AUP Magazine - Fall 2025

FALL 2025

New Alumni Association

Writing in Paris

AUP Faculty Innovations

4 Letter from President Stephens 6 The Year in Review

AUP HIGHLIGHTS On Campus 11 AUP Expands with New Campus Hub on Rue de l’Université

28 Founding a Better Way to “Stay”

FEATURES 30 Meet the AUP Alumni Association, 23,000 Strong 36 Writing in Paris 50 AUP Faculty Breaking New Ground

12 AUP’s Center for Critical Democracy Studies Creates “Care and Democracy” Series 14 Women in Business Club Hosts Alumni Panel 15 World’s Fair Welcomes First-Year Students 16 AUP Hosts Major International Surrealism Conference 17 AUP Launches MFA in Creative Writing 18 Alumnae Honored for Sustainable Entrepreneurship at 2025 Commencement

Alumni 21 Changing Global Narratives about African Cinema 22 The Language of Fashion 23 Framing the World through Visual Stories 24 From the Berlin Wall to Page One 26 A Career at the Crossroads of Language and Leadership 27 Building Careers and Breaking Barriers

64 Class Notes

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36 11 21

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Dear Members of the AUP Community,

Studies, Quantitative Economics & Finance, and Global French Studies, each designed to prepare

Guided by the early phase of THRIVE 2024-

students for globally oriented careers that engage

29, the past year at The American University

their intellectual agility, critical capacities and

of Paris has been one of transformation and

creativity. And very soon, in the Fall semester,

momentum. The priorities outlined in this Plan

we will welcome the inaugural class of our

are already being seen and experienced across

MFA in Creative Writing, amplifying further our

the University in new and meaningful ways.

longstanding commitment to the literary arts.

As you’ll read in the pages ahead, there is much

This was also a year of rich and varied intellectual

to celebrate in the many ways AUP has advanced

exchange. AUP hosted a wide range of academic

this year, academically, institutionally and

events and conferences, including Frontline

creatively. We’ve expanded our physical footprint

Prophet: James Baldwin, Narrative Matters, the

with a new building at 129 rue de l’Université,

Three Societies Meeting, the annual conference

enhancing opportunities for connection and

of the International Society for the Study of

collaboration and investing in student success,

Surrealism, the Care and Democracy series, and

while deepening our roots in the heart of Paris’s

many more. These gatherings drew more than

7th arrondissement. At the same time, beloved

1,000 scholars and professional practitioners

spaces like the Combes Lobby and AMEX

to our campus, serving as a testament to the

Café have been reimagined, with the same

depth and diversity of AUP’s exceptional

commitment to our mission and priorities, to

faculty research and scholarship, as well as their

better serve today’s students. I hope you will be

extensive academic networks.

able to return to campus over the year ahead to see these changes for yourself.

This issue also highlights the remarkable contributions of our alumni. Their work—in

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This year, we also launched new academic

fields such as sustainability, public service,

programs, introducing new majors in Fashion

entrepreneurship, and the arts—demonstrates

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kilian Ordelheide WRITERS & COPY EDITORS Amanda Murphy Savannah Gerlach PROOFREADER Carrie Chappell

the powerful paths AUP graduates continue to forge around the world. At Commencement 2025, we honored this spirit by awarding Shannen Kaylia Henry ’19 and Alix Lebec ’02 the Distinguished Alumni Award for their inspiring efforts to create a more just and sustainable future.

IMAGERY Peter Feaver Krystal Kenney DESIGN Leland International Questions or comments? communications@aup.edu

In that same spirit of connection and engagement, we were very excited that, with the help of long-serving alumni volunteers on the President’s Alumni Advisory Council, we were able to launch AUP’s new Alumni Association, an organization designed to strengthen ties across generations through mentorship, lifelong learning and shared community. The feature story highlights the ways in which you can get involved, and I very much look forward to seeing you at events and gatherings throughout the upcoming year.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary global community and for everything you have done to support AUP and uphold our shared values in your life and work. I hope you will find your own AUP experience reflected in these stories and be inspired by all that lies ahead.

Warm regards,

Sonya Stephens President of The American University of Paris

Year Review The

in

In a year that brought the world to Paris, AUP served as a global meeting place for students, academics, creatives, and bold ideas. Here we look back at 12 months of life on campus.

Celebrating James Baldwin

FALL SEMESTER 2024

September 2024

Paris Hosts the 2024

AUP celebrated Baldwin’s legacy

Summer Olympics

by hosting the exhibit Frontline

August 2024

Prophet, honoring his life and ongoing cultural impact. First-

Professor Jurgen Hecker’s

year students read his Encounter

Olympic Reporting Practicum

on the Seine as AUP’s first-ever

offered AUP’s MA in Global

common read.

Communications students firsthand journalism and communications experience during Olympic events.

AUP Welcomes New Leadership September 2024 The University welcomed Provost Hannah Westley, Chief Financial Officer MarieLaure Nave and Associate Vice President for Student Life Audrey Kajumbula.

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AUP Launches New Strategic Plan October 2024 The University launched its new strategic plan, THRIVE 2024–29, emphasizing enhanced student experiences, sustainable growth, new partnerships and increased global recognition.

Academic Innovation

Voices of the Global

October 2024

Majority December 2024

AUP introduced new majors and minors in Fashion Studies,

Voices of the Global

Quantitative Economics &

Majority, a new club

Finance, and Global French

amplifying underrepresented

Studies, and launched the

perspectives, hosted its first

MFA in Creative Writing that

student-led conference with

welcomes its inaugural class in

talks, performances, and

Fall 2025.

visual art.

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Gold Thread Exhibition at Musée du Quai Branly

SPRING SEMESTER 2025

February 2025 Professor Magali An Berthon cocurated Au fil de l’or, a Musée du Quai Branly exhibition explored by AUP’s Fashion Studies students as part of their coursework.

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RNCP Accreditation

AUP Students Win at

Renewed

Model UN

January 2025

April 2025

AUP’s MA in Global

Artem Atamanov, Angel

Communications and MSc in

Karchev and Carson Hall

Strategic Brand Management

won “Best Delegate” at the

have renewed the prestigious

prestigious 2025 UAB Model

French RNCP accreditation,

United Nations competition,

which enhances employment

surpassing over 160

opportunities in France for

delegates from leading global

graduates.

universities.

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Interdisciplinary Environmental Collaboration April 2025 Professor Elena Berg, AUP Green, and student senators led an

Three Visionaries Awarded

interdisciplinary poster project

Honorary Degrees

involving over 150 students

May 2025

promoting environmental awareness and action.

AUP honored artist Julien Creuzet, writer Édouard Louis, and scholar Marina Warner BY recognizing their boundarychallenging work that provokes reflection and imagination, and sheds light on complex histories and human experiences.

AUP Hosts “Narrative Matters” Conference May 2025 The George and Irina Schaeffer Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights and Conflict Prevention brought over 300 international scholars to AUP for discussions on “Crisis, Conflict, and the Possibility of Hope.”

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AUP HIGHLIGHTS On Campus

Top-floor view from 129 Université

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AUP Expands with New Campus Hub on Rue de l’Université Significant campus transformations are underway,

“Our focus has always been functional,

highlighted by AUP’s upcoming move into a newly

welcoming spaces,” notes David Horn, Director

leased building at 127bis–129 rue de l’Université

of Campus Planning and Facilities. “We’re

later this year. This exciting development follows

prioritizing dedicated areas where students feel

renovations of the AMEX Café and redesigned

comfortable spending time.”

and repurposed lobbies in both the Combes Student Life Center and Quai d’Orsay Learning

The new facility will additionally host a Welcome

Commons and reaffirms AUP’s commitment to

Center to warmly receive visitors, alumni,

remaining rooted in the 7th arrondissement.

prospective students and families exploring campus. Make sure to visit the new campus on

Continuing AUP’s ongoing investment in

your next trip to Paris!

campus renewal, which notably included acquiring the Quai building in 2019, the move aims to significantly enhance the student experience through a new Academic Success Center while modernizing the working environment for employees. In addition to offices and spaces for collaboration, the new

Read the article

site includes AUP’s first on-campus student dormitory, offering housing for 20 students in a central, university-owned space.

