At the Paralympics in Paris to see some wheelchair rugby matches, at the start of the Semester in France program, fall 2024.
STUDY IN FRANCE FALL 2024
Mathilde Hogg (2027)
This past fall semester I had the opportunity to go abroad to Grenoble, France with the Calvin program. To say that it was an amazing opportunity and experience is an understatement.
I particularly enjoyed the sense of freedom of exploring a completely new place, or places. It felt like every weekend I was visiting a new place or city, either with the group or with friends. We explored a lot of the area surrounding Grenoble, including other cities and a lot of the beautiful nature of les Préalpes. However,
I did spend most of my time in Grenoble and was able to get to know the city pretty well during my three months, partly because Grenoble is a wonderful city to explore due to how easy it is to get around. I frequently took the various tram lines and buses, as well as doing a lot of walking.
Between all of the trips and exploring I still had classes four days a week, but they were very interesting, and my professors were all very passionate about creating an engaging experience for their students. Overall, it was truly such a wonderful experience.
Garrett Mowry (2026)
Being able to study abroad in Marseille (May 2023) and Grenoble (fall 2024) during my time at Calvin has opened me up to France as a whole and reassured me of my passions. I have been blessed to have had two great host families.
During my semester in Grenoble, I was able to get involved in a handball club through the friendship I made with a French student in a fencing class. Through these connections via the French language and being immersed in another country, I was able to have unique experiences within the
French culture, such as hiking with my new friend, playing handball, and having life/political discussions.
It’s difficult to describe my semester in such a short format, but like hiking, there were the valleys and the peaks, but mostly good memories, and always life experiences. Through the experience of having my bags and passport stolen at the beginning of the semester, I learned that I was able to successfully navigate getting a new passport and traveling in another country alone. One of my greatest successes was finding friends not only from France, but also from Ukraine, China, Vietnam, and India. Our French teacher called us the five garçons. Language and the openness to learning are what allowed these friendships to form, even across various life experiences and time zones, and I envision they will last for a long time. In addition to unlocking a part of the world, I found studying abroad unlocked a part of myself as well, through these lived experiences.
MAY IN FRANCE 2025
In May, Professor Jolene Vos-Camy and Professor Alison Bristol accompanied a group of thirteen students to France. They started in Paris, visiting places like the Louvre, Versailles, and the Tour Eiffel. A highlight was Sunday morning mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral where a priest asked if someone in our group would be willing to read part of the liturgy in French, and Hannah King did it!
We then headed to Marseille where students lived with French host families and took morning French classes at the Alliance Française de Marseille. For many in the group this was their first time studying French. Afternoons were spent exploring the Vieux Port, seeing the Musée du Savon, visiting the îles du Frioul, exploring Arles and Aix-en-Provence, and hiking and swimming in the Calanques National Park.
We spent our last weekend in Lyon where we explored the old city and ate at the historic Restaurant Café du Soleil.
Teaching Assistant Program (TAPIF) Updates
Elizabeth Harsh (2024)
Last October, I moved to Saint-JeanPied-de-Port (Donibane Garazi) in the Basque Country as an English teacher assistant through the Teacher Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). Before moving, I knew nothing about the Basque Country, just that I would be in a small village in the Pyrenees. I worked at a lycée professionnel, where students can specialize in a trade such as carpentry or restaurant services. I had amazing colleagues and got connected to the local community through grape harvesting, book club, and cultural festivals. I was also able to continue playing rugby with the local women’s team. The year was extra special because my now-husband was doing the same program in Paris, and we were able to visit all the iconic sites. In May, we moved back to Chicago, and I am starting at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine this August.
Avery Andersen (2023)
I spent my TAPIF year in MaisonsLaffitte, a suburb just a few stops northwest of Paris on the RER A. I assisted five English teachers at Collège Jean-Cocteