From Audrey Hood (French BA 2020; now Library Collection Development Specialist, ProQuest): “When I was finishing up my B.A. in the Department of French & Italian, I had plans to continue on with my language studies and become an academic librarian with a subject expertise in French. The pandemic changed my priorities, so I decided to look into other industries. I ended up getting a job as a reference librarian in a public library while I completed graduate school in library science. Some of my duties included developing foreign language collections and multicultural community programming. Now, I work as a content aggregator for academic libraries and help librarians all over the world curate book collections. I use my language expertise to improve French collections and communicate with Francophone customers and colleagues. While my original career plans didn’t come to fruition, I ultimately found opportunities that have served me just as well, and in some ways, better. That is the beauty of studying languages: learning them is an enriching experience all on its own, and when you leave school, you can and will use what you know in ways you didn’t expect. My advice to current students is to have fun with your classes and look for any and all opportunities to use what you’re learning in creative ways. Future employers will value that effort, and so will future you!

From Drew Deaton (BA 2018 (Accounting & Finance, Certificate in Global French); now Senior Associate, Brookfield Special Investments): “FRIT provided me with a strong foundation in critical reading, writing and developing and assessing arguments. These skills have been invaluable through the beginning of my career, and are only becoming more important as I gain experience and seniority in my field. Looking back, I wish I had taken advantage of the study abroad opportunities at FRIT. Cultural and lingual immersion is difficult to replicate after graduation, and I believe it would have been of great value.”

From Dru Malott (Mack) (French BA 2013; now French Teacher and Instructional Support Teacher, Goshen High School): “Bonjour! My name is Dru Malott, and I graduated from IU Bloomington in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in French. I am currently teaching French at the high school level. During my time at IU, I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France for a full academic year; I am forever grateful for this unforgettable experience and highly recommend to current and prospective students to spend time abroad if possible. Spending time abroad and having a French degree is like a springboard that can help launch you into a variety of career paths, many of which might be unexpected! I have learned that my education in French was not just about learning a language; it taught me soft skills that transfer into other domains and it connects me to many different parts of the world. Even as I approach my tenth year of teaching, my background in French is still opening doors and opportunities that continue to surprise and delight me, such as leading student trips to France and helping adult language learners in Martinique. As you continue your studies, I wish all FRIT students success, joy, and adventure. Bon courage!”

From Ian Bever (Italian BA 2015; now Senior UX Designer and Researcher for American Family Insurance): “I somewhat fell into studying Italian, beginning my undergraduate career as a psychology major with no known Italian ancestry who tested into Spanish classes I didn't quite feel prepared for. However, after taking advanced introductory and intermediate Italian with Karolina, I chose to minor. After choosing to minor, I decided to study abroad in Bologna. Ultimately, I ended up triple majoring in psychology, English, and Italian before I advanced to graduate school with my Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction Design... and somehow still managed to convince my program director to let me take Italian feminist literature as my final elective. And now I'm professionally a software designer and researcher and resident Italophile and translator for friends and family alike.

Learning the Italian language and the history and culture that comes with it was an invaluable investment for how much it gave me the capacity to transcend my own background and more fully participate in another culture. Differences in grammar, diction, and idioms made me more creative with how I communicated, whether in English or Italian. Reading Dante in the 14^th century Florentine proved more accessible than reading Chaucer for my English degree. The language was accessible but still challenging enough to make me grow, as a scholar as much as a person. And through the language, I could participate in a community in a part of the world I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. Years later, I still keep in touch with former roommates and friends in Italy. I still read poetry and criticism from Pasolini, see Italian films or those dubbed in Italian without needing subtitles, and navigate the world in a way I wouldn't have without my Italian degree. It's one thing to learn about the history of art of the Renaissance, the Italian press, or the Italian women's rights movement; it's an even deeper experience when you can experience those things in the language in which they occurred. 

Professionally, I'm often working with translated, internationalized, or localized software, cross-cultural design considerations, and inclusive design & accessibility to make digital experiences easier and more enjoyable to use. As a designer and a researcher, so much of my day involves collaborating and communicating with others from different fields, backgrounds, and cultures. So, when people learn I was an Italian major, they assume my undergraduate studies didn't much impact my career; I would very much disagree. Without my experiences with the Department of French and Italian at IU, I can't say I'd be the same professional or the same person I am today. 

