Alison Mandaville, is faculty in the department of English but does some of her most interesting research with women writers in Azerbaijan. With colleagues in Azerbaijan, Dr. Mandaville leads workshops, translates and publishes work by these women, making their stories and poetry available to an English language readership – and connecting the Valley to the world. At Fresno State, she works with the Central Valley’s newest middle and high school teachers. She spearheaded the addition of a new service learning course that will place students in literacy contexts in the local community. Her recent work to develop a new BA completion program for past Fresno State students is a big part of why she was named “Promising New Faculty.”