Study Abroad Scholarships and Graduate Instructor Excellence in Teaching Award Announced

Last week the Department of French and Italian honored three students with awards. Caleb Feltis and Sam Glasford each received a French and Italian Study Abroad Scholarship for 2019-2020 and Chris Ice was awarded the Graduate Instructor Excellence in Teaching Award.

After giving them a moment to reflect on their receipt of the awards, I checked in with the awardees.

French and Italian Study Abroad Scholarship

Caleb Feltis

Caleb, going to Montpelier, France this summer, after pointing out that he is “honored” to receive the award, said “the opportunity to spend 8 weeks among French native speakers and to immerse myself in French culture is absolutely invaluable.”

He is "incredibly excited to head out and to return with stories to tell!” So we look forward to checking in with him and hearing about the wonderful experiences he will have in Montpelier this summer.

Sam Glasford

On this side of the Atlantic, Sam Glasford plans to use the scholarship for his year in Quebec, where he will be studying at l'Université de Sherbrooke.

Of his choice to study in Quebec “rather than France, Belgium, or Senegal,” Sam points to his “passionate interest in the French-speaking communities of North America. Having already taken a survey course on these communities as well as a more specialized class on Francophone Louisiana specifically, this study abroad program will further my knowledge about this topic by allowing me to personally and academically experience the culture, language, and history of la Belle Province.”

Graduate Instructor Excellence in Teaching

The Excellence in Teaching award is given to graduate instructors in French for their: ability to challenge students to excel in language learning; creativity in designing and delivering sound teaching practices; responsiveness to students’ needs; contributions to the department’s mission; and commitment to professional development. Considering the detailed nature of the application, it is with great respect that Chris Ice earned this award.

Chris Ice

When asked to describe what getting the award meant to him, Chris replied, “It is an honor to have my name on this plaque with so many colleagues who have inspired and supported me over the years. It has also been a privilege to be able to teach a sequence of upper-level French courses the past year and a half. It has allowed me to witness the growth of many students over several semesters, which has been truly amazing. Thank you to all!”

These are just some of our students in French doing amazing things. Caleb, Sam, and Chris have achieved so much already—I can’t wait to see what comes next for each of them.

Best wishes for your travels.