Arleen Pineda motivates students to study sea biology, and to be passionate about folkloric dancing.

When Arleen Pineda first started college at Ohio University, she knew nothing about folkloric dancing. But a Spanish class that took them to Saltillo, Mexico, changed all that.

While in Mexico, she learned these dances, even performing publicly in such events as an Independence Day dance at the plaza of Saltillo. Now, one of Pineda’s strongest passions is dancing and teaching Latin American folkloric dances.

Pineda’s career at Ohio State started in 1986 when she joined the Ohio Sea Grant Program. Ten years later, she became the program coordinator at the Stone Laboratory’s administrative office. Stone Laboratory is Ohio State’s Island Campus, located in the Put-in-Bay Harbor of Lake Erie.

Pineda helps Ohio State students, as well as students attending other universities and colleges throughout Ohio and the United States, with the application process. She also is, along with other staff members, one of the main contact persons for students when it comes to registering, paying fees, making course changes, and answering questions about living and studying on the island.

Today she is one of the co-advisors and choreographer of Folclor Hispano. Her love of folkloric dancing convinced her to learn dances from all over Latin America, and to organize performances around Ohio. When talking to her, you cannot help but get excited about the beauty of the different Latin American folkloric dances.

Those who know her remark on the impressive ways in which Pineda has motivated high school and OSU students to dance the traditional dances of Latin American countries.