Getting to know...Dr. Denise FrazierMeet Dr. Denise Frazier, assistant professor of Spanish, who comes to Wofford College via New Orleans and Houston. Frazier’s love of the Spanish language began in her hometown of Houston. She says she had no choice in the matter.
“You can’t get around that city without some knowledge of Spanish,” she says. “I remember picking up a salsa CD when I was in high school. I soon became addicted to salsa music -- the sounds, the melodies -- how all these seemingly disparate components of music are woven together so effortlessly to create this ear candy. One particular song really appealed to me and I wanted to know what they were saying and what they were singing about. That sparked my initial interest in Spanish.”
Today she is teaching both intermediate and advanced courses in the language here at Wofford. Not bad for someone who picked it up the way she did.
“I’m really happy to be here,” she says. “This is my introduction to the Old South. People refer to the South like it’s all one big place, but Houston can’t compare to New Orleans, and neither can compare to South Carolina.”
No, but Wofford can compare to the college where Frazier got her undergraduate degree, Southwestern in Georgetown, Texas.
“Wofford is a lot like Southwestern,” says Frazier. “Having had the liberal arts experience as a student, I was looking for a teaching position where I could have that kind of interaction with students, as well as propose projects that suited my various interests. The foreign language department here, as well as the college in general, were very open to that.”
After Southwestern, Frazier earned her Ph.D. from Tulane University. Her seven years in New Orleans produced several memories. Some funny, some sad.
“I evacuated New Orleans the Saturday before (Hurricane) Katrina,” she says. “They gave us that fall semester off, although other universities opened up their arms for those who wanted to continue their studies. I went back a few weeks later to make sure everything in my apartment was OK. Thank God it was, but the top level of my apartment building was destroyed, basically. I’ll never forget that feeling, being incredibly grateful and yet sad for others around me at the same time.”
Katrina took many things from New Orleans, but fortunately Mardi Gras wasn’t one of them. Frazier laughs when asked to tell the story of an encounter there with one of her students (she was teaching as student professor at the time).
“It was my first Mardi Gras where I marched with this group,” she explains. “I’m just kind of dancing and having a great time, when suddenly I hear, ‘Profesora!’ One of my students, wearing only tighty whities in 40-degree weather, recognized me and was yelling for my attention. Scared the daylights out of me. Not only that, I really couldn’t look him in the face in class after that experience.”
Fortunately the students at Wofford are much more subdued, although they are known to seek out professors in a much more comfortable, professional environment.
“My students have just started showing up in my office, just like my colleagues said they would,” says Frazier with a smile.
Away from her office, Frazier’s hobbies range from dancing “to almost any kind of music,” playing the violin, performance art, and visual art.
“Anything with music is a big passion of mine,” she says. “I haven’t gotten into country yet, but I figure that’s what Spartanburg might add to my repertoire.”
The violin provides Frazier with an escape.
“I love playing the violin,” she says. “It’s something that has enriched my life as I’ve gotten older, which is funny since I hated practicing when I was younger. But now I’m really drawn to it as something that allows me to exorcise things that have happened to me that day. I just had my first rehearsal with the Converse Orchestra, and it’s going to be great to be able to play with other people. I have also contacted Rosa Bethea, who along with her daughter also plays the violin.”
Aside from being a performance artist, Frazier has taken a keen interest in one particular visual art – graffiti.
“It really interests me,” she says. “Whether its graffiti in Brazil or right here in Spartanburg. I’ve even taken pictures of some of the local graffiti.”
She has two passions that she enjoys at home or at the office, including one she refuses to call a guilty pleasure.
“I’m a tea addict but I never feel guilty about it,” she laughs. “I’m excited about going to China (as part of a departmental trip) where I hope to get the authentic Chinese tea experience. I’m not a sweet tea fan. Bitter and hot is how I like it.”
She also likes CDs. She says she brings a different one to work almost every day. Just another reason to enjoy working at Wofford College.
“I’m really excited about being here and still trying to soak everything in,” she says. “I wanted to utilize my skills as a professor and find a place where I felt I could contribute. I was given a great opportunity to teach here, and here I am. I feel truly grateful and privileged.”