Letter from the Chair
Global French Studies: Reimagining Language Learning in the 21st Century
The Department of French & Italian at Tulane continues to evolve in response to one of the most pressing educational questions of our time: what does it mean to learn a language in the twenty-first century?
In an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, instant translation technologies, and digital acceleration, we are rethinking language learning not simply as the acquisition of vocabulary, but as a practice of attention, interpretation, cultural literacy, and intellectual adaptability. At the same time, we are working to make more visible the concrete academic and professional pathways that language study can open for our students.
This year, our faculty have engaged in extensive conversations about the future of the department and the ways in which French and Italian can continue to speak meaningfully to contemporary students. Among the initiatives currently under development are new “Global French” gateway courses designed to connect language and culture with fields such as diplomacy, entrepreneurship, medicine, food studies, fashion, and global commerce.
One proposed course, Global French: Adapting Business Across Francophone Markets, would ask students to examine how business models must adapt across different linguistic and cultural environments within the Francophone world, from Senegal and Benin to Québec, Morocco, and France itself. Another initiative, Diplomacy & International Affairs in the Francophone World, would build upon our existing Professional French curriculum while preparing students for the Diplôme de français professionnel in International Relations administered by the Chambre de commerce de Paris Île-de-France.
Additional proposed gateway offerings include courses such as Medical Narratives, French & Fashion, The Culture of Wine, and Dante in Hell. These courses would allow students to encounter the intellectual richness of language study early in their undergraduate experience while also making visible its interdisciplinary and global relevance.
We are also strengthening partnerships with institutions such as the Consulate General of France in New Orleans, l’Alliance française, Nous Foundation, and CODOFIL in order to connect students more directly with opportunities for graduate study, international mobility, internships, and professional development. Likewise, we are continuing to expand our efforts to connect current students with alumni working across law, medicine, media, diplomacy, education, business, and the cultural industries.
In parallel, the department is developing new outreach and alumni initiatives, including a dedicated LinkedIn presence designed to help current students engage with former students and better understand the many trajectories opened by language study. Through this newsletter, alumni spotlights, and public events, we hope to make these paths more visible, concrete, and accessible.
At a moment when higher education often feels pressured to justify itself in narrowly utilitarian terms, we continue to believe that language learning cultivates something essential: the ability to navigate complexity, inhabit perspectives other than one’s own, and think critically across cultural and disciplinary boundaries. These capacities remain profoundly relevant not only to professional life, but also to democratic and intellectual life more broadly.
Much of this work lies ahead, and we look forward to continuing these conversations with all of you.
Roll Wave,
Fayçal Falaky
Department Chair
Awards Ceremony
Celebrating Student Excellence at the Résidence de France
On April 21, the Department of French & Italian joined the Consulate General of France in New Orleans and Villa Albertine in hosting an awards ceremony at the Résidence de France following this year’s La Nuit des Idées discussions on Enlightenment thought and its contemporary relevance.
The evening celebrated the achievements of undergraduate and graduate students across the department while also highlighting the continuing collaboration between Tulane University and French cultural institutions in New Orleans. The ceremony brought together students, faculty, diplomats, alumni, and members of the broader community to celebrate the remarkable academic, intellectual, and professional achievements of students across our department.
Among the undergraduate award recipients were Sophomore Sundy Zimmermann, recipient of the Henry Award; and Seniors Carey Bass, recipient of the Alcée Fortier Memorial Prize; Gaston Finger, recipient of the Louis Bush Medal; and Mary Evelyne White, recipient of the Jonathan E. Lorino Memorial Award, the department’s most prestigious undergraduate distinction. Faculty praised Mary Evelyne not only for her exceptional command of French and intellectual maturity, but also for her leadership as president of the Tulane Undergraduate French Association, her participation in the Parlement Jeunesse de Wallonie-Bruxelles, and her study abroad experiences in Montréal and Lyon.
The department also recognized this year’s Oscar Maas Prize recipients for outstanding essays written in French in connection with La Nuit des Idées. First-place honors were awarded to Gaston Finger and Nina Zimmermann; second-place honors to Aviva Blumenthal, Carey Bass, and Mary Evelyne White; and third-place honors to Charlotte Olson and Alexie Smith. The essays reflected on democracy, artificial intelligence, progress, and the future of Enlightenment ideals in the contemporary world.
Graduate student honors recognized excellence in research, teaching, and service. Beth Poe Travel Fund recipients included Payton Brown, Cheyma Ben Hassine, and Sylvette Dupé-Vété-Congolo, whose awards support research and scholarly travel abroad. Additional graduate honors were awarded to Mathias Schwab for Excellence in Research; Christine Eveker and Emilie Hautemont for Excellence in Teaching; and Grace Riordan and Thomas Owen Manion for Excellence in Service. The department also recognized Carolina McPhail, recipient of Tulane’s Barry H. Shafer Scholarship supporting her attendance at the Cornell School of Criticism and Theory this summer.