Highlights

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Zona Zarić (L) at a Care and Democracy Seminar in 2025

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AUP’s Center for Critical Democracy Studies Creates “Care and Democracy” Series “What if democracy began not with the vote, but

The transdisciplinary, intergenerational

with the act of care?” This question, deceptively

and bilingual series is not a passive lecture

simple yet deeply disruptive, lies at the heart

sequence; it offers an experimental space

of the Care and Democracy seminar series,

turning the classroom into a site of collective

launched this year at AUP. If democracy is the

reflection and practice. Students not only

name we give to the fragile art of cohabitation,

attended the seminars but co-facilitated

then care is what renders that art possible.

discussions, conducted interviews with speakers and produced analytical responses

The series was conceived by the Center’s

to major questions facing our societies today.

scholars, including Professor Stephen W. Sawyer

Looking ahead, the 2025 program will expand

and Lecturer Zona Zarić, in collaboration with

the scope of the conversation, with confirmed

philosopher Sandra Laugier (University of Paris

sessions featuring Carol Gilligan, Pascale

1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), whose long-standing

Molinier, Stephen W. Sawyer and Vanessa

work on the ethics of care, ordinary language

Nurock, in continued collaboration with

philosophy, and democratic pragmatism

Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

provided a conceptual anchor. The series seeks to interrogate how care—understood both as an ethical imperative and as a political practice— could serve as a diagnostic and reparative force

Discover the 2025-26 schedule and more

in the face of democratic disaffection.

Highlights

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Women in Business Club Hosts Alumni Panel AUP students Jenna Farra ‘24 and Rona Phi ‘25 founded the Women in Business club at AUP, aiming to equip members with the tools, knowledge and confidence needed to excel in their careers through engaging workshops, inspiring guest speakers and interactive sessions.

The club has collaborated with AUP’s ACE Center for CV and LinkedIn workshops; toured a womanowned fashion brand and studio from A to Z, thanks to a connection of faculty advisor Professor Kate-yue Zhang; and visited Station F, the world’s largest startup incubator, located in Paris.

In November of last year, the club hosted a panel featuring alumnae Poupak Sepehri ’99, Juliet Carter ’05, and Cornelia Weissfloch ’91, alongside Professor Zhang. Together, they shared insights into the challenges they’ve faced in their professional journeys with current students preparing to enter the business world.

countless, and clubs offer the possibility to pursue a wide range of professional and personal interests.

Discover student clubs at AUP today

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Poupak Sepehri ‘99 (L) and Prof. Zhang (R)

At AUP, opportunities to build connections are

World’s Fair Welcomes First-Year Students World’s Fair remains a beloved AUP tradition that celebrates the University’s rich cultural diversity. Each year, students come together to represent different countries and cultures through food, drink, music, dance and other performances.

“With over 100 nationalities represented on campus each year, World’s Fair is always a huge success and has become one of the University’s most important and longstanding traditions,” explains Dean of Student Development Kevin Fore, who played a key role in shaping this year’s edition.

For the first time, the event was integrated into the First Year Success program, AUP’s advising and mentoring initiative that supports students in their transition to university life. First year students were given the lead in organizing the Fair and thus the opportunity to found crucial bonds with their incoming class. The result: 17 countries were represented, including 15 tables led by first-year students and two by upperclassmen. Participants showcased the cultures of Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Egypt, France, Greece, Haiti, Iraq, Italy, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand and the USA.

The World’s Fair began in 1987 Scan to explore more historic dates

Highlights

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AUP Hosts Major International Surrealism Conference Last fall, AUP welcomed over 500 scholars, researchers, artists and graduate students from around the world for the Annual Conference of the International Society for the Study of Surrealism—one of the largest academic events ever held on campus. The three-day conference was led by Art History Professor Iveta Slavkova and co-organized with Julia Drost (Centre allemande d’histoire de l’art), Fabrice Flahutez (Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne) and Olivier Penot-Lacassagne (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle).

Experts on Surrealism and the avant-garde gathered from prestigious institutions to present research and exchange ideas. The AUP Fine Arts Gallery hosted a special exhibition curated by Professor Stéphane Treilhou, featuring selected works from conference artists, fine arts faculty and AUP staff, including a collage by Aube Elléouët Breton, daughter of André Breton, whose sale supported student conference participation.

The AUP Library also contributed with a Surrealism-focused book display and partnered with Librairie Tschann to host 500 titles on Surrealism, including books authored by conference participants. The event underscored AUP’s commitment to the arts and international academic collaboration.

AUP Fine Arts Gallery Exhibition

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AUP Launches MFA in Creative Writing AUP has launched Europe’s only two-year, interdisciplinary MFA in Creative Writing, combining the American liberal arts tradition with the outward-looking, cross-cultural nature AUP students with author Gaëlle Bélem

of the University and its prime location in the heart of Paris. Welcoming its first cohort this fall, the program connects students with writers, translators and artists from across the globe while offering full immersion in the literary life of Paris.

MFA students will join AUP’s already rich literary community and engage with the city’s vibrant networks of publishers, bookstores, archives, libraries and cultural institutions. The curriculum broadens students’ perspectives through the study of translated literature, the practice of translation, eco-politics and intermedial approaches to cultural exchange. Taught in English, the program offers workshops in Fiction, Poetry and Creative Nonfiction, while encouraging work that challenges boundaries between genres.

As Program Co-Director Biswamit Dwibedy puts it, “the focus is on storytelling—you will be trained in any genre your story needs to be told in.”

Explore the new program

Highlights

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Shannen Kaylia Henry

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Alix Lebec

Alumnae Honored for Sustainable Entrepreneurship at 2025 Commencement

impact investment manager dedicated to

Entrepreneurs Shannen Kaylia Henry ’19 and

investors to maximize value for underserved

Alix Lebec ’02 received the Distinguished

populations.

ending the global water crisis. As the founder and CEO of her firm LEBEC, she combines creativity and philanthropy to address global challenges alongside entrepreneurs and

Alumni Award at the 2025 Commencement Ceremony for their exceptional contributions

“The greatest entrepreneurs are driven by

to building the sustainable and creative

solving a problem and being creative thinkers,”

economy of tomorrow.

Lebec says. “The more we fuel them with the financing that helps bring those ideas to life,

Fueled by rigorous research in biology, Henry’s

the better.” The AUP community commends

groundbreaking regenerative fashion enterprise

these alumni on their drive and success.

and luxury label Bottega Kaylia help to foster climate resilience and empower vulnerable communities as the next generation of creators.

As she puts it, “developing bespoke garments and limited edition collections is fun, but it is also necessary for a much greater cause.”

Read the full story on Alix Lebec

Alix Lebec worked for the World Bank, the Clinton Global Initiative and Water.org before co-launching WaterEquity alongside Gary

Discover the Kaylia Group

White and Matt Damon, the world’s first

Highlights

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AUP HIGHLIGHTS Alumni

Nadira Shakur ‘04 and her family

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Changing Global Narratives About African Cinema Nadira Shakur ’04 originally aspired to become a surgeon, but a fainting incident during a high school internship prompted a change in direction. That shift led her toward a global career in communications, film and media.

“

After earning her BA in International Communications from AUP, she went on to live

When we understood the power of the image—and also the power of controlling that image, it became our

and work in the US, Brazil, the Ivory Coast and Kenya all while supporting African filmmakers and helping broaden international perspectives on African cinema along the way.

main mission to find ways to do our part to broaden those images, break some of those stereotypes and give voice to new narratives.

In 2013, Shakur co-founded the NollywoodWeek Film Festival in Paris, dedicated to showcasing Nigerian films. Held annually at the L’Arlequin cinema, the festival has gained the support of many of Nigeria’s top filmmakers and artists.

Alongside her husband Serge Noukoue, she also co-founded Okada Media, a company focused on expanding opportunities for African filmmakers and reducing barriers to entry in the industry.

From the start, Shakur and Noukoue understood that a small number of decision-makers often determined which films reached global audiences.

Discover the Nollywood Week Paris

Through Okada Media, they aim to support African creatives in telling their own stories and sharing them with the world.

Highlights

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The Language of Fashion For Symonne Torpy G’10, fashion is a language.

