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Spanish & Hispanic Studies
Ricardo Estremera Marcial

Ricardo Estremera Marcial

Lecturer of Spanish & Hispanic Studies
Karp Hall 223
(518)388-6594
estremer@union.edu
Spanish

Areas of expertise

¡Hola! Hi, I’m Ricardo! I am originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since a young age, my
passion for connecting with people and communities led me to athletics and higher education. As
a former professional runner and National Team athlete representing Puerto Rico, traveling the
world deepened my fascination with diverse cultures and languages, inspiring me to pursue
advanced studies in sociolinguistics. I hope my students at Union experience that same
transformative journey as they explore language, culture, and community engagement both in
and out of the classroom.

Research interests

My research specialty centers on sociolinguistics, language variation, and Caribbean
dialectology. Specifically, my work focuses on dialect contact between Dominican and Puerto
Rican Spanish in Puerto Rico, examining dialect convergence, language ideologies and
perceptions, and the cultural and linguistic hybridity among Dominican communities in Puerto
Rico. In addition, my research in heritage language learning investigates how psychosocial and
biographical factors influence linguistic knowledge, aiming to advance effective, culturally
responsive teaching strategies for heritage Spanish speakers.

Teaching interests

I am dedicated to creating inclusive, culturally competent classroom environments where
language learning serves as a bridge to real-world community connection. I specialize in
teaching all levels of Spanish language, heritage language education, sociolinguistics, and
community-engaged learning.
Here are key focus areas and courses I teach or specialize in:
 Spanish Language (beginners to advance)
 Spanish for Heritage Learners
 Spanish in the U.S.
 Spanish Sociolinguistics
 Spanish Applied Linguistics
 Second Language Acquisition
 Community Engagement in Education
 Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners
 Afro-Hispanic Civilization & Culture

Biography

I earned my B.A. in Spanish, my M.A. in Spanish Linguistics, and my Ph.D. in Spanish
Linguistics from the University at Albany, SUNY. Prior to joining Union College as a Lecturer, I
worked with the State of New York from 2023 to 2025 providing professional development
workshops and presentations across the region. My work focused on multicultural education,
heritage language pedagogy, supporting multilingual learners. Here at Union, I integrate
community engagement directly into my courses and work in the field. My goal is to build
meaningful connections with local community leaders and expand accessibility and engagement
across the Capital Region.

Academic credentials

B.A. in Spanish, M.A. in Spanish Linguistics, and Ph.D. in Spanish Linguistics from the University at Albany, SUNY