The department further congratulates Georgie Charette on her internship this summer with the Conseil de la Communauté Marocaine à l’Étranger (CCME) in Rabat, Morocco, and Mary Evelyne White on both her selection for an NSF-funded Creole language research project in Mauritius through the University at Buffalo and her Fulbright fellowship to pursue a master’s degree in sociolinguistics at Aix-Marseille University next year.
The department is deeply grateful to the Consulate General of France in New Orleans and the Villa Albertine for their continued support of intellectual exchange, public humanities programming, and Franco-American cultural collaboration. We are also profoundly grateful to our donors and alumni whose generosity continues to sustain student scholarships, research, travel opportunities, and the broader mission of French & Italian at Tulane. If you would like to support the continued growth of the department and help expand opportunities for our students, we invite you to consider making a gift using the link below.
Center Stage Event
La Nuit des Idées: The Enlightenment, Left Unfinished
By Georgie Charette
Tulane University joined institutions across the world this spring in hosting La Nuit des Idées, the annual international event dedicated to public dialogue, intellectual exchange, and the circulation of ideas.
This year’s theme invited participants to reflect on what it means to “open the way” to younger generations, new technologies, and new forms of collective thought while revisiting the enduring promises and contradictions of Enlightenment ideals.
Featuring eight graduating students from a range of academic backgrounds, the evening explored the legacy and unfinished tensions of Enlightenment thought in relation to race, revolution, democracy, political violence, virtue, disinformation, and historical memory.
As Consul General Rodolphe Sambou remarked during the evening, “The Enlightenment is not a chapter that has been closed. It is an unfinished book.”
The student presentations examined not only the emancipatory aspirations of Enlightenment philosophy, but also the exclusions and contradictions embedded within its historical foundations. Presentations on the Haitian Revolution, colonialism, political violence, and the circulation of revolutionary ideas sparked lively exchanges among students, faculty, diplomats, and members of the public.
The event also featured an interdisciplinary panel including Chelsea Stieber, Masano Yamashita, Jennifer Tsien, Rodolphe Sambou, Thibault Bladek, and Fayçal Falaky.
Far from presenting the Enlightenment as a fixed or completed inheritance, the evening emphasized critical thought itself as an ongoing and collective practice – one requiring constant reexamination in moments of political polarization, technological acceleration, and global uncertainty.
La Nuit des Idées was made possible through the support of the Consulate General of France in New Orleans, Villa Albertine, America 250, and the Department of French & Italian at Tulane University.
Meet Mary Evelyne White, Recipient of the Jonathan E. Lorino Memorial Award
What initially inspired you to study French?
It’s hard to pinpoint when I really started studying French, because I started using Duolingo in my free time in the third grade, but my mom, who minored in French and studied abroad in Avignon in college, had been reading me French children’s books like Le Petit Prince for years. I remember being intrigued by the words I heard in my ballet classes growing up, like plié, tondue, and chassé. Once I got to middle school, I began taking French classes and never turned back. I took as much French as I could in high school, including both IB and AP courses, as well as a month-long French immersion program in the summer before my senior year. This final experience solidified my desire to major in French in college – I just couldn’t get enough of it.
What has been your most memorable experience in the French program at Tulane?
I will always be so grateful for the uniquely New Orleans experience that the French program at Tulane has offered me – especially the way it introduced me to the world of creole language and cultural studies. I could never have imagined what extensive opportunities the department and the New Orleans community at large would offer me. In the classroom, I took courses from Haitian Creole to Sustainable Development in the Francophone World to the Haitian Revolution – all of which expanded my perspectives on the nuances and effects of French colonization. Additionally, from my first semester, professors were constantly sharing opportunities with me, and their support led me to my first internship with the Nous Foundation, a spot in the Parlement Jeunesse de Wallonie-Bruxelles, a trip to Montreal to study French, an immersive Haitian Creole program in Miami, a semester abroad in Lyon, and an NSF-funded Creole linguistics research project in Mauritius, and much more. It’s impossible to pick just one of these experiences as my favorite, but all together, I think they truly demonstrate what a wonderfully unique college experience the Tulane French program provided me.
Has studying French changed the way you think about language, culture, travel, or identity?
Engaging with la Francophonie in all its diversity has transformed the way I approach the world in so many ways. It has shown me the continuity of culture between places and the beautiful capacity of language to connect people from all different backgrounds.
How do you see French shaping your future academic or professional goals?
I used to think that I had to pair my French studies with a more “career-oriented” subject – in fact, I used to have a major in Political Science. However, as I dove into my French and Linguistics studies at Tulane, I realized that my passion for the French language could stand for itself. I pivoted as a sophomore towards my dream of pursuing graduate study in French linguistics and an eventual career in academia, continuing to teach and research French and Creole languages.
What advice would you give to students considering studying French or the humanities today?
Don’t feel like you have to take the path that might be expected of you – never be afraid to lean into what interests you, and find your niche by exploring as much as you can! Early on in my French major, I found myself becoming tired of the Eurocentric French culture and literature that I was familiar with, so I began to take more classes in broader Francophone studies. In each of these classes, my interest was continually piqued by Haiti, its language, and its history. I leaned into this, and soon found a lifelong passion that transformed my vision of my career trajectory.
