Qu'est-ce qui se passe?
News on French happenings at Susquehanna University
Student accomplishments highlighted at honor society inductions
As spring finally found its way to our valley, we inducted new members into our two language honor societies. Phi Delta Phi, the first honor society of any kind established on the SU campus, is a French National Honor Society. We had nine new members this year! Pi Sigma Iota is the National Honor Society for all modern languages. Twelve new members were inducted, including three students of French. The ceremony took place on a beautiful Sunday morning in April at the Degenstein Student Center. Together, we celebrated students' accomplishments over continental breakfast. It's a cherished tradition that gives us an opportunity to spend social time with students and meet their families and friends.
Andrew Culbertson, Information Systems major, French minor
Elizabeth Cjuz, French major, Business major
Erin D'Agata, French major, International Studies minor, Italian minor
Visiting speakers inspire us to think further about projects in the digital humanities
Dr. Siméon organized an all-day event focusing on the Digital Humanities and how we can use these kinds of technology in our classes and in our research. We learned about projects that integrate mapping, blogs, video, and other types of technology as a way to help us better understand ideas and history. Stay tuned as we plan to start working on projects in the coming year!
Carl Cornell and Hélène Huet from Penn State, with Sandrine Siméon
Faculty and staff attending the morning session
Carl and Hélène gave us lots of ideas!
French 202 student presentation concludes with pétanque competition
Despite the cold weather, French 202 students had killer match of pétanque outside the library. After an introduction to the sport in a student presentation, the class skyped a French afficiando to learn the finer points of the game. Then they went outside to try it out themselves. Pas si facile que ça!
Business French students present their advertising strategies in public presentation
All semester, students in Business French have been working on a research project that culminated in creating a new advertising poster for a current French company, as part of an original advertising strategy for that company. Students studied one of the older advertising posters of that company, held in the Lore Degenstein Gallery collection of some 1600 French advertising posters, dating from around 1890 to the 1980s. They analyzed the poster to better understand the values of the company, researched the company using Business databases, and developed a new vision for the company. Very creative presentations with guest faculty and staff across campus. Afterwards, we tucked into dinner together: homemade couscous and Chinese take-out (whaat?)!
First-ever French Film Festival offered through the Cultural Services of the French Embassy
Thanks to a Tournées Film Festival grant awarded to our French program for the first time ever, the SU community enjoyed a film series to warm the heart, even in the depths of January and February. The films, ranging from the f
Dr. Palermo receives award for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Dr. Lynn Palermo, who has been at SU since 2001, received a Teaching Innovation and Excellence award this spring. A group of faculty, including the Provost, trooped into her FR102 class to present her the award in front of the students. They took a picture, even though she was teary at the recognition. Fortunately, somebody had a tissue :)
What's on the agenda for next year?
Next year promises to be another big one in the French program...
FALL semester....
FALL semester....
- FR301: Advanced Conversation and Phonetics. Students will plan games and activities for the Journée de la Francophonie, a day of culture, food and fun for area high school students and the SU community, especially French students at all levels
- FR310/460: Savoir vivre. The class will write a blog in which they comment on the readings, films and videos in their course exloring the role of etiquette and rules for social behavior from the Middle Ages to Louis XIV's court at Versailles.
- FR201: Intermediate French I. Students will write magazines on a theme of their choice, tying in the cultural topics of study regarding the French and Francophone world
SPRING semester...
- We hope to renew our grant to bring the French Film Festival back to campus! This summer, Dr. Siméon and Dr. Palermo will be sweating over that proposal. Stay tuned!
- The Department of Modern Languages is planning a day of roundtable discussions on different aspects of translation in our various languages: literary, business, historical documents, medical, legal. Planning is currently in its early stages.
- FR202: intermediate French II. Students will become newscast anchors for the class, reporting on a variety of current events and trends across the French-speaking world.
- FR310/460: Problems in French Translation. Students will translate letters and journal entries of soldiers and civilians in France during World War I.
- GO Villandraut! Dr. Palermo and students will return to Villandraut to continue working on the restoration of this 14th-century castle in the south of France near Bordeaux. They will learn the art of stone-cutting and fashion stones to be part of the castle walls. As always, they will live and work in the village with a group of French volunteers. Can't wait!