The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) thanks Dr. Serafín Coronel-Molina for his dedicated service as Director from 2023 to 2025. During his tenure, he elevated the visibility of Indigenous languages and cultures and advanced initiatives that deepened the center’s engagement with Latin America, the Caribbean, and global communities. His impact extended across programming, student mentorship, and international partnerships, leaving a lasting mark on CLACS.
Among his many contributions, Dr. Coronel-Molina ensured the successful continuation of the Quechua Language and Culture Workshop in Fall 2024, bringing in young scholars Jermani Ojeda-Ludeña and Katherin Tairo-Quispe to lead a 10-week public series exploring the Quechua language, its history, and its vibrant present. He also facilitated visits from acclaimed Peruvian artists Consuelo Jeri and Coco Vega, Quechua rapper Liberato Kani, and organized the 9th Quechua Alliance Meeting at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School.
A highlight of his directorship was the First Conference on Global Indigenous Studies from Multiple Perspectives, co-hosted in November 2024 by CLACS, the Global Indigenous Studies Network (GISN), and IU partners. The conference gathered over 200 students, scholars, activists, and community members. Keynotes by Aluki Kotierk (President, Nunavut Tunngavik), Eduardo S. Brondizio (IU Distinguished Professor of Anthropology), K. David Harrison (National Geographic Society/VinUniversity), and Mirian Masaquiza Jerez (United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues) offered inspiring reflections on Indigenous languages, knowledge, and global challenges.
Importantly, during his leadership, four students completed graduate degrees through CLACS in fields ranging from underwater science and literature to education and public and environmental affairs—achievements that underscore the center’s central role in supporting graduate scholarship connected to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dr. Coronel-Molina also represented CLACS and GISN at the 3rd Annual World Conference on Transformative Education in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and reflected on the center’s history in his article 60 Years of Impact: Indiana University’s CLACS and Its Lasting Contributions to Latin America and the Caribbean (Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine).
In addition to his leadership at CLACS, he continues to serve as Professor in the School of Education, Head Coordinator of GISN, and was recently appointed as an Expert Member of the UNESCO Ad-hoc Group on Indigenous Languages.
We are deeply grateful to Dr. Coronel-Molina for his leadership, vision, and the lasting visibility he brought to CLACS. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors, including his ongoing work with GISN and the upcoming Second Conference on Global Indigenous Studies in 2026.