Let's Meet New Dean of The Graduate School, Dr. Lola Orellano Norris
This Fall at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) some new leadership faces are among the new and returning undergraduate and graduate students and faculty.
TAMIU has named three new deans, including a new Dean of The Graduate School, Dr. Lola Orellano Norris.
Let’s meet Dr. Norris and get to know her story.
Where are you from and where do you call home?
It’s complicated. I was born in Spain, raised in Switzerland, and now reside in the United States, on the border with Mexico. I came to the U.S. as an adult after marrying my late husband, who was American. Before moving to Laredo, we lived in Chicago, the Phoenix Metroplex, rural Southern California, and rural Northern Arizona. In my early twenties, I had also lived in England and France for extended periods of time. I adapt easily to new surroundings, and I have loved all my prior homes, but Laredo is the city I have called home the longest now, and I am very happy here. Laredo is such a unique place. I love its bilingual, bicultural vibrancy; the people’s friendliness; the scrumptious food; and the hot climate. Yes, I might be one of the few people here who actually love Laredo’s triple-digit temperatures.
Tell us what prompted your pursuit of multiple languages…and multiple degrees?
I like to joke that when it comes to languages, I have been a victim of circumstance because I grew up in Switzerland. My reality has always been multilingual and multicultural. At the age of seven, I was already managing four languages daily. From elementary school through college, I learned various additional languages and achieved fluency in several more. And I haven’t stopped. Studying languages, traveling, and learning about other peoples and cultures has always been part of my life.
When I graduated from high school in Switzerland, I planned to study medicine. By happenstance, I ended up getting an undergraduate degree in German, Spanish, and English Translation from the Zürich Translators’ and Interpreters’ School instead. I enjoyed working as a translator and interpreter after graduation and thought my life would revolve around the United Nations in Geneva and other international organizations, but I got married, moved to the United States, started a family, and lived a very different life.
While raising our children, I worked as a freelance translator and taught foreign languages at various private schools in different parts of the country, but my first graduate degree, an M.A. in Spanish Literature, was earned at TAMIU. Initially, as an older, nontraditional student with family obligations, I had doubts about whether graduate school was right for me, but I encountered very supportive professors who recognized my potential, mentored me, and encouraged me to further my education. I realized that I loved doing research, and I already knew that I loved teaching. At last, I had found my calling as college professor. I went on to earn a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies and a second master’s degree in Spanish Translation and Interpreting at two different Texas universities.
Was there a single moment that informed or affirmed your life in academia?
As a first-generation college student, I never imagined I would become a University professor or administrator. When we moved to Laredo, TAMIU had just joined The Texas A&M University System, and a brand-new campus was being built in North Laredo. It was such an exciting time, a bright new beginning. I recognized the opportunities the University offered. Captivated by the vision and mission of the institution, I wanted to become part of the dream, as a student, as a faculty member. Although I had extensive professional experience as a translator, interpreter, and teacher, what affirmed my career in academia, as an educator and researcher, was our move to Laredo and my becoming part of TAMIU.
In your new focus on graduate study at TAMIU, what do you feel is the biggest change in graduate study?
Graduate education has changed dramatically thanks to innovation and advancements in technology. Today’s graduate students have many more programs and course delivery options to choose from. They are no longer confined to the traditional classroom and course format nor bound by geography. Students can choose to attend graduate programs that are delivered in-person, fully online (in synchronous, asynchronous, or accelerated mode), or in a hybrid format. Technology has certainly enhanced the graduate experience even in courses that are taught face-to-face. There has also been a proliferation of new programs, concentrations, and certificates within established graduate degrees to prepare students for careers in the competitive and fast-changing marketplace. TAMIU has stayed abreast of these developments with a robust offering of online and in-person graduate degree programs. This has made earning a topnotch advanced degree much more accessible to our students and will continue to provide them exciting opportunities going forward.
What are you most excited about at the Graduate School this Fall?
One of the beautiful things in academia is that every Fall we start anew. We welcome new students and faculty, and we are thrilled to see all the returning students and faculty on campus. Every Fall we are open to new experiences and boundless possibilities. At the Graduate School we are looking forward to assisting graduate students as they navigate the graduate experience and to supporting them in their endeavors. We are also excited to see more graduate degrees, both at the master’s and doctoral level, being developed and planned. This is part of our strategic plan to take TAMIU a step further to attain Research 2 status. Our enthusiastic Graduate School team is getting ready for the Graduate School Open House, our marquee event, which will take place on October 10, 5 - 7 p.m., in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Center. We invite everyone interested in learning more about our graduate programs to attend. Graduate advisors and faculty will be present to answer questions about our graduate degrees. The application fee will be waived for those who apply to any of our programs on that day.