As a fashion journalist and Associate Creative Director at the global advertising agency BETC, Torpy understands the power of fashion to express identity, values and history—often without a single word. After helping redesign AUP’s AMEX Café in 2014, Torpy secured positions at branding and event firms Creative Spirit and Publicis Luxe before joining BETC, a Paris-based agency with offices in Shanghai and New York.

Whether designing a campaign for Prada or analyzing gender fluidity through menswear, she draws on her unique background in writing, politics and global affairs to infuse her work with layers of meaning. Today, Torpy’s clients include Lacoste, Valentino Beauty, Givenchy and Armani.

Beyond fashion, Torpy’s creativity extends into voiceover and subtitling for French TV shows and brands from Dom Pérignon and L’Oréal to Coca-Cola.

Her edge in the high-speed environment of fashion and industry? Torpy’s deftness in understanding how sociopolitical contexts parlay into our brand consumption.

Read the article

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As Senior Photo Assignment Editor at The Washington Post, Olivier Laurent ’05 helps shape the way audiences around the world see and understand global events. From conflict zones to cultural movements, he collaborates with photographers to craft powerful visual stories that capture the depth and complexity of human experience.

©Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post

Framing the World through Visual Stories

Laurent’s interest in visual journalism took root at AUP, where he studied International Communications. His time in Paris sharpened his awareness of international issues—an outlook that would go on to guide his work at TIME, The New York Times and now The Washington Post.

A turning point in his career came during coverage of the 2015 Paris terror attacks. His ability to help document such a charged and emotional moment with sensitivity and clarity underscored the role of visual media in public understanding.

Today, Laurent, who was recently named among the 100 most influential people in photography

by Blind Magazine, continues to lead international photo coverage for The Washington Post by guiding photographers in capturing stories that reinforce the power of photography to connect us to each other across borders.

Browse Laurent‘s work for The Washington Post

Highlights

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From the Berlin Wall to Page One In 1989, while studying at AUP, Thomas Fuller ’92 learned from a classmate that the Berlin Wall was coming down. He immediately bought a plane ticket to Germany. At the airport, a security guard questioned the hammer in his luggage. “It’s for the wall,” he explained, and the guard waved him through. At that moment, Fuller felt part of history. “That’s what AUP is about,” he says.

That formative moment sparked a career in international reporting that has taken Fuller across the globe. Born in New York to a French mother, he grew up visiting France each year and knew early on that his path would be international. AUP offered the perfect bridge between his cultural roots and his growing interest in global affairs.

Over the next two decades, Fuller became a leading authority on Southeast Asia, serving as a foreign correspondent for The New York Times in Bangkok and covering everything from political uprisings to natural disasters. In 2016, he returned to the U.S. to become the paper’s San Francisco Bureau Chief and later a Page One Correspondent.

Through his reporting, Fuller has chronicled moments of deep social and political change.

His work continues to reflect the curiosity and global mindset that first brought him to Paris— and to AUP.

Discover The Boys of Riverside

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Thomas Fuller ‘92 in the recording studio

Highlights

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A Career at the Crossroads of Language and Leadership Jane Basson ’99 is Head of Transformation and Corporate Secretary at Airbus Defense and Space, where she drives strategic change and supports some of the most complex aerospace projects in the world. Over the past two decades, she has helped shape Airbus’s internal culture and leadership development navigating the intersection of communication, crisis management and organizational transformation.

At AUP, Basson studied corporate communications, journalism and business, which led her to accept a junior position at Airbus in Toulouse, France in 2000. Her sharp writing skills soon propelled her to higher-level assignments, including executive speechwriting where her bicultural Franco-English background proved to be an asset.

When Airbus restructured its communications department, they called on her to lead the new writing team and oversee company-wide messaging. In 2003, she rose to Vice President of Internal Communications where she faced the high-profile fallout from the production delay of the A380.

Having deftly managed these challenges facing the company, Basson later transitioned to human resources as Vice President of Culture

Read the article

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and Change Management, and launched the Airbus Leadership University in 2016.

Building Careers and Breaking Barriers Growing up in France as the daughter of Congolese immigrants, Rose-Marie BouboutouPoos G ’08 has worked to overcome personal and professional challenges and build a global career as a journalist, entrepreneur and coach committed to empowering others.

After her dual master’s degree at the Institut Catholique de Paris and AUP in International Affairs, she launched into international diplomacy and human rights by working for UNESCO, the United Nations and the human rights organization Tostan International. While assisting an African art gallery and library tied to Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, Bouboutou-Poos fell in love with journalism and began writing for prominent outlets such as Les Echos and Jeune Afrique before securing a pivotal role at BBC News in Dakar, where she expanded into radio and television broadcasting.

Following a communications role at the World Health Organization and agricultural consulting in Dakar, Bouboutou-Poos recently returned to Paris and began a new initiative that would scale her impact from individuals to organizations.

Her new business, JobJourney, is a site that helps international companies expand their market presence and supports employees through professional development.

Read the article

Highlights

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Boris Pavlov ‘10 presenting in 2018 at Webit Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria

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Founding a Better Way to “Stay” Boris Pavlov ’10 is no stranger to taking risks. From relocating to countries he had never visited to founding businesses in unfamiliar industries, the former investment banker has built a career on bold self-directed choices.

His latest venture, Flataway, launched in October 2024 and is reimagining the vacation rental space. Unlike large online travel agencies, Flataway operates on a decentralized model that empowers property managers to build direct relationships with guests and earn commissions on bookings. The platform features only professionally managed properties and offers quality assurance and discounted rates to travelers.

Beyond business innovation, Flataway also integrates social impact by reinvesting a portion of revenue into community initiatives—part of Pavlov’s broader commitment to ethical entrepreneurship.

That same spirit was evident in 2022, when Pavlov paused his work to respond to the refugee crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In partnership with the Bulgarian government and a network of volunteer IT professionals, he helped build an online resource platform to assist displaced Ukrainians navigating resettlement.

From digital hospitality to humanitarian aid, Pavlov continues to apply his entrepreneurial instincts to create solutions that connect and support people across borders.

Explore Flataway.AI

Highlights

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Alumni Association Meet the AUP

23,000 Strong

When a student comes to The American University of Paris, what stays with them, years after they leave? For many, the answer is the network, people and community. Today, after six decades of welcoming global citizens in the City of Light, AUP is delighted to launch the AUP Alumni Association.

The Association will unite more than 23,000 alumni worldwide, bringing local chapters, interest groups, and community leaders under one roof and empowering members through vibrant programming and key University support. Membership lasts a lifetime and begins the moment a student matriculates at AUP. 30

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Recent graduates at the Alumni Soirée on the Seine, celebrating the launch of the Alumni Association during Alumni Weekend 2025

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The news broke at the Alumni Weekend

on topics such as investing in Paris real-

Soirée in April 2025, where over 100 alumni

estate or understanding tax implications for

and guests had gathered on the River Seine

expats in France; opportunities for travel,

to celebrate with a night of dancing, bonding,

such as joining cultural program study trips;

and river rides. Alumni, many of whom had

the revitalization of local chapters and

traveled from around the world to attend

the formation of affinity groups based on

the event, expressed enthusiasm for this new

identity, profession or interests, such as Black

chapter of officialized and empowered alumni

Alumni, LGBTQIA+ groups, food and wine

engagement across the University.

professionals, entrepreneurs and creatives— as a way to further build community around

Since the University’s founding in 1962 as the

shared interests.

American College in Paris, alumni have always found ways to connect with one another

Additional goals include increased alumni

through reunions, local events and personal

visibility in student life, through mentoring and

networks. The new Association formalizes

career development, as well as opportunities

these ties and creates new opportunities for

for involvement in student recruitment. An

engagement. “Creating an association brings

alumni awards program, in addition to the annual

alumni back to the heart of our institution,

Distinguished Alumni Award at graduation, is

where their involvement and expertise make

also under consideration, intended to celebrate

our community stronger.” explains Courtney

outstanding contributions across professions,

Stombock, Vice President for Development

communities and the University itself.

and Alumni Relations.

Since Stombock’s appointment in 2023, her team, the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, has been working to strengthen ties between alumni and the University. The goal is to make sure the 23,000 graduates and former students around the world know how to connect and how to access the resources available to them.

