Adrienne Merlo, B.A., M.A.

Although I did not grow up in a Spanish-speaking household, my appreciation for and passion toward the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures developed early and have had a profound impact on my life. I began studying Spanish at age fourteen simply to fulfill a high school foreign language requirement. However, I quickly discovered that, not only did I excel in the language, I also deeply enjoyed the cultures connected with it. This heartfelt interest led me to participate in three international programs: Youth for Understanding (two months in Spain), Amigos de las Américas (two months in Paraguay), and UCLA’s Study Abroad Program (one year in Costa Rica).

Furthermore, I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Literature from UC Berkeley in 1993 and a Master of Arts in Spanish Literature and Linguistics from UCLA in 1998. After UCLA, I worked abroad as an import/export agent in Guatemala for nine years. During that time, I lived in Guatemala for four years, married, and gave birth to my bicultural son, who is both a Guatemalan and U.S. citizen. Later, I returned to California and have taught Spanish at the community college level since 2005.

Studying Spanish did not simply have a “tremendous impact on my life”—it transformed my life entirely, and I relish the opportunity to share my passion and experience with my students. To this end, I have spent considerable time and energy designing all my Spanish courses, both in person (101 & 102) and asynchronously online (203 & 204). In regard to my asynchronous classes, I earned a Certificate in Online Teaching & Design in 2020 which prepared me to create highly engaging and relevant courses as confirmed by one of my Spanish 203 students, “I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you so much for what has been one of the most meaningful and enriching classes I have ever taken during my college experience.”

It is my sincere goal that my students find all my classes interesting, fun, and highly useful.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at amerlo@cypresscollege.edu. Gracias.