Lydia Belatèche Wins CLA 2026 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award

Each year, the College of Liberal Arts honors instructors for their exceptional teaching of undergraduate and graduate students, recognizing their commitment and passion to education.

Here we celebrate Lydia Belatèche, PhD, a senior lecturer of French and a recipient of the student-nominated CLA 2026 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Dr. Belatèche serves as the faculty coordinator for the College in the Schools for French program. She trains high school French teachers and invites their students to campus for field days. Her other major outreach activity is with the American Association of Teachers of French. She is the former president of the Minnesota Chapter and, on the national level, she writes book reviews for The French Review, which she often shares with her students.

“If I were to summarize my teaching philosophy in two words, it would be community building,” says Dr. Belatèche. “During my close to thirty-year career at the University, I have built up a community of learners of French, both students and teachers.”

Félicitations!/Congratulations!

Recognition from colleagues and students

Dr. Belatèche is clearly one of those rare, transformative educators who meaningfully connects with students both in and out of the classroom, cares deeply about their experiences, and strives not just to teach them content, but to spark a lifelong passion for learning about language and culture.

Ioana Vartolomei Pribiag, chair of French & Italian

FREN 3015 was the first time I felt as though I was taking a course that truly examined French in a capacity beyond the language itself. Dr. Belatèche’s instruction and curriculum emphasized an examination of Francophone culture, which was immensely educational, and it exposed me to new perspectives on language learning as a whole.

Thomas Murphy, French studies and microbiology major

Dr. Belatèche is supportive of me not just as a student of French but as a multidisciplinary student and a person outside of the classroom. Even though I’m not currently enrolled in a class with her, she continues to be a pillar of support in my education.

Celia Hegge, French studies and genetics, cell biology & development major

Dr. Belatèche is a dedicated and patient instructor who creates an engaging and supportive classroom environment.

Aimee Morrissette, French & Italian studies, international/global studies, and history major; minor in sociology