Professor Liana Stepanyan holds a PhD in Mexican literature and Spanish language, and a Master's degree in translation (Spanish, English, Russian, Armenian). She is also ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview Tester and Writing Proficiency Tester. Her scholarly interests include inclusive language pedagogy, Spanish language, and Mexican visual and literary arts.
Liana Stepanyan joined USC´s Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures in 2007, and has been teaching Spanish language, Hispanic literature and culture, and General Education courses.
In 2011 Professor Stepanyan established USC’s Spanish and Portuguese Achievement Award that acknowledges students’ unique academic achievements. In 2013 she created Lingua Franca- an experimental community outreach program. Most recently, in 2018 Professor Stepanyan launched the digital OER (Open Educational Resources) journal named Revista CeDE. She also facilitated the partnership between Revista CeDE and OER Commons.
In 2022, Liana Stepanyan received the 2022 USC Associates Award, that is the highest honors the university faculty bestows upon its members for distinguished intellectual and artistic achievements and for outstanding teaching, both in and out of the classroom.