Key components of the new Association’s role include life-long learning opportunities, like the recent sessions held by professionals

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Alumni and staff celebrate the Alumni Association launch at the Boat Party during Alumni Weekend 2025.

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Built on the foundation of the President’s

responsibilities and no membership dues.

Alumni Advisory Council (PAAC), the new

Support will come from dedicated resources

AUP Alumni Association reflects the efforts of

managed by the Office of Development and

a transitional board of 22 alumni. Working in

Alumni Relations and the University.

partnership with the University, Development and Alumni Relations, and the Board of

Efforts to establish a formal alumni group

Trustees, this team spent a full year engaging

date back to the mid-1980s, when a group of

with the AUP community, culminating with

North American graduates explored forming a

the creation of the Association’s charter and

registered organization in the United States.

bylaws and a framework to guide the future. As

Since then, the University has maintained a

volunteer John Myers ’86 explains, “Our team

strong rhythm of global alumni programming,

has had to work with a wide range of interests

including chapter events in cities around

and inputs to get this across the finish line.”

the world. But this year’s launch marks AUP’s strongest commitment yet to building a lasting

With this foundational work in place, the

and vibrant alumni community.

Association will be led by an elected board of dedicated alumni following a public call for

The goal, explains Stombock, is to encourage

nominations.

alumni to engage with AUP and with one another. For many, the first step will be visiting

Unlike the PAAC, which comprised a small

AUP Global, the alumni platform where

group of alumni and primarily advised University

users can connect with one another, find

leadership, the Alumni Association is designed

volunteering opportunities, join chapters and

to bridge the gap between the University and

affinity groups, register for events, and watch

all alumni. “AUP provides a unique resource that

as their personal and professional networks

is a global network,” says Myers, who is currently

flourish. Earlier this summer, the University

leading several projects in impact investment

launched a directory project which will allow

and international development alongside

alumni to update their information, purchase

fellow alumni. He sees the Association as a way

a hardcopy and digital directory, and connect

to make this network more accessible—and

directly with classmates.

powerful—for graduates at every stage of their personal and professional lives.

To kick off the Association’s first year, a series of Rentrée Soirées will be held this fall to

With alumni empowerment and inclusivity

bring alumni together and mark this milestone

at its core, the Association is an integral

moment. To join, visit AUP Global and save

part of the institution, with no fiduciary

your place.

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Writing in

Paris For writers, artists, and intellectuals from around the world, Paris, a city where ideas linger in cafés and drift through the narrow streets of the Latin Quarter, has long-served as a haven for free thought and creative expression.

In the 1920s, Paris became a vibrant hub for the Lost Generation that included Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound.

In the 1960s, Paris continued to attract expatriate writers such as James Baldwin, Richard Wright, and Chester Himes, who sought creative freedom and escape from racial discrimination in the United States and found refuge in the city’s intellectual and artistic circles.

In 2025, writers still flock here, drawn by the city’s openmindedness, dynamism and diversity. This photo essay captures some highlights of literary Paris, looking back in time as well as to AUP’s own students in their writing element as they become the new generation of writers and creative thinkers working between languages and cultures in the City of Light.

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Paris has long been home to literary salons and artistic circles. Many contemporary writers and thinkers still adopt this model to encourage discussion and exchange.

2 1 1 The Salon of Victor Hugo (1802-85), 21 rue de Clichy, illustration from La Chronique Illustrée.

2 In Paris, you will find people reading everywhere, in parks, on the metro, and even walking down the street.

3 The iconic Shakespeare and Company Bookstore was founded

by Sylvia Beach. Featured here is the original bookstore located at 8, rue Dupuytren from 1919 to 1921. From the right: Ernest Hemingway, Sylvia Beach, and two friends.

4 From Café de Flore to Les Deux Magot, the famous eateries of Paris often doubled as lieux for intellectual exchange and meeting places for the literary greats. Still today, students may spend hours at their local café reading, writing and observing their surroundings.

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5 The 1980s have arrived, and new student publications like The Planet, L’Esprit, Scripta Politica and Paris/Atlantic signal the rise of student journalists, fiction writers and poets on campus.

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6 6 Today, our community produces more than 12 magazines, journals and creative works. Students serve as writers, journalists, editors, producers, videographers and podcasters, laying the foundation for rich international careers.

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7

7 In 2025, AUP’s literary season included a visit from Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri (top left), as well as study trips devoted to creative writing in Iceland (top right), India, and across France (below).

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8 In 2025, the Writer’s Retreat at the Royaumont Abbey, just 30 km outside Paris, offered students a moment to reflect, recenter and collaborate. Transported by 13th century architecture and a community of resident writers and artists, students unlocked new inspiration for their work.

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8

9 10 A destination for tourists and travelling authors alike, Shakespeare and Company remains a literary landmark where anyone may attend book readings and signings.

11 Some things in Paris never change.

The banks of the Seine are lined with bouquinistes, sellers of used or antiquarian books, postcards and souvenirs.

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9 Author and guest lecturer Guadalupe Nettel led AUP students on a tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery, a final resting place for the world’s literary elite.

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ALUMNI WRITERS Our shelves are overflowing with works from our alumni community. Have you released a new book, article, collection, film, or creative work? Write to us at communications@aup.edu.

JOURNALISTS

THOMAS FULLER ’92 NYT

CHARLA CARTER ’82 Previous editor of Vogue Australia

STEPHANIE AMBERG G ’15 Décanteur Media

SCREENWRITERS NADIA CONNERS ’92 Wrote and directed The Uninvited

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SEENA HADDAD ’12 Recently promoted to write for the show Paradise

TIERNEY BONINI ’07 Al Jazeera

FARAH NAYERI ’84 NYT (author of Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age)

BOOKSTORE OWNER JEANNINE COOK ’22 Owns Harriett’s Bookshop, in Philadelphia and helped organize the Josephine Baker Symposium

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ALUMNI WRITERS AUTHORS

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LINDSEY TRAMUTA G ’09 The Eater Guide to Paris

KIM CHAKANETSA ’05 Africana

TENDAYI CHIRAWU G ’12 The Man of the Lie

CAROLINE WRIGHT ’05 Lasting Love

ROBIN DAVIS G ’17 Surviving Paris (soon to be published

by HarperCollins)

ANNA KLOOTS ’09 My Own Magic

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ANNE STARK DITMEYER G ’10 OVERRIDE!

IMANI BARBARIN G ’18 If I Were You, I’d Kill Myself

CAITE DOLAN-LEACH G ’10 Dead Letters (just signed a deal with Netflix)

REBECCA SOLNIT ’78 Multiple books and essays, including Men Explain Things to Me

ELIOT DUNCAN ’17 Ponyboy (graduate of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, Truman Capote Fellow, his book was the first with a trans protagonist to be nominated for the National Book Award)

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AUPFaculty

Breaking New Ground

At The American University of Paris, intellectual curiosity may start in the classroom, but it certainly does not stop there. Across departments and disciplines, faculty are finding creative ways to explore pressing questions and engage deeply as global citizens, often with students working alongside them.

This kind of exploratory, experiential work has received generous support through the newly established John H. Lewis Jr. Faculty Development Fund, made possible by a gift from Cher Lewis. The fund honors the memory of her father, John H. Lewis, Jr., and recognizes her friend Brenda Torney for her longstanding service to AUP. Distinct from AUP’s existing faculty development support, which primarily funds conference travel and research-related expenses, this new fund offers up to €5000 per academic year for small academic and classroombased initiatives.

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It is specifically designed to support pedagogical innovation, research that enhances student experience, and the development or completion of substantial academic projects, many of which would fall outside the scope of traditional grant support.

Since its launch in spring 2024, the fund has already empowered fourteen faculty members and research teams to launch creative initiatives—from field-based projects and collaborative student research to crossdisciplinary workshops and publications.

In this feature, we meet six professors and their collaborators whose work reflects the spirit of the fund. Whether they are designing immersive learning experiences, conducting in-depth research, or convening global conversations, their projects share a commitment to curiosity and the transformative power of experiential learning.

