Iris Amice (née Grossman) graduated with a B.A. in French in 1994. After graduation, she taught French to children in Indianapolis at the elementary level. She then received a scholarship to study translation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California. From there, a scholarship to pursue course work at the Institut Superieure d’Interpretation et de Traduction took her to Paris—and she never turned back.
Within a few years of arriving in Paris, Amice started translating screenplays and interpreting for visitors from the United States. Because she missed the human contact of teaching, she turned to guiding tourists—especially families—through the historical and cultural sites of the capital.
She has a professional guide’s badge from the French Ministry of Culture, and works with various tourist agencies, such as Paris Walks, to book clients. In addition to the major sights, Amice enjoys showing off neighborhoods that are a bit off the beaten path, such as Montparnasse, the artistic center of Les Années Folles (the 1920s), and the peaceful garden behind the Palais Royal.
Several years ago, Amice started offering educational chocolate tours, a wonderful way to sample the best chocolates Paris has to offer. Her tours have been praised by the European travel guru Rick Steves and featured in Time Out Paris and the Los Angeles Times.
Asked whether she has any advice for Indiana University graduates just starting their careers, Amice encourages them to follow their dreams. Through hard work and determination, she was able to make her own dream of living in Paris a reality, sharing her love of French culture.
The College of Arts