Meet Doruk Toydemir, Recipient of the Award for Best Student in Italian
What initially inspired you to study Italian?
I initially took Spanish in high school, but when I got to university I knew I wanted to branch out and learn something new. I always had a love for Italian culture, so it was a very easy choice for me to start Italian at Tulane. I initially only planned to take enough for the language proficiency requirement, but I fell deeply in love with the program and decided to take it as far as I could.
What has been your most memorable experience in the Italian program at Tulane?
I have so many fantastic memories, but the most memorable has to be the Rome Summer program. Led by Professor Roberto Nicosia and the art history department Professor Holly Flora, these two were incredible at creating a space for students to explore and truly engage with the new surroundings. The small cohort allowed us to really connect with each other, and on weekends we traveled all over Italy. More broadly, the 3000 and 4000 level courses at Tulane are each specialized in a field the professors have studied or are actively researching, and that passion comes through in every class. There is something uniquely exciting about learning from someone who truly loves their subject. Through Italian alone I have studied film history, music, art, geography, and historiography.
Has studying Italian changed the way you think about language, culture, travel, or identity?
Completely! And in ways I did not expect. Before I learned the language, I felt like I was always observing a place from the outside rather than actually stepping into it. Learning Italian changed that for me. When I went to Italy, I could have real, if imperfect, conversations. I remember talking with locals in ways that simply would not have been possible otherwise. The same happened at Tulane with the Italian international students and our Italian language partners in Padova. Those friendships gave me a window into a perspective on the world I would never have found in a textbook. I think that is the part people underestimate about language learning: you are not just picking up vocabulary and grammar, you discover a new way to experience your surroundings. My best advice would be to learn even a little bit of the language before you travel to truly maximize the experience.
How do you see Italian shaping your future academic or professional goals?
I am hoping to become a doctor in the near future, so for me every language represents a new population I can better serve and communicate with. Having been the “Turkish EMT” in an amusement park, I realized just how important it is to have someone who speaks the same language as you when you truly need help. Communities strengthen when they can comfortably communicate with each other.
What advice would you give to students considering studying Italian or the humanities today?
Just go for it! It may seem daunting to learn another language, but it is so much fun when it starts to click. The work you put in provides real results that you can show off to friends or when you travel. The Tulane Italian department is especially incredible, as all of the professors want you to succeed. Talking with them, setting up office hours, or even just participating in class puts you on the fast track to learn and succeed.
Meet Sanela Frasch, Operations Manager, Department of French & Italian
You probably know the department better than almost anyone. What is something students may not realize about FRIT from the outside?
Students may not always realize that the French and Italian Department offers excellent teaching from some of the best scholars in the field, while also being a welcoming and quite diverse community, representing multiple continents and over 16 countries.
Over the years, what changes in the department have been the most interesting to witness?
Over the years, I witnessed numerous students and emeritus faculty stay connected to the department. People come back, keep in touch, and remain involved, which says a lot about the sense of community and belonging.
What is the most chaotic week of the academic year from your perspective?
Every week is chaotic! Just kidding…. The busiest times are usually October when the energy everyone builds over the summer starts to fade, and midterms arrive. April is another intense period, when graduation suddenly feels right around the corner, and everything ramps up at once.
What is one thing faculty consistently forget?
Faculty occasionally forget small but important things like their keys or laptop/phone charges, which somehow become urgent at the least convenient moments! 😜
If you had to describe the Department of French & Italian in three words, what would they be?
If I had to describe the Department of French & Italian in three words, it would be diverse, dynamic, and constantly evolving. Here office doors are always open (literally and figuratively) for anyone who wants to stop by, sit, and talk. I do miss those days when graduate students would gather in my office, sometimes even sitting on the floor, simply to connect instead of working alone in their offices. We see a little less of that now with the ongoing renovations, but I have no doubt those moments of community and conversation will soon return.
Student Reflection
Learning to Question the Frame
By Gaston Finger
I arrived at Tulane thinking of my education in parallel tracks. Science occupied one lane while language, history, and music occupied others. That division felt natural, even practical. When one became exhausting, I could move to another.
What I did not anticipate was how thoroughly those tracks would converge.
My French seminars on colonial history taught me to read carefully and suspiciously. We examined how political systems justify their own contradictions, and how the sources historians rely on were written by people already shaped by those systems. That habit of questioning the frame, not just the content, turned out to be exactly what scientific research required of me as well.
In the laboratory, enzymatic mechanisms cannot be observed directly. Understanding how a reaction proceeds means assembling indirect evidence into a coherent explanation while remaining genuinely open to revision. The patience that kind of work demands is perhaps not so different from what it takes to read a historical text honestly.
I think the humanities teach a tolerance for incompleteness, and a curiosity that does not require resolution before it can continue. In medicine, I suspect that capacity will matter as much as anything I learned in a lecture hall. Patients, like historical narratives or enzyme mechanisms, rarely behave as simply as we expect. Understanding them requires the same willingness to question assumptions that a good seminar, or a long afternoon in the lab, eventually teaches you.