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Cooperative Taste and the Mise en Commun Christy Shields, Associate Professor of Anthropology, in collaboration with students Eliza Schwartz ’24 and Annika Lövgren ’25 Food anthropologist Christy Shields has spent over a decade exploring the cultural politics of taste, most recently through the lens of one of France’s most iconic cheeses: Comté. Her longterm ethnographic research, partially funded by the Comté industry, led her deep into the world of cooperative production and a unique tasting collective known as the jury terroir, responsible for preserving the quality and taste that define Comté.

Rather than on the food itself, Shields’ courses and research focus on the forms of community that emerge from food-related activities. At the heart of her work is the jury terroir—a sensory panel where farmers, cheesemakers, and regional inhabitants come together to describe Comté’s diverse flavors. What makes this practice unique is its mise en commun (literally “placing in common”)—the same term used when farmers pool their milk each morning to make cheese cooperatively, a process that is required in making Comté cheese.

“Instead of ranking tastes as ‘better’ or ‘worse,’ the jury terroir treats all Comté cheeses as different but equal,” Shields explains. “It’s a form of sensory democracy.”

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Shields first encountered this practice through the Comté Practicum, annual AUP study trips she organized from 2010-2020 with taste educator Claire Perrot. These immersive experiences introduced students to sensory ethnography while building the relationships that enabled her deeper research.

In June 2024, thanks to the John H. Lewis Grant, Shields returned to the Jura mountains with graduates Eliza Schwartz and Annika Lövgren to explore the mise en commun as a form of “everyday utopia.” Rather than viewing the notion of utopia as an impossible ideal, the research team took it as a real practice, an experiment aimed at resisting standardization and creating new possibilities.

“We discovered that when people share sensory experiences equally, without judgment, it becomes transformative,” says Shields. “The farmers told us it changed how they listen to each other, and to their cheeses.”

The team’s collaborative research resulted in an article published in Politika magazine, “Cooperative Taste in Comté’s Jury Terroir” and a short film

by Lövgren capturing their fieldwork. Their multimodal approach mirrors the cooperative spirit they studied, proving that academic collaboration can itself become a form of resonant utopianism.

“What excites me,” Shields reflects, “is how paying close attention to cheese, or another culture, can open our imaginations in productive ways.”

Read article “Cooperative Taste in Comté’s Jury Terroir” in Politika

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Students, faculty and staff have been traveling to Auroville, India, for nearly two decades

Daisy Hoops

as part of the Sustainable Development Practicum.

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Sustainable Development and Experiential Learning Tanya Elder, Professor of Communications, in collaboration with students of the M.A. in Global Communications “Students often enter the program with a simplified understanding of sustainability but leave with a much more integrated and complex perspective.”

For Tanya Elder, experiential learning means learning about learning. As Professor of Communications in AUP’s Master’s in Global Communications, Elder has been pioneering experiential learning in sustainable development, anthropology and communications for nearly two decades.

Through the Sustainable Development Practicum, which takes students to Auroville or Pondicherry, India, to work with local NGOs, she has crafted an academic experience that immerses students in real-world sustainability projects beyond the classroom.

As leader of the Practicum, Elder has always insisted on the need for self-reflection by taking students away from conventional academic tasks, by requiring them to keep field

experiencing what they’re learning; the ability to use all their senses, to connect both emotionally and intellectually, is essential,” she says.

This year, thanks to the John H. Lewis Grant, Elder has taken self-reflection to a new level by turning the focus of her research, with a group of students, to the study of how experiential learning and immersive experiences shape students’ perceptions of sustainability and change and can deepen their understanding of complex global challenges.

The team relies on the blogs, journal entries and final essays that AUP students have written (from 2011 onwards), as well as recently implemented pre- and post-program surveys, which they are coding and analyzing using the qualitative analysis software Quirkos.

The goal is to identify key themes such as empowerment, shifting perceptions of sustainability and the emotions experienced during fieldwork.

Thanks to the grant, Elder recently took the team on a working retreat to Nantes, an opportunity to advance the research as well as to build team cohesion and develop the student-professor relationship, which she sees as essential to the success of the research.

journals, write blog posts (follow the QR code) and conduct on-site interviews.

Learn more about the practicum “The underlying idea behind the Practicum has always been that students learn best when they’re

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Learn more about the UNESCO Chair at AUP

Using Ethical AI to Reimagine Children’s Literacy Claudia Roda, Professor of Data Science, in Collaboration with student Eli Hinson ’25 and Professor Susan Perry Claudia Roda, who leads the MSc in Human Rights and Data Science, has long spearheaded her discipline, tackling the pressing societal issues posed by the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various ways.

With support from the John H. Lewis Grant, Roda is currently leading a research project that combines technology, ethics and education.

With student Eli Hinson, who will earn a BSc in

that many young readers in disadvantaged communities still lacked access to books in which they saw themselves reflected and that this had a negative impact on their reading results.

“We immediately thought: what if kids could make their own books with AI?” says Roda.

The platform, designed for classroom use, features tools that enable students to create their own characters and collaborate in comprehensive storytelling with teachers. It relies on voice or text input to generate stories with illustrations and professional-looking layouts. Children can then download the final product as a PDF or print a real copy.

Computer Science this year, the two are building

The team is currently working on the most

a platform that enables children to create

challenging aspect of the project: data.

personalized books using AI as a way to address the question of representation in the books that

“We really need to prioritize privacy when

students read at school.

working with children,” says Roda. “We’re building an ethical pipeline where schools and

The project began during a workshop organized

teachers have control of the data to make

by the UNESCO Chair in Artificial Intelligence

sure the privacy of those using the platform is

and Human Rights, which Roda and her colleague

protected,” she adds.

Susan Perry have held since 2024 and which is led by Kyle Zimmer, the CEO of First Book—a US

AUP student Eli Hinson, who has been leading

nonprofit organization that reaches 6.5 million

development on the project, has recently

children each year in low-income communities

accepted a software internship in the UK,

across North America by providing books and

where he will continue crafting a path for

resources through a network of more than

himself in his chosen field.

600,000 educators. During the workshop, students considered the lessons learned from

The platform is expected to launch in classrooms

the results of a First Book survey, which found

soon, with plans for broader access in the future.

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Breaking Down Walls for Education and Creativity Hannah Taieb, Senior Lecturer of History and Politics For Hannah Taieb, the John H. Lewis Grant helped enrich an opportunity to move from research to outreach, to bring different kinds of people together in new ways, and to foreground voices that are often silenced. Her ongoing Prison Education Workshop and the recent symposia on the topics of “Teaching and Learning in Prison” (June 2024) and “Creating in and from Incarceration” (June 2025) have served to build connections between students, educators and people who have experienced incarceration.

The Prison Education Workshop is an innovative class that brings AUP students into a shared educational and creative space with people detained at La Santé prison in Paris. After one introductory class at AUP and a prison-organized training session, eight AUP students spend the semester sharing readings, discussions and creative activities with an equal number of detainees. Readings are selected based on the themes emerging from the interactions between the particular participants in the class.

In the past, authors studied have included Malcolm X, Bachir Kerroumi, Rigoberta Menchu, Azouz Begag, Jimmy Santiago Baca, W.S. Merwin, Alison Bechdel, Paulo Freire, and Franz Kafka.

In each class session, students and detainees read together as a group, then in small mixed groups, developing creative ways to exchange ideas and reactions. Circle pedagogy, deep listening, and other egalitarian approaches are employed to create a mutually engaging learning experience. In previous workshops, students and detainees collaborated on final projects that were presented at a celebratory event attended by guests from AUP and the prison.

Taieb launched the project with former colleagues Michelle Kuo and Albert Wu and has continued to run it in collaboration with Assistant Professor of Law, Roman Zinigrad, and Raphael Bloch-Laine, Chair of the Department of French Studies and Modern Languages.

“The focus is on experiential learning and the importance of people putting their learning to work through contact with the community,” explains Taieb, who insists, generally speaking, on the “experience” aspect of learning. “When you have experiences, I believe it’s very profound and not always clear what you’ve learned, but your body has learned something by going through space into new contexts with other kinds of challenges,” she says.

