Associate professor of Spanish Eufemia Sanchez de la Calle was killed in a car accident in Madrid Thursday night, a campus email reported Friday afternoon. She was 57.

Sanchez de la Calle was serving in her second year as the resident director of the Marquette en Madrid study abroad program prior to her death. Her funeral was held today in her hometown of Cáceres, Spain, and memorial services are set for next week in Madrid, according to the email.

Sanchez de la Calle had taught at Marquette since 1990. She was the author of two books, a biography of Spanish novelist Isaac Montero and an elementary/intermediate level Spanish language textbook .

Students studying abroad in Madrid are being offered help from a grief therapist and the U.S. embassy, according to the email. The chair of foreign languages and literatures, Anne Pasero, will be travelling to Madrid to offer further support. A memorial for Sanchez de la Calle will be held on campus in October.