Impressive professor: LaForge brings educational resources, cultural experiences back to Butler students from Paraguay
LaForge visits fiancé Mariela in Paraguay, leaves with professional development
El Dorado High School graduate and new Butler Biology faculty member Joseph LaForge traveled to Paraguay over the summer to visit his fiancé, Mariela Samudio. While there, he landed a visiting professorship at the country's only national medical university, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud – Universidad Nacional del Este (FACISA-UNE).
Although he only went to visit Mariela, whom he met while both were students at Emporia State University, LaForge found himself immersed in the cultural and professional world of the country. She introduced him to Dr. Victor Chena, psychiatrist and Chair of Medicine at FACISA-UNE, who put him into contact with Dr. Hugo Casartelli, Dean of FACISA-UNE. From that meeting, LaForge received a request to teach a series of courses at FACISA-UNE and speak at a scientific conference.
As a visiting professor, LaForge taught FACISA-UNE’s first- and second-year medical students. “[I] developed, planned and taught classes every week in Descriptive and Topographical Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) to students in the medicine career track,” LaForge said. He taught in Spanish but helped English-speaking students by translating vocabulary terms, engaging students in both the lesson and the English language. “[It] renewed my love; I was in the vortex of science. I dove into medicine again and again. It was like a three month long educational retreat.”
His contributions inspired the institution’s president, Dr. Osvaldo Acosta, to invite him to be a keynote speaker at a master conference on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The conference was an exciting event for LaForge, as he spoke fully in Spanish and his session drew the biggest turn out since 2021.
LaForge, a 2017 Butler Community College graduate, teaches A&P classes and Biology courses at Butler. He believes his experience will benefit all his students, especially native Spanish speakers. “Now I can fully communicate with [them], even in A&P,” he said. His experiences will also benefit his Early College Academy (ECA) students in Rose Hill, all of whom are health professional majors. LaForge speaks highly of these ambitious students, noting their dedication to learning college material. “They’re some of the best students; some of the most motivated.”
The trip also provided LaForge resources to implement into his own teaching practices. As part of an experiment with Dr. Chena, LaForge permitted a non-invasive electro-magnetic system be placed on his head that generated electric pulses and made his fingers twitch. As a result, he now teaches with first-hand data on brain function, including methods to combat depression and OCD that are sure to be of interest to his students.
LaForge was given a certificate of recognition and gratitude by FACISA-UNE, as well as a standing invitation to return as a visiting professor on his next trip to Paraguay, an offer he intends to take. He will be back to Paraguay in December to marry Mariela.
By Caleb Sanderson
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