Dan Golembeski (PhD ’98, French Linguistics), Associate Professor of French at Grand Valley State University (Allendale, Mich.), was honored as a Chevalier des Palmes académiques by the French government in April. The Ordre des Palmes académiques was originally established by Napoleon in 1808 and honors educators and scientists for outstanding service at the university level.

Golembeski has been busy the last few years translating a three-volume travelogue from French to English. “It’s a wonderful story,” he writes, “(about) a 62 year old retired journalist who decides to walk the Silk Road from Turkey to China by himself.” He received an NEA translation grant to complete the work, and there was an unanticipated fourth volume, which he is working on now.

Jana (Mowrey) Lonberger (BA ’77, French), of Snellville, Ga., retired as a librarian in 2018. She worked at Emory University in Atlanta, and Lanier Technical College in Gainsville, Ga., during her career.

Carl L. Shutoff (MA ’79, PhD ’80, French Literature) writes: “I was honored by East African Community Services of Seattle for my volunteer work teaching citizenship classes, preparing immigrants and refugees for their naturalization interviews.” He now lives in Seattle and adds, “I was also recognized by the King County Association of Historical Organizations for my work at the Holocaust Center for Humanity. [I am] a docent in the museum, driving Holocaust survivors to speaking engagements, and representing the Center at education conferences. My band, the Kesselgarden Klezmer Duo, continues to entertain audiences in the Pacific Northwest at fundraisers, folk festivals, and Jewish life cycle events.”

Jolene Vos-Camy (MA ’94 and PhD ’00, French Literature) was also awarded the honor of Chevalier des Palmes académiques at the same ceremony as Golembeski in April. Vos-Camy is Professor of French and former chair of the French Department at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.