Originally from Asunción, Paraguay, Fernando Casanova trained in the culinary world and served in the U.S. Navy before going on to earn his bachelor's degree in Spanish, with a minor in Philosophy, from the University of San Diego. He later completed a master's degree in Spanish at San Diego State University, where he wrote a thesis on motivation of Spanish heritage speakers to enroll in upper-level Spanish classes. His academic and research interests focus on linguistics, particularly heritage language speakers, languages in contact, bilingual development, language teaching methodologies, curriculum development, and educational ideologies.
In this Spotlight Q&A, we asked Fernando about his previous jobs, what drew him to his current research at UC Santa Barbara, and how the GRAD EDGE experience helped prepare him for his doctoral studies.
Q&A
My academic journey has been anything but linear. I’m originally from Asunción, Paraguay, where I attended two culinary schools. After moving to Florida in 2011, I attended another culinary school and worked at different restaurants. Those experiences exposed me to different cultures and languages and made me curious about how people communicate and interact.
I later joined the U.S. Navy, where I experienced another kind of multilingual and multicultural environment, living and working closely with people from many different backgrounds. In 2020, I began my academic journey in linguistics at Mesa College in San Diego. Despite COVID interrupting in-person classes, I quickly became passionate about the field. I then transferred to the University of San Diego, where I earned my undergraduate degree in Spanish and minored in philosophy, followed by a master’s in Spanish at San Diego State University, which I completed in May 2026.
Now, I’m continuing that journey as a doctoral student at UC Santa Barbara, where my research focuses on Spanish as a heritage language, bilingual development, languages in contact, teaching ideologies. Looking back, my experiences in culinary school, restaurants, the Navy, and academia all connected in ways that ultimately led me to linguistics.
My fascination with linguistics started at a young age because of my dad. He speaks four languages and always encouraged my siblings and me to become bilingual or even trilingual. That made me curious not just about learning languages but about understanding how they actually work.
As I got older, that curiosity grew into an interest in syntax, language identity, and the politics and ideologies surrounding multilingualism in America. From my undergraduate studies through my master’s and now my doctorate, I’ve been able to explore those questions more deeply, and that journey has shown me that linguistics is something I’m genuinely passionate about.
My mentor, Dra. Marqués Pascual, in the Spanish Department, told me about the fellowship when I was visiting the UCSB campus on April of this year. She mentioned it was the first year the program was being offered. While I didn't know exactly what to expect, I knew I wanted the opportunity to conduct summer research. I was honored to be nominated, and participating in GRAD EDGE has been extremely useful.
My experience with the mentors has honestly been fantastic. The panels were really helpful because faculty and staff were very open about what graduate school and academia are actually like. What I appreciated most was their honesty. They didn’t present academia as this perfect or glorious path; they talked about the importance of relationships, publishing, working with your chair and committee, and the fact that sometimes people may have different expectations or perspectives.
I really appreciated that honesty, especially as a non-traditional student. I’m 35, so I know I’m coming into this experience from a different place than many of the other Fellows. I asked a lot of questions because I wanted to understand what I was getting into. That openness from the mentors made me feel more prepared and confident about starting my doctoral journey at UCSB.
GRAD EDGE helped prepare me by giving me a chance to become familiar with the UCSB campus, resources, and people before starting my PhD. Through the tours, panels, and meetings, I learned where to find important resources and who to go to for support, so I’m not starting from zero. Figuring all of that out on my own would be drinking out of fire hose.
It also helped me build a community. I met around 20 people this summer and connected with several other fellows who are also transitioning into the UC system. We were able to talk honestly about things like advisors, graduate school, and navigating the university. For me, that sense of community is extremely important because I believe we need each other to succeed. Having already been on campus and built those relationships gives me a stronger starting point as I begin my doctoral studies.
I’m most excited about starting this new chapter—being in class, learning from different professors and teaching styles, and meeting new people. I’m also excited about building a new life in Santa Barbara. What attracts me most to academia is the opportunity to constantly learn from others, hear their stories, and connect through language and culture. I feel like I belong here, and I’m excited to see where this new chapter takes me.
Absolutely. I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors throughout my college journey who really shaped the way I think and approach my work. During my undergraduate years at the University of San Diego, I had Professor Yanguas, whose teaching style I really admired. I did an independent study with him, and he showed me that teaching isn’t always “one size fits all,” and that really stayed with me. At San Diego State, Dr. Schmidt was also incredibly supportive throughout my thesis. She was always approachable, patient, and willing to help. I see those same qualities in my current advisor, who consistently gives me thoughtful feedback and pushes me to improve. I’m grateful for all of these mentors, but I also recognize that I wouldn’t have made it this far without the support of my wife, who has been by my side for the past ten years and has always encouraged me to keep going and become a better man.
Fernando began his culinary training in Paraguay before moving to Florida, where he continued his culinary education at McFatter College. In addition to his culinary interests, he has a deep appreciation for music and has played classical guitar since the age of 12, a lifelong passion that continues to shape his creative pursuits. He is also a U.S. Navy veteran, and his military service provided opportunities to travel extensively, fostering a lasting appreciation for languages, cultures, and people.