9/17/07 - EURO head knighted by Italian government

Joe Golsan, professor of French and head of the Department of European and Classical Languages and Cultures, was knighted by the Italian Consulate during a ceremony in May held in Houston. Golsan was named Cavaliere (III Classe) in the Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarieta’ Italiana by the President of the Italian Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was honored for his role in developing the Italian program at Texas A&M University and for his research on European politics and culture.

“The Italian Consulate and the Consul General in Houston, Cristiano Maggpinto, have been most generous in recognizing me in this way as well as through the generous support they provide for our Italian program in the Euro department,” said Golsan.

The Euro department offers a minor in Italian and is planning a major in Italian as well. The Italian Consulate has donated funds both to the teaching program and to other activities such as guest speakers.

This is the first award for Golsan in his role as department head. He was appointed to the position when the department was created in 2004. Golsan joined Texas A&M as an assistant professor of French in 1986.

As a faculty member, Texas A&M has recognized Golsan for excellence both in teaching and research. He received the Association of Former Students Distinguished Teaching Award in fall 2003 and a College of Liberal Arts Research Award in fall 1998.

In 2001 Golsan was named visiting professor of French literature and civilization at the Universite-Paris III (Sorbonne Nouvelle) and is a member of the CERACC research team co-sponsored by Paris III and the CNRS.

Golsan is the editor for the South Central Review (The Johns Hopkins University Press) and served as the editor of European Horizons series (University of Nebraska Press). Since 1994, Golsan and fellow French Professor Nathan Bracher have directed seven National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars and Institutes in France.