So, if you're curious about the language, take a language course for your foreign language requirement. If you're just completing your foreign language requirement, I'd challenge you to do the minor. And if you're minoring, I'd challenge you to major and study abroad in Bologna, and if you do, stay the full year for the immersion that can be difficult to achieve in a single semester (like I did). Whether you're primarily studying Italian or pairing it with a business, fashion design, informatics, religion, social work, or any other humanities or technical major, an Italian degree from IU is a great investment that can help add value to your life, as a person, in the workforce, and as a citizen in an ever more globalized world.”

Other French and Italian Events

This year, the French and Italian undergraduate programs joined forces on many other events. In the spring we organized a series of three coffee hours for our undergraduate students who want to connect with their more advanced peers and who are interested in minoring or majoring in our department. The events attracted a lot of attention, probably because of the delicious food we offered: from croissants and bread with Nutella to pizza. We will be repeating these events next year.

Both programs participated in three First Thursdays (September, November, and April): we shared space with other Arts and Humanities programs and brought French and Italian closer to the student population. The students played trivia with us, colored, practiced geography, and played with the dogs we brought to our events. Our graduate students and faculty members helped to organize the events and interact with the students and community members. We love these events, especially when they are held outdoors and the weather cooperates with us!

Each year we look forward to meeting prospective students during the Direct Admit Days organized by the College of Arts and Sciences. This year we spent two Saturdays getting to know the students and their families, once at the IMU and once at Franklin Hall. We spoke with them about our programs, study abroad opportunities, and the advantages of learning foreign languages (with special attention to French and Italian, of course). It will be great to see those same students in our classes this fall!

French Undergraduate Activities

The French undergraduate program had a very busy year. As they do every year, our French Club and our student-run group, Les Chevaliers, organized a series of successful events from weekly conversation hours to film screenings, cultural events, and an informative panel titled “What French Can Do for You.” Through the last event, organized during the Week of Francophone Cultures, our outstanding undergraduate students shared their vision of how French can contribute to their career and life skills development. We are hoping to hear more students’ voices in the future!

We had eight teaching interns this year who did a fantastic job of leading one-credit French conversation groups for F150-F265 students! Fall interns: Millie Erickson, Mason Hatfield, Nadia Scharf, and Allison Waller. Spring interns: Lila Caplan, Greta Crites, Sophia Trinkle, and Emme Witt. Our Instagram account (@iufrench) offered lively updates on activities, thanks this year to Melissa Lapalus (French Club coordinator, 2023-24) and Anna Trautmann (undergraduate intern, Fall 2023). Check us out!

In November, we hosted an information session for seniors applying to the TAPIF program for 2024-25. TAPIF interns are paid by the French Ministry of Education to help teach English part-time in French schools. Interns apply for positions at the elementary through high school levels, all over France. As this newsletter goes to press, several IU students have accepted TAPIF positions and are preparing to live in France next year!

We hosted students on our campus from several high schools: Center Grove High School with Séverine McClellan on October 23rd, Signature School with Jason Wright on February 24th, and Seven Oaks School with Diana Kinser on April 24th.

Next year we will continue to spread the love for French around Indiana and beyond!

Throughout the year we offered bi-weekly conversation hours and many other cultural events, from film screenings to Pilates in Italian. We finished the academic year with a talent show which filled the Woodburn auditorium with students and performers. Emily Landsittel gave a lightning talk on the importance of studying abroad (in Bologna specifically); others read poetry they wrote in Italian or sang songs. We traditionally danced together to Gioca Jouer (a famous Italian song from 1981). 

This year our M215 and M203 students were paired with Italian students with whom they practiced their speaking and intercultural competency on Zoom. A lot of great friendships were born from this experience, which will hopefully last for many years. We also had an intern, Erica Goldsworthy, who combined her love for Italian and advertising by helping us to run our Instagram account (@IU_Italian) and creating innovative and informative content for our department. We will miss our graduates, but we will keep working to make our program better.