This year’s symposium, funded by the grant and organized by the non-profit organization Taieb helped found, Dialogue & Transformation, featured group discussions and presentations by sociologist Oscar

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Vasquéz, an exhibition by artist Kayrumi including her story of developing her artistic practice inside, a writing workshop by poet Khaled Miloudi, who began writing during his incarceration and continues to lead workshops in prison, and a book presentation by anthropologist Laurent Bazin, who co-authored Moha, le retour du refoulé. Récits du racism d’État with Mohamed Bridji. The group organizing the symposium was led by Friederike Windel of the Department of Psychology, Health and Gender at AUP; Sharie Neira, a sociology PhD student at Paris Cité who has worked extensively in prisons in Peru; and Lauren Vandzandt-Escobar, long-time prison educator and scholar who has taught at Riker’s Island and completed a Master’s thesis on prison education in France and the U.S. This international team opened the door for a truly global vision of prison education and creation. Experiential, hands-on workshops in art and writing, led by creators who developed their practices within, brought people together in a new way.

Taieb and her colleagues plan to continue developing these experiences, which, as she puts it, “help break down some of the barriers between inside and outside.”

Prof. Taieb (2nd R) and students during the Summer Prison Education Workshop Fe ature s

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Bridging Language Learning and the World in Malta Rebekah Rast, Professor of English & Linguistics, in collaboration with AUP Professor Ziad Majed and students Tash Karasick ’26, Sofie Mihaylova ’26, Lucie Reed ’27 and Annika Decken ’28 For over 30 years, Rebekah Rast has been a cornerstone of AUP’s Comparative Literature department, where she teaches linguistics and English and helped launch AUP’s linguistics minor over a decade ago.

With a strong interest in language acquisition and multilingualism, Rast has long emphasized the value of hands-on experience in real-world contexts. In recent years, her work has taken students beyond AUP to schools in SeineSaint-Denis and most recently to Malta, where she co-directs a faculty-student research initiative, supported by the John H. Lewis Grant, with Professor Ziad Majed.

Rast then expanded the model to Malta, a key entry point into Europe for many migrants. With support from the grant and the funding from AUP’s Student Government Association, she led a small group of students to multilingual classrooms, including the Migrant Learners Unit, Naxxar Induction Hub, where newly arrived children, often on their way to other destinations, begin to learn English and Maltese.

“Malta is a place where migration is highly visible,” says Rast. “Students get to see firsthand the challenges and possibilities of language learning in this context.”

The program is now in its third cycle. Some students have chosen to focus their studies on this experience. One student, pursuing a self-designed major in linguistics, is basing her capstone project on her experiences in Le Pré-Saint-Gervais and in Malta and plans to return this fall. Another, Sofie Mihaylova, created a podcast on migration and language for her final assignment.

The project builds on a course called Migration: Local and Global, which combines sociolinguistic theory and experiential learning.

Originally launched in collaboration with Paris 8 University and French school administrators, Rast began taking AUP students to middle schools in immigrant-rich neighborhoods such as Le Pré-Saint-Gervais where they observed classrooms and helped teach English while reflecting on their own experiences.

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Listen to the podcast

Prof. Rast champions student research through immersive travel across diverse contexts and countries.

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Symposium Co-Organizer Fiona Schlumberger, AUP Professor Renate Stauss, Workshop Facilitator Theodor Adriaans, and Student Showcase Presenter Cloud Dare enjoy a break in the program (left to right).

Re-Thinking Fashion as a Tool for Social Change Renate Stauss, Associate Professor of Fashion Studies, in collaboration with students Elsa Darlington G ’24, Fiona Schlumberger G ’24 and Kathryn Galloway G ’24 and alumnae Maddie Czarnik ’21, Michelle Doyle G ’23 and Sara Wynn G ’22 Renate Stauss, Associate Professor of Fashion Studies, is a leading voice in the growing field of critical fashion studies. With a background in the sociology of fashion, her work explores fashion as a social phenomenon deeply connected to politics, ethics and the environment.

With the support of the John H. Lewis Grant, Stauss mentored three master’s students—Elsa Darlington, Fiona Schlumberger and Kathryn Galloway—as they organized AUP’s first student-led symposium on Fashion Communication for Socio-Ecological Change. The event was also supported by three alumnae—Maddie Czarnik, Michelle Doyle and Sara Wynn—and featured speakers including sustainability activist Aditi Mayer and influencer Amélie Deloche.

“There is no such thing as sustainable fashion,” says Stauss. “We work on fashion communications for socio-ecological change. It’s about creating meaning with fashion and thinking about how we can use it to effect change.”

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The symposium brought together over 220 participants from eight countries made up of scholars, designers, activists and other professionals. “Creating a space where these communities could collaborate, not just talk, was a real achievement,” says Stauss, who emphasizes that this space allowed students to make direct connections to the field and explains that half of the students she has taught now have careers in the industry.

Strauss’s concept builds on a project co-founded with Franziska Schreiber, fashion designer and professor at the Berlin University of the Arts. The Digital Multilogue on Fashion Education is their initiative and acts as a global forum and outcome-oriented space for fashion educators and students and was launched in response to recent political and environmental crises.

Founded in 2019, The Multilogue aims to “explore and illustrate the diversity and complexity of the field and the practices of fashion education and to foster a greater understanding of its pasts, presents and futures.”

In addition to this project, Stauss’s research focuses on the role of dress in political protest and fashion in refugee contexts, as demonstrated by her current collaboration with historian and AUP professor Sophie Kurdjian, with whom she teaches the seminar Cultures and Histories of Fashion at AUP.

Explore the 2025 Multilogue

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Alumni stories from across six continents

CLASS NOTES

Ready to visit the renovated Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris?

Email alumni@aup.edu and let us know if you’re coming back to Paris

If you have a question about the Class Notes section, or if you would like to be put in touch with any of the alumni mentioned here, don’t hesitate to contact us at alumni@aup.edu.

CLASS NOTES DIANNE CHESELDINE ’66

This past summer, two years later, I met a young university student in Reno, Camille Griffin, who wanted to continue studying French. When we met for our first lesson at a local coffee shop, I was totally surprised when she told me she was an AUP student, home for the summer with her family in Reno. In two years, she will graduate with her BA. The amazement continued when I learned that her major was fashion design, to which I responded, “You’re kidding!” I shared with her the story of meeting Ruby in Paris and her subsequent presentation in Reno on sustainable fashion three years ago. Thrilled to hear about the extension of our shared connection, Camille responded, “C’est remarquable !” Little had I imagined that my network would continue to

I was in the third graduation class of what was then the American College in Paris.

At AUP’s 60th anniversary reunion, I met

grow! Reno is currently deserving of its reputation as “The Biggest Little City in the World!”

another alumna who had graduated long after I had — five decades to be exact! As Professor Emerita of French and Spanish

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ERIC FENN ELBOT ’66

and founder of Dianne Cheseldine

Growing up in Munich in an intelligence

Distinguish Speaker Series at Truckee

family with a Parisian artist mother, it

Meadows Community College in Reno,

felt self-evident to attend the recently

I invited Ruby to be a guest speaker at

opened ACP. On a work-scholarship

my college. She graciously accepted and

driving and doing office cleaning for our

gave a wonderful presentation in April

boldly self-confident founder, Dr. Lloyd

2023 to an enthusiastic audience eager to

Delamater, I found myself in a long-

learn more about sustainable fashion and

lasting, powerfully on-again, off-again

women’s empowerment. Ruby and I have

relationship that uniquely prepared

remained friends since that serendipitous

me for much that followed in my

meeting along the Seine.

adventurous life.

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Years 1966 - 1970

Recently, I came to my final minor Harvard

half-century-long career as a professor

Board of Directors meeting having reached

of English language and literature with

the six year term limit, only to be surprised

a specialization in medieval British

by a unanimous vote to extend me,

literature and drama.

because having often been Harvard’s “hotpotato-man,” that quality was now needed

Whenever the opportunity presented

in Harvard’s current existential struggle.

itself for me to teach Chaucer’s works

I love both Dr. D’s and now Harvard’s

that question would resurface in

courage to stand strong for essential

memory until one day I decided to

essences. It was sometimes painful, but

figure out what the answer to it was.

thank you, Lloyd, for profoundly training me!

