The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Delaware welcomes three new faculty members, each bringing a wealth of international experience and cultural insight. Hailing from Spain, the scholars share a passion for the arts, languages and global travel. With expertise spanning literature, linguistics and cultural studies, they are eager to inspire students and collaborate across disciplines. Their arrival marks an exciting step forward in expanding the department’s global reach and fostering a deeper appreciation for world cultures.

Fernando Ruiz García

Fernando Ruiz García is a native of Cantabria, Spain, where he lived his life very close to the beach, the meadows and the cows. In 2012 he graduated from his hometown university, La Universidad de Cantabria, with a B.A. in teaching foreign languages (English) and in 2013 with a B.A. in elementary education. During the academic year of 2011–2012, he lived in Rennes, France, where he perfected his French, fell in love with coffee and participated in internship programs at several schools. After graduating in 2014 he moved to Aberystwyth, Wales, and later Bristol, United Kingdom, where he taught Spanish at different academic levels. In 2017 he received his B.A. in English studies at the UNED (Spanish National University of Distance Education), which he obtained during his time working in the United Kingdom.

In 2017 Ruiz moved to the United States, and in 2019 he obtained his M.A. at the University of Delaware, where he later worked as an instructor for one year. In 2020 he began his Ph.D. in Spanish at Temple University, Philadelphia, and graduated in August 2024, writing a dissertation that examines the critical discourses on the fantastic and their relationship with the representation of spectral apparitions. 

Aside from learning languages and writing a very engaging dissertation, Ruiz’s hobbies include eating, surfing, traveling and writing urban fantasy thriller novels under a pseudonym. From 2015 to 2024, he embarked on a side-quest to find the perfect Margherita pizza, which ended very successfully. In the fall of 2024, Ruiz returned to UD to work as an assistant professor of Spanish to find new professional challenges and keep sharing his passion for languages and literature, which he hopes to be doing for many years to come.

Sheila Villaverde Salgueiro

Sheila Villaverde Salgueiro joined the Spanish faculty in fall 2024. She is originally from Galicia, in the north of Spain, and studied for her undergraduate degree in English studies at the University of Salamanca. Sheila spent a year abroad at Maynooth University in Ireland—which she called “such a fun and eye-opening experience.” After that, Villaverde moved to the United States and came to UD, where she earned an M.A. in language, literature, culture and pedagogy while working as a teaching assistant for the Spanish program.

Currently, Villaverde serves as course coordinator for Spanish 106 while also teaching courses at that level. Additionally, she has begun work on her Ph.D. in linguistics and states that she is excited to keep growing as both a researcher and an instructor. In winter 2023, she had the chance to be part of the department’s study abroad program in Argentina, which was one of the highlights of her time thus far. She plans to return abroad as the co-director of the study abroad program in Costa Rica for the upcoming winter 2026.

Outside of work, Villaverde loves traveling and learning languages. Although a native speaker of Spanish, she has studied English and French and a little bit of German, and she comments that she “really enjoys noticing how different languages sound and work.” In her leisure time, one of her favorite things to do is share the culture (and food!) from back home—especially pulpo a la gallega and empanada. 

Yoel Villahermosa Serrano

Yoel Villahermosa Serrano joined the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures this year as an instructor of game studies and Spanish. His research sits at the intersection of game studies, Iberian cultural studies and media studies. His dissertation, Playing Spain: Video Game Studies and Iberian Cultures, 1980s–2010s, explores how video games contributed to Spain’s cultural modernization—from the post-Franco era to today’s digital landscapes.

Villahermosa’s current projects include research on the presence of mirrors in video games—and the frequent absence of reflections—examining what this omission reveals about identity, self-representation and the unique relationship between player and protagonist. He also studies “gamebrities,” a term Villahermosa coined to describe gaming personalities who have transcended the video game sphere and achieved international and interdisciplinary recognition. Additionally, he’s busy researching the growing landscape of video game museums in Spain—their exhibitions, curatorial strategies, and role in shaping cultural heritage.

At UD, Villahermosa has enjoyed another of his passions: teaching. This year, he taught 100-level Spanish classes as well as a variety of core game studies courses—from GAME 201: Introduction to Game Studies to GAME 490: Capstone Seminar in Game Studies and Esports. Villahermosa also serves as lead advisor for the game studies major. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Spanish from UT Austin, where he taught language and culture courses and helped develop a game-related curriculum.

Outside of work, he loves playing video games (surprise!), especially indies, hitting the tennis or squash court, and finding great chai lattes wherever he goes. He was born in Cartagena, in the south of Spain, which remains one of his favorite places—perfect for scuba diving, enjoying the sun and spending time by the Mar Menor.