Contact: Terry J. San Filippo
College of Liberal Arts
(805) 756-1216
Cal Poly Professor To Receive German Order of Merit Award Oct. 21
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Johannes Rau, president of the Federal Republic of Germany until this summer, has conferred the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany on Bianca Rosenthal, a professor in Cal Poly’s Modern Languages and Literatures Department.
The Order of Merit is awarded to select individuals who support and promote
German culture, language and traditions through distinguished personal
achievement. Hans J. Wendler, Germany’s Consul General in Los Angeles,
will present the award to Rosenthal at Cal Poly on Thursday,
Oct. 21.
Rosenthal is being honored for her academic endeavors and enduring contributions in fostering positive relations between Germany and the United States and for strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.
A native of Munich, Germany, Rosenthal earned a Ph.D. in 1970 from the University of Washington, and came to Cal Poly in 1971 to teach and develop the German language curriculum. Through her tutelage, the program has expanded and enrolls more than 200 students annually in German courses.
Rosenthal has written and edited textbooks for McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin, Random House and California’s Department of Education. She has served as associate editor of modern German literature for The German Notes and Review. She is also the author of “Pathways to Paul Celan: A Chorus of Discordant Voices,” which examines comparative perspectives and international repercussions of Celan’s poetry.
Rosenthal served as resident director of the California State University
International Program in Heidelberg and Tubingen, Germany. She has received
numerous honors and awards, including grants from the Fulbright Commission
and the German Academic Exchange Service to study in Germany. She has
made numerous presentations on German literature and language in a variety
of countries.
Rosenthal lives in San Luis Obispo.
For more information, call Terry J. San Filippo, College of Liberal Arts, College Relations Office, at (805) 756-1216.
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