AILDI program director.

This year, 20 students were awarded fellowships from the National Science Foundation to study grant writing and their own language documentation, Zepeda said.

The program aims to provide language educators skills, background, training and research through specially designed university courses in all areas of language work, Zepeda added.

“”Often times it’s a sharing of backgrounds, and sharing of work,”” she said.

Three UA doctoral students received prestigious Fulbright-Hayes scholarships to research in Latin America, according to a press release.

Jeff Banister and Jimmy Klepek, both in geography and regional development, and Maria MuÇñoz, in history, each received this distinguished grant to conduct research in Mexico and Guatemala, according to the release.

The Fulbright-Hayes fellowship program awards grants to colleges and universities funded by the department of education for doctoral student research, according to the department of education’s Web site.

Recipients are provided the opportunity to research modern foreign languages and area studies in other countries for six to 12 months, according to the Web site.

Maria MuÇñoz, whose yearlong studies will be based in Mexico City and the city of Michoacan, said she will focus on the political and historical impact of Mexico’s First National Indigenous Congress of 1975.

“”Receiving the Fulbright-Hayes is quite an honor,”” said MuÇñoz. “”Not only for me, but for the department of history as well as the university.””

UA students and faculty took part in a 75-mile walk from SÇ­sabe, Sonora, to Tucson last week to honor migrants who have died while trying to cross the desert.

Inez Magdalena Duarte, a Mexican American studies graduate student, said she walked the last five miles of the “”Migrant Trail”” to raise awareness of migrant deaths.

The walk included a “”die-in”” vigil in front of the Border Patrol headquarters, 1970 W. Ajo Way, where participants enacted scenes of migrant deaths. The walk ended with a closing ceremony at Kennedy Park, located at West Ajo Way and South Mission Road.

Duarte said migrant deaths are a focus of her research.

“”I read about bodies in the desert, and being a part of (the walk) brings a human touch to my research,”” Duarte said.

“”The walk has really been animated by college students and recent graduates,”” said Rick Ufford-Chase, a moderator of the Presbyterian Church and walk participant. “”They really think about how to do justice.””

Approximately 136 people from around the world participated in the walk, organized by numerous groups, including the UA chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, said Kat Rodriguez, an organizer of the walk from Derechos Humanos, a human rights advocacy group.

A nationally recognized researcher and educator was appointed as the associate dean of UA College of Fine Arts, according to a press release.

Jacqueline Chanda is currently the co-director of the North Texas Institute for Educators in the Visual Arts and the chair of the Division of Art Education and Art History at the University of North Texas, and will start at the UA in August, according to the release.

The position was appointed to Chanda on May 15, said Colleen Lester, director of advancement and communications for the College of Fine Arts.

“”The college is really excited to bring in someone of her caliber,”” Lester said. “”We’re looking forward to her enthusiasm.””

Chanda has focused much of her research on the development of interactive learning environments used in teaching art history to children. Her interest sparked “”Let’s Explore African Art,”” a multimedia CD-ROM, which has been used as a research tool in the U.S. and Brazil, according to the release.

Chanda has an African art history Ph.D., has published two books of her own, “”African Arts and Cultures”” and “”Discovering African Art,”” co-authored “”Art Everywhere”” and is currently working on a fourth book, according to the release.

-Compiled from staff reports