Gerard Lavatori Gerard Lavatori has studied French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish. and plays the oboe, flute, piccolo, and clarinet. The guy just loves to learn new things. When not tuned to some documentary or the History Channel, Lavatori generally buries his head in a biography or literary criticism or seeks out interesting films and plays in the Los Angeles area. A “morning person,” Lavatori wakes up at 5 or 6 a.m. He fills his time learning, biking or hiking, anything to stay physically and mentally active.  And this dedication to activity and learning has helped lead to his interest in foreign languages. But this began long ago with his parents, who spoke Polish and Italian. He simply knew since then that he always wanted to learn other languages. Lavatori grew up in New England near the Canadian border, where the biggest ethnic group was French Canadian. He frequently Quebec visited for school and as a tourist, particularly in Montreal. Late he spent two years in France as a university student, studying French literature and teaching English as a foreign language. And his appreciation for language arts extends into other fine arts as well, like music. A musician since junior high, Lavatori plays oboe, flute, and clarinet, inspired by his penchant for Baroque music and his mother’s interest in classical voice. THE PROFESSOR An innate love for learning led Lavatori to the classroom. “I always enjoyed school,” he said. As a professor, he tries to be “patient, persistent, thorough, and available.” He hopes to share his interest in French and francophone civilizations with students and enable them to enjoy the personal and professional benefits that come from knowing another language and cultures. RETURN TO FACULTY LISTmailto:lavatori@ulv.edu?subject=HELLOHome.htmlshapeimage_1_link_1
Gerard Lavatori Click on the picture to send an e-mail