After refocusing my attention to that

I wish those character qualities to AUP’s

matter, which included remembering

graduates in these times of geo-political

the emphasis Professor Allen had

transition…which they inherently inherit.

always placed upon translation as most practical means of gaining fully from our

BILL PEARL ’68 Bill Pearl has completed the third draft of his third novel, A September Tale, for publication in the fall. Pearl describes the premise like so: “Imagine if 9/11 had nuclear weapons, and if one man could get out of his own way and fix his family, he could save the world.” Watch for the special AUP alumni discount!

experience of being immersed in French culture and tradition while living and studying in Paris, I realized the answer had always been directly in front of me, hidden in plain sight, and so went to work completing what should have been undertaken almost a lifetime before, a long essay thoroughly treating what is latent and sophisticated in the youngest of the Canterbury pilgrims’ contributions to the tale-telling contest on the way to Canterbury Cathedral, “The hooly blisful

LIAM O. C ’70 In my first ACP literature course in fall ’68, Professor Alexander Allen asked the class why Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Squire’s Tale” mentions the new medieval technology of glass making. It was one of those questions that stayed with me

martir for to seke.” That essay examining the tale’s unique medieval avant-gardism, “Translation and the Squire’s Fabulous ‘Traveling Icon’ Narrative Venture,” The Chaucer Review, 60.3 (2025): 322-51, has now, I’m happy to say, finally been published. Mieux vaut tard que jamais!

for the rest of my education, and my

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CLASS NOTES LYNNE COUTURE ’78

After decades on Wall Street, I decamped from my hometown to Charleston, SC, where most of my family has moved. Years later, my friend Suzanne Halasz called me; she was also in Charleston. We later married and are doing well.

SUZANNE HALASZ ’85

After a successful career as an Executive Director of a non-profit and then President of an Executive Coaching and Leadership Development company, I decided to retire. I am now volunteering at the Delray Beach Historical Society, playing golf in the winter in Florida and enjoying summertime in Rhode Island. I am also

I moved to historic Charleston, South

traveling within and outside the USA.

Carolina in 2013 after NYC became too costly. At an AUP event in Paris I ran into

N. HOLMES CLARE ’81

Graeme Wright. He said fellow ACPer Holmes Clare was also in Charleston and gave me his coordinates. A few months later Holmes and I were dating, and married in 2021. Both retired now, we enjoy classical concerts, travel, and volunteer work at a local hospital.

Holmes loves to cook but often takes me to one of Charleston’s fabulous restaurants.

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Years 1978 - 1989

MARGOT BORDEN, PHD ’86

not be driving a car in Nokomis-Venice Florida. I wish my son was with me. I do

After finishing my BA in International

have a good quality of life. And, I love my

Business at AUP in 1986, I went on to

volunteer jobs.

do my MA in Humanistic Counselling at Durham University in the UK. I still had a thirst for structured learning. I

ELIZABETH TOBIAS ’89

completed my PhD in Wisdom Studies at Ubiquity University last October. It was a wonderful five-year journey focused on women’s spirituality. Can’t wait to see what I dream up next!

SANDRA VERONICA BRAMWELL ’87 I had to move to New York for two years for continued dialysis in the hopes of securing a kidney transplant. I was successful on January 26, 2025. I am faring well. In the interim, I continued my work with clients who were seeking a global education.

As for my company Versan2 LLC, it has continued its work amongst our clients.

Since presenting her TEDx Talk, now nearing a quarter million views, at The American University last year, Elizabeth Tobias has shared her powerful story of resilience through expressive arts with a global audience. Inspired by the

JANE HAMILTON ’87

momentum of her talk, she envisioned a

I’m doing the best I can with what I

mental health through the arts. That

have...Let me just say, I’m 61 years old,

vision is now being realized. The Visual

and I have seen some amazing and

and Performing Arts Foundation (VAPA),

wonderful things around the world

in collaboration with the San Diego

over the years. Nevertheless, I’m happy

Unified School District, was awarded a

to have my small action space and to

$1 million Sparx grant from the Prebys

bold and scalable way to support youth

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CLASS NOTES Foundation to address the region’s

ANJALI NIHALCHAND ’99

youth mental health crisis. As the lead community partner on the project, Elizabeth is developing and facilitating a trauma-informed, arts-based training program for arts educators throughout the district. Through this groundbreaking initiative, Elizabeth is equipping educators with the tools to foster creativity, resilience, and emotional well-being in the classroom, where it is needed most.

Explore the Perbs Sparx Challenge

Aside from my Counselling and Digital businesses that I run, I also work with two NGOs. One is based in Hong Kong, empowering marginalized ethnic

CHARLES DUQUE ’93

minorities through work opportunities,

After ten rewarding years at CNIEL, the

and more. More recently I have started

French Dairy Board, I am honored to now

project work with Thrive Refugees

serve as the Director of Communications

Enterprise here in Australia where I now

for the International Dairy Federation

live. This is an inspiring organization that

(IDF). IDF is the global voice of the dairy

gives business loans to refugees wanting

sector and represents the interests of dairy

to start or grow their own business. This

stakeholders worldwide. We work to ensure

helps to give them independence, both

that dairy remains a vital part of a safe,

financial and personal, as well as the

sustainable, and nutritious food system

purpose and pride that may have been

by promoting science-based standards,

lost on their journey that brought them

innovation, and responsible practices. The

here. What inspires me is that 98% of the

work we do at IDF is essential in shaping

loans lent have been paid back, showing

global food policy and supporting the

accountability as well as grace, resilience

future of dairy in a changing world.

and determination among our clients.

Visit the website

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scholarships, mental health support

Explore the project

Years 1993 - 2008

GEIR STIAN ULSTEIN G’04 Some years ago, I took on a rather unusual challenge: following the route from Paris to Moscow taken by Norwegian

Looking back, it’s the kind of project I might never have dared to pursue without the curiosity and international perspective that AUP instilled in me.

ultrarunner Mensen Ernst. Along with a fellow runner—a cancer survivor—we didn’t run the entire way, but we did

MASHA EDWARDS ’08

complete seven marathons in thirteen days, staged along key stretches of Ernst’s original path through Europe.

Mensen Ernst was a 19th century endurance runner who, in 1832, set off—on foot—from Paris to deliver a diplomatic message to the Russian Tsar.

He covered the distance in just 14 days, becoming one of the earliest long-distance athletes to gain international fame.

The journey blended endurance, history, and storytelling, and eventually became the basis for my book Løperkongens skygge

I didn’t expect that I would take up

(In the Shadow of the Running King), where

sketching AFTER I left Paris, but it

I explore both our modern experience,

definitely influenced me, as not taking

Ernst’s near-mythical feat and all the

art classes while at AUP was a regret

forgotten history that emerges when you

I had. But I learned that regret is only

slow down and follow the road on foot.

another word for inspiration! So now I’m inspired to do what I wish I had done

It was an unforgettable adventure—full

and go forward! Who knows what will

of aching legs, border crossings and the

be next!?

kind of joy that only comes from chasing a story across a continent. And with the situation in the world today, it’s also a journey that can no longer be easily repeated.

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CLASS NOTES KRISTINA KEENAN ’08

NILOUFAR SASSANI ’08

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) announced the selection of Kristina Keenan as its first woman veteran as director of the VFW’s National Legislative Service (NLS).

Kristina Keenan is a familiar and wellrespected face on Capitol Hill. As a member of the NLS team since 2018, her tenacity and dedication have been proven time and again. Most notably, her advocacy efforts contributed greatly to the passing of the PACT Act — the largest expansion of veterans benefits since the Vietnam War. Her legislative victories also include the passage of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act and the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act, among others.

Keenan has been recognized as one of the

In a time of global division, I’m proud to share Bote A Mano, a brand I launched to bridge East and West. We design jewelry, accessories, and footwear inspired by Eastern heritage and crafted by artisans in Italy. My aim is to highlight how uniting different worlds can spark something truly exceptional—a perspective shaped at AUP, where cross-cultural collaboration was central to our learning.

Browse the collections

country’s top lobbyists by the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics (NILE) and the Washington, D.C., publication, The Hill.

Read Kristina’s full story

CARLI SEAVER ’08 I got married in a town called Rustiques, near Carcassonne, on March 22.

