French Student Profiles
Real Voices, Real Impact
Lauren Clark ’19 spent her Junior year living in and around Paris, France. During her spring semester, she studied at the L’université de Cergy-Pontoise, located just outside Paris. Lauren’s independent study course was key in sparking a brand new passion for French politics, one that led her to multiple internships, rallies of French presidential candidates, and a new academic and professional path. Listen to Lauren’s story. Transcript
“Taking La France Contemporaine was extremely interesting because we were required to follow French news and stay up to date with events occurring in France. This kind of class makes it fun and motivating to engage and allows for an interest and knowledge to be further developed of France and the culture and current events.”
“I ended up becoming so engaged in French politics, that I realized ‘Oh my goodness! Now I have a way that I can use my passion for the French language and culture and apply it to a science or a study that I will be able to impact and to learn a lot about.’ I ended up finding this new passion for politics, and it showed me this new direction for my life that I never had considered before . . . So the internships that I had, the study abroad experience, the connections that I made, the host family that I stayed with, and the things that I learned about myself gave me a sense of purpose and direction, and a relatively clear path for the future. It also opened doors to opportunities that I would have never imagined, like an internship next semester at the European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau at the Department of State. That would have never been possible if I didn’t have the experiences that I had when I studied abroad.”
“The French department at Valpo is small but the impact you take away from it can be as big as you are willing to make it. It may get tough but, with the support of the professors and other French students, it is the most rewarding experience . . . anything is possible if you are willing to use the resources available to you and really immerse yourself in the program!”
“I chose Valpo because of the opportunity to combine a French major with an engineering major and an immersive study abroad experience. The opportunity to continue my French studies and go abroad is not very common among engineering majors, but with the unique programs Valpo has to offer . . . I’ve been able to do just that.”
“My French major complements my international relations major perfectly. It allows me to keep learning about the country I love while learning about other states around the world as well.”
“We have the opportunity usually once or twice a week to meet with a native French speaker, which has allowed me to continue practicing my French outside of the classroom. This experience allowed me to make new friends and improve my French at the same time.”
“Taking French courses at Valpo has been a great experience for me because although French is not my major, I have been able to take interesting language classes and participate in all the fun cultural activities that happen around campus!”
“Being an international relations major, it is very beneficial for me to have experience in a foreign language, and the French program here is perfect for me. Also, as a member of the Army ROTC program, I believe that it is very important to have experience with foreign language and culture; it can help put you in the frame of mind to be ready to learn about and understand cultures other than ours. The French program has given me those tools.”
“The French department is very small, which in my opinion, is a great thing. I have always been able to receive one-on-one help from the professors and can talk to them about any minor or major decision. They are always ready and willing to offer advice.”
A double-major in marketing and French, Skye ’19 lived abroad in La Rochelle, France during the fall of her Junior year. Skye’s time in France brought her into contact with the world’s diversity as she made friends not only from France, but Germany, Sweden, Egypt, Korea, and more. Forming these international friendships brought about a shift in perspective in Skye upon returning home. Listen to Skye’s story. Transcript
“When I was abroad, I became friends with a ton of people, and I think something that was really cool is that they were all from different backgrounds. So, it’s not like I was with people who were just American or hanging out with people who were just French the whole time. Rather, I had friends who were German, I had friends who were Swedish, I had Egyptian friends, I had Spanish friends, Dutch, British, Korean… I’ve really taken the different cultures and backgrounds of everyone that I’ve met–from so many different colors of skin and so many different places around the world–and I love them all equally. I think it’s really important to look at that and see now how I’ve brought that back to Valpo and how I’m striving to push for more diversity on campus and to push for more inclusivity on campus and for more of a welcoming community for anyone.”