In what new directions would you like to lead the Graduate School?
Since its inception, the Graduate School has benefitted from committed leadership, a dedicated staff, and a clear mission to further graduate education at TAMIU. I am grateful to the previous two graduate deans for their vision and perseverance to get us where we are today. In the past seven years, our graduate enrollment has almost doubled, from 850 to over 1600 graduate students. We now offer two doctoral degrees, 25 master’s degrees, and six graduate certificates. My goal is to maintain the momentum, continue growing graduate enrollment, and innovate in some areas. For example, I would like for our University to attract more international students and to offer additional opportunities and support for graduate students studying abroad. I would like to see the development of additional graduate degree programs, particularly in STEM. I plan to collaborate more closely with Career Services and the Alumni Association to guide and mentor graduate students as they progress through their programs and get them ready for the professional world.
What is a popular misconception about graduate study that you’d like to correct?
A popular misconception is that graduate school is just more of the same, a continuation of undergraduate education. It is truly much more than that. A graduate degree brings a deeper focus. Generally speaking, undergraduates absorb new information, whereas graduate students typically conduct original research, generate knowledge, and contribute to scholarship in their discipline. Many graduate students work closely with their professors, often earning prestigious assistantships or fellowships or publishing their own research. Graduate students practice higher-level problem solving skills and become more confident and articulate public speakers. Yes, graduate coursework requires more time and expectations are higher, but it is an investment in one’s future and the returns are worth it. A graduate degree will increase one’s earning potential, boost upward mobility, and contribute to a more fulfilling professional life.
What do you feel is the most compelling reason to pursue graduate study at TAMIU?
We are a medium-sized university with a great impact. We have an accomplished faculty and amazing staff, all fully committed to the success of our students, the mission of the institution, and the promise of the region. Our graduate programs consistently receive high accolades and rank among the best colleges and universities state- and nationwide for affordability, accessibility and exceptionality. TAMIU was recently recognized as one of the top universities for online and hybrid graduate programs by Online Master’s Degrees. Our Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program received recognition as one of the best in Texas by All Nurses and our Online MBA program ranks among the best accelerated one-year MBA programs in the nation...to name a few.
Any interesting hobby, research interest, or pursuit of collectibles you’d like to share?
I collect Swatch watches, not as a serious collector but as a faithful user. I bought my first clear plastic Swatch in the mid-1980s when they launched in Switzerland, and I have remained loyal to the brand as a way of preserving a connection to my home country. I love the watches’ colorful designs and their practicality.
As a historical linguist and paleographer, I study 17th and 18th Century Spanish of Texas. My research has taken me to archives in Spain, France, México, and the United States, where I have located and analyzed a great number of manuscripts from that period. Currently, I am in the process of writing a sequel to my book on Alonso de León’s five expeditions to Texas (1686 to 1690). This new book will focus on the survivors of the small French colony at Matagorda Bay.
Favorite book(s)?
I have many. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am a voracious reader who reads for professional pursuits as well as for pleasure. I try to read several books a month purely for pleasure. Having taught Don Quijote for many years at TAMIU, I must say that Cervantes’ masterpiece is still among my favorites, but also Der Besuch der alten Dame by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Huis clos by Jean-Paul Sartre, and Il nome della rosa by Umberto Eco.
What’s a Fun Fact about Dr. Lola Orellano Norris?
I have traveled to all continents except Antarctica.
When “downtime” is available, how do you enjoy it?
From my parents I inherited a deep love of plants and a fairly green thumb. Living in the U.S. Southwest has made me a cactus enthusiast. I absolutely love cacti and succulents. Their stoic beauty, sculptural quality, resilience and adaptability fascinate me. Over the years, I have acquired quite a collection of specimens that grace my front and back yard. Ideal downtime for me is spending hours tending to my cacti and agaves in the bright Laredo sun.
For more on TAMIU’s Graduate School, email graduateschool@tamiu.edu, call 956.326.3020, or click on https://www.tamiu.edu/gradschool
