Dr. Eugenia Afinoguénova and Dr. Heather Hathaway have been named Association of Marquette University Women (AMUW) Professors in the Humanities. This prestigious honor, awarded for a five-year term beginning in fall 2025, recognizes their outstanding contributions to research, teaching and service.
For more than eight decades, AMUW has played a vital role in supporting and empowering Marquette women in their academic and professional endeavors. The AMUW professorships continue this legacy by providing professional development funding to advance faculty research and enrich the student experience.
Dr. Eugenia Afinoguénova – AMUW Professor of Spanish
Well known for her work in museum studies, film, Spanish literature and food studies, Afinoguénova has served as chair of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and received the 2022 Lawrence G. Haggerty Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Marquette’s highest research honor.
Afinoguénova, who previously led the search committee for the AMUW Chair in Humanistic Studies, expressed deep appreciation for this recognition, stating, “I am immensely touched by this honor and look forward to continuing AMUW’s tradition of intellectual rigor and support for my women colleagues’ success.”
Her current work includes finalizing the “Edinburgh Companion to the Spanish Civil War and Visual Culture,” co-edited with Silvina Schammah Gesser and Robert Lubar Messeri. This project, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has been featured as a model grant proposal on the NEH website. She has also published the book “Digestible Governance: Gastrocracy and Spanish Foodways,” with plans to expand the research into a Spanish edition and to develop a course on transnational food studies.
Dr. Heather Hathaway – AMUW Professor of English
A highly respected teacher-scholar, Hathaway specializes in African American and Japanese American history and literature. She completed her Ph.D. at Harvard University and has published four books and numerous articles focusing on these topics. Hathaway has also provided extensive leadership at Marquette, including serving as acting dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, associate dean, and director of multiple programs.
“To be awarded this professorship for my research and teaching is an honor,” Hathaway shared, ”particularly because my work is motivated by the same belief in equity that underscores the AMUW. As I continue to research and teach about history and literature that illuminates the American experience, I am grateful to have the AMUW’s recognition and support.”
Hathaway’s scholarship and teaching exemplify the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preference that calls us to “journey with young people” toward creating a world grounded in compassion and commitment. Her leadership and research continue to elevate voices that have historically gone unrecognized, reflecting Marquette’s mission of social justice and academic excellence.
The AMUW Professorships underscore Marquette University’s dedication to supporting faculty who make significant contributions to the humanities. In addition to their continued excellence in research, teaching and service, the honorees will help promote AMUW’s presence on campus and beyond.
“The AMUW professorship is an integral part of our ongoing strategy to support outstanding faculty and enhance the student experience,” said Dr. Heidi Bostic, dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. “We are thrilled to recognize Dr. Afinoguénova and Dr. Hathaway for their dedication and remarkable achievements.”
For more information about the AMUW and its impact at Marquette University, please visit alumni.marquette.edu/amuw.
