Senior Lecturer
Email: mpjimenez@ufl.edu
Bio
Melina Jimenez Heckaman holds a B.A. and an M.A. in linguistics from the University of Florida. She has over 18 years of experience in higher education, teaching at the University of Florida English Language Institute (ELI), the University of Florida Honors Program, and Santa Fe College. In her role as Associate Instructional Professor at the ELI, she teaches Grammar, Reading Writing, and Listening Speaking courses across the range of language proficiencies. She has also taught special program courses and workshops for various departments on campus. For the UF Honors Program, she has taught one-credit discussion courses centered on An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, graphic novels, and iconic female artists like Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton. Melina continues improving her instructional strategies in the core courses offered at the ELI and her work with Honors courses by engaging in professional development through courses, workshops and conferences, and engaging with current research in the field of English education and pedagogy in general. In addition to her professional experience, Melina enjoys taking road trips around the US with her husband and two dogs, learning about historic preservation and urban planning, and trying new foods from around the world in company of her colleagues, students, and friends.