Biography and education
Margaret (Margo) Dunaway was born in the US, but lived in Europe as a child and an adolescent. She began learning Spanish at the age of 3 and much preferred speaking it to English (her so-called "native" language, and French, her adopted language from living abroad). Margo studied languages as an undergraduate at Rice University (as well as Economics) and entered graduate business school, earning a MBA. After a three-year stint working in international banking, Margo redirected her career path to academia, returned to Rice University where she graduated with a Master of Arts in Spanish and then entered Harvard University where she received a PhD in Spanish with an emphasis in Latin-American literature. After a more traditional academic career path as a tenured Associate Professor at Southwestern University, Margo resigned to become a full-time mom to her two sons, and to assist her husband with his architectural practice. Margo was thrilled to return to teaching at Texas State as a Senior Lecturer in Spanish in 2009 where she remained until 2022 -- and returned in January 2024. While most of her energy has been devoted to teaching Spanish language, Margo remains interested in researching and writing on the development of post-colonial era capital systems, consumerism, and entrepreneurship in Spanish America as represented in novels of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Featured grants
- Dunaway, Margaret L. Office of Equity and Access Grant Awarded. (Funded: 2014). Grant.

Featured scholarly/creative works
- Dunaway, M. L. (2014). Translation of Abstract (English-Spanish): “Slow Pilgrimage Ecopoetics” by Susan S. Morrison for Ecozon@: European Journal of Literature, Culture and Environment 10.1, 2019 (Vol. 28, pp. 129–136).
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alpha Chi National Honor Society. April 2018
- Award / Honor Recipient: "Favorite Professor", Alpha Chi National Honor Society. April 2017
- Award / Honor Recipient: "Favorite Professor", Alpha Chi National Honor Society. April 29, 2016
- Award / Honor Recipient: "Favorite Professor", Alpha Chi National Honor Society. November 21, 2014
- Award / Honor Recipient: College Achievement Award for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. August 22, 2014

Featured service activities
- Other
Family Campaign - Team Lead
- Other
Outcomes Assessment (of graduating BA and MA students in Spanish)
- Volunteer
LifeWorks
- Member
Textbook Review Committee
- Other
Outcomes Assessment - Spanish
- Other
Spanish Steering Committee