The Department of Foreign Languages at the University of North Alabama will celebrate National French Week Nov. 6-12 with a variety of campus-based cultural events, including Croissants with the French Club on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. on the lawn of Wesleyan Hall. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy croissants, hot chocolate, and free berets while supplies last.
“National French Week is a week-long celebration of the French language, spoken by more than 320 million people around the world,” said Dr. Stephanie Coker, Associate Professor of French. “This year marks our ninth French Week at UNA, and it is a time to celebrate various aspects of French and Francophone, or French-speaking, cultures – the food, the music, the traditions.”
The week also spotlights opportunities students have to study abroad in Paris, enjoy a French Conversation Table and celebrate undergraduate students being inducted into the National French Honor Society, Pi Delta Phi.
“The in-depth study of Foreign Languages and exposure to other cultures are an important part of the collegiate experience,” Coker said. “It offers students a chance to broaden their worldview as they are pursuing their studies and to prepare them to be global citizens. Here at UNA, students can even be immersed in these cultures with our education abroad program to Paris, France. Ultimately, if they plan to work or travel abroad, foreign languages like French can open the door to facilitate cross-cultural understanding and an enriching exchange of ideas.”
Why study French? Dr. Coker recently spoke with an alumna of the French program who is now working in intelligence. Her experience pursuing French and German studies at UNA and abroad have led her to a rewarding career in Washington, D.C.
Students don’t want to miss out on the chance to learn more about opportunities in French at UNA. Join the French Club for French Week! Vive la Francophonie!
These events are sponsored by the UNA French Club, the Department of Foreign Languages, and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering. For more information, contact Dr. Stephanie L. Coker at [email protected].