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ANDI DAVIDS G’09

with Tate & Lyle and mobility with DiDi. We’re fielding new briefs ranging from employer branding for Booking.com, to OOH campaigns for Johnnie Walker, to brand collaborations for OREO. We’re building a powerful suite of new capabilities, from Insight to Innovation, Voice to Motion, 3D to Digital Anthropology. And we’re moving into new regions, having recently opened our first studio in Dubai.

There is so much on the horizon for Bulletproof. I am thrilled to join the global senior leadership team alongside

I’m pleased to share that Bulletproof, the world’s largest independent brand

our founders and play a more active role in driving the business forward.

agency with studios in London, New York, Singapore, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Sydney,

Visit the website

Melbourne and Dubai, has appointed me as its first Global Chief Growth Officer.

Having successfully led the evolution

VERA RADEVA HADJIEV ’09

of Bulletproof’s service offering and

I would be happy if my professional journey

brand platform the past three years, I’m

can inspire others. Last year I managed to

excited to steer the business through its

come back to AUP as a professor for the

next ambitious phase of growth.

same class that I attended with Professor Gardner almost 20 years ago. Meanwhile,

The brief is simple: Grow the business.

I shifted from working as a psychologist

Grow the Brand. Grow the work. And

to the IT sector, passing through a 4-year

it’s particularly relevant now because

experience in an international organization.

Bulletproof is expanding in so many ways.

AUP helped inspire my passion for child protection, which has become the fil rouge

We’re taking on clients in new sectors,

of my life ever since. Happy to connect

like sport with Liverpool FC, science

and explore further!

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CLASS NOTES JIE HONG G’09

After earning my PhD in Comparative Politics and International Relations from the University of Ottawa in May 2022— awarded with a first-tier distinction on the defense—I rejoined AUP as a visiting professor in the newly established Human Rights Institute. I developed and taught a graduate-level module titled The United Nations System and Humanitarian Aid for students of the joint AUP–Sorbonne

After 25 years in international highered and life across three continents, I’ve stepped into a new chapter as a Personal Transformation Coach. An eight year journey reshaped my life and taught me the power of living with alignment, confidence, purpose and equanimity.

Now, I help others turn their fear into daring and unlock their true potential through transformational self-discovery.

Master’s program in International Law and Diplomacy. In 2023, I founded CONFIDE, a Dubai-based consulting firm, through which I provide strategic advice to governments on public policy reform, public administration modernization and public communications across a range of sectors.

Visit the website

Grateful to support others on their path!

Connect with Jie on LinkedIn

FARIS AL-OBAID G’10

REBAR JAFF ’09

After graduating, I embarked on a path of public service in which I contributed to

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Years 2009 - 2012

the government of Kuwait. For a decade,

and perspectives. The interdisciplinary

I had the privilege of serving as an advisor,

curriculum encouraged me to connect

working directly on a portfolio exceeding

seemingly disparate ideas, a skill invaluable

$100 billion USD under HH the Emir’s

in identifying the cross-sector innovations

“New Kuwait Vision 2035” initiative. This

we now invest in. Most importantly, the

experience, while deeply rewarding, also

spirit of independent inquiry and resilience

exposed me to the intricate challenges

ingrained in me at AUP continues to fuel

and immense opportunities within rapidly

my drive to build, connect, and contribute

evolving global economies. Furthermore,

to the global economy.

my entrepreneurial drive also led me to successfully lead a startup, Tamara, guiding it from its foundational stage to

Visit the website

becoming a fully regulated entity across four countries in the GCC and ultimately achieving unicorn status.

SEENA HADDAD ’12

Driven by a vision to identify and empower the next generation of disruptive companies, I co-founded Phoenix Venture Partners (PVP). Based in the dynamic Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and operating under the rigorous regulation of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), PVP represents a strategic hub for venture investment in a region brimming with potential. Our ethos at PVP is to identify and nurture “outliers” – those visionary founders and groundbreaking technologies poised to redefine industries.

Reflecting on my journey, it’s clear how profoundly my AUP experience prepared me for this challenging yet exhilarating path. The multicultural environment fostered an innate ability

I will be a writer for the Season 2 Finale of

to navigate diverse business landscapes

the hit Hulu / Disney+ show “Paradise.”

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CLASS NOTES ANDREA OLSON ’13

GERARD ANDREW HERNANDEZ G’18

Since my summer at AUP in 2013, I have created a career in the digital marketing/ SEO world from working for larger SaaS companies to now working as a contractor locally in Burlington, VT, for the University of Vermont Shared Health Network as their newest Digital Specialist. Living so close to Quebec, I am still able to use my French language skills and dream of a return to Paris!

My book, Problems with History and Current Events: Reflections on Historical Narratives from an American Who Lived in Paris, is now available on Amazon as well as on other sites. I was inspired to write the book due to what was going on with the US under the Trump administration primarily, and to a lesser extent, due to what was going on around the world.

KAREN SLOSBERG G’13 Karen Slosberg is thrilled to announce the launch of BABA PAPA, a brand dedicated to sustainable accessories that foster emotional connections. Featuring a curated collection that embodies timeless elegance, BABA PAPA blends nostalgia and masculine influence through a feminine lens. The company serves as a creative outlet while she continues to direct MGSCF and reside in Senegal.

Learn more about BABA PAPA

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JOAN STEIGER G’18

Years 2013 - 2021

Joan Steiger recently got engaged to her boyfriend Badr Ben m’barek. Joan and

GRACE CUNNINGHAM G’20

Badr met in March 2018 in Paris while Joan was in the MAGC program. That

Six years after meeting during my

spring, Joan took an internship at the

master’s program, my French husband

same start-up where Badr was working.

and I got married just outside of Paris!

They began as friends, then started dating long-distance in October 2021.

When Badr popped the question last April, the answer was “OUI”! Joan and Badr will celebrate their wedding in spring 2026 in Florida and later in the summer with a Moroccan wedding.

K. ECE GÜRAY-SMITH ’21 In Fall 2023, I started my graduate education at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands. In February 2025, the first exhibition I worked on as a curatorial intern for the Dutch National

MICHELAH BROWN G’19

Ethnographic Museum, “Poetry of People: Voices from West Asia and North Africa”, opened at Amsterdam Wereldmuseum. It was a challenging project that combined contemporary art, museum objects, literature, audiovisual and archival materials, but we are so happy with how the exhibition turned out. I am graduating this fall and am very excited to see what other inspiring projects I will get to contribute to!

I have released my latest single, “James & Nikki!”

Listen to it on Spotify

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CLASS NOTES MARY MCCOLLEY ’21

Since graduating, I have launched Atelier Red, a workshop and studio space that focuses on weaving, mending and embroidery. Through hands-on classes, I help people reconnect with clothing, materials and mindful-making. It’s been a joy to build community around slow craft and sustainable values!

Visit the Atelier Red Mary McColley recently published a book of poetry, Atlantics, which bridges continents over her time spent working and wandering in Maine, France, Thailand and Palestine.

Browse Mary’s bibliography

SARA WYNN G’22

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Got an update for your fellow alumni? You could be featured in the next issue of the AUP Magazine. Whether it’s a new job, a recent wedding or a relocation across the world, we want to hear what you’ve been up to over the last year.

Visit aup.edu/life-updates to share your story.

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ALUMNI BINGO How many boxes can you check off? Whether you grabbed lunch at the AMEX, mentored a student or took a nostalgic stroll through campus, this is your chance to relive the AUP experience (and win big while you’re at it).

Mark the memories you’ve made, snap a photo of your completed bingo card and send it to alumni@aup.edu or tag us on social media. You’ll be entered into a drawing to win two free tickets to:

Alumni Weekend 2026 | April 23–25, 2026 Attended an AUP Rentrée Soirée event in your city

Flipped through your class yearbook

Participated in World’s Fair as a student

Read a book by an AUP alum

Revisited Paris after graduating

Watched the 2024 Olympics and recognized your favorite spots in Paris

Used French after graduating

Made a group chat with other AUP alumni

Mentored an AUP student

Supported scholarships, research, the campus or faculty grants

Donated on AUP Giving Day

Came back to visit the AUP campus

Grabbed lunch in the AMEX Café

Stayed in touch with a professor

Ran into another alum somewhere unexpected in the world

Attended AUP Alumni Weekend

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