Terry Seymour

Senior Lector I in Spanish and Portuguese 

An expert in second language acquisition and course development, you are an innovative and exceptional teacher of the Spanish language. 

For over 30 years, you’ve taught Spanish language and culture at Yale with an inspiring enthusiasm and dedication, fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment in the Spanish program, both on campus and in Yale Summer Session Abroad in Ecuador. You developed your Advanced Spanish Grammar course to include conversations with Ecuadorian university students, intensive in-class conversation practice, and tailored enrichment materials. Colleagues are enthusiastic in their praise, describing you as “kind, rigorous, and generous,” “a pleasure to work with,” and “a humble, shining example of excellence in education.” 

You have transformed your students’ experience of language acquisition at Yale. You often went without sleep to ensure you put the highest level of care into assessing students’ work. As a First-year and Sophomore Advisor in Hopper College, you have been a dedicated mentor who supported students personally and professionally. After describing your “kindness and grace,” one of your students explained that you are “honestly one of the best professors […] at Yale because [you] really care about [your] students and [their] progress.” Another student added that she felt lucky that you guided her thorough her “Spanish journey,” adding – “her course made me [choose] to major in Spanish.” 

In retirement, we hope you continue to pursue what you love, including learning the Hungarian language – and we know your energy and enthusiasm will brighten any place your journey takes you.