Dr. Todd Anthony Hernández

Dr. Todd Hernández passed away suddenly on April 23, 2023 at Froedtert Hospital at the age of 50 due to malignant hyperthermia, a rare anesthesia complication from a minor routine surgery. Todd is survived by his wife Dr. Paola Hernández (Professor of Spanish and Theater at UW-Madison), and his daughters Camila (a student at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine), and Sofia (a student at Marquette University). He is further survived by his parents Ralph Hernández and Linda Shimoda, and his sister Kari Hernández Hale.

Beginning his career as an Assistant Professor of Spanish and applied linguistics at Marquette University in 2004, Dr. Hernández was later promoted to Associate Professor in 2011, and to Full Professor in 2019.

Todd was born in Wichita, Kansas and then spent his entire childhood growing up in Denver, Colorado. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas and later pursued his doctorate there in 2004, joining the faculty of Marquette University soon after. He was an expert in language teaching methodology, shaping practice-based and theoretically informed pedagogies in Wisconsin and beyond. Todd earned national prominence as a member of the Finance Committee of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and was a key participant in discussions on assessment and study abroad. His work and publications on these topics became a staple of linguistics and teacher preparation programs across the United States. In this capacity, Todd also actively participated in the teacher preparation program in Marquette’s College of Education.

“Todd was a colleague and a teacher whom everyone loved, not just liked,” said Eugenia Afinoguénova, Chair of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. “His wisdom, quiet and supportive demeanor, and his ability to see through complex situations made him an unrivaled professional who never lost that human touch. He introduced generations of students to research on language acquisition and pragmatics and led the department’s most momentous initiatives, from study abroad to facilitating heritage and non-heritage learners’ collaborations in Spanish classes, to teaching on the transnational cultures of soccer. He will be sorely missed and impossible to replace.”

Heidi Bostic, Dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, said, “It was not uncommon to read comments from students who thought he was the best instructor they’d ever had. He knew how to both challenge and support everyone in his classes, exactly what we seek to do in fostering student success.”

Outside of work, Todd was an avid golfer, tennis player and loved to travel to Argentina and across the world with his family.

Todd will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and students. Please direct memorials in Todd’s name to Paola Hernández.

The memorial service will be held at Marquette University Chapel of Holy Family at 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 7, 2023.