On April 14, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Wellesley College hosted the 2026 Coloquio Hispanista, “Hispanismo transatlántico, educación y feminismo: Katharine Lee Bates y España,” in the Library Lecture Room. The event brought together scholars to explore the transatlantic educational and feminist legacy of Katharine Lee Bates—Wellesley alumna, longtime professor, and author of “America the Beautiful”—with particular attention to her connections to Spain and women’s education.
The colloquium examined Bates’s intellectual and cultural engagement with Spain following her 1899 visit and highlighted her influence on early educational initiatives for women in Spain. Presentations addressed themes including democratic ideals and traditional values in Spain, Bates’s role as a feminist educator, and the broader network of U.S. women educators connected to the International Institute for Girls in Spain.
Featured speakers included our very own José M. del Pino from Dartmouth College, Carlos Ramos of Wellesley College, and Cristina Oñoro of Universidad Complutense de Madrid. The program concluded with a discussion and reception that encouraged interdisciplinary conversation on transatlantic feminism, education, and cultural exchange.
The event was supported by the Wilson Lecture Fund, the Committee on Lectures and Cultural Events, the Department of Spanish & Portuguese, the Suzy Newhouse Center for the Humanities, the Advisor to Latine Students, the Education Department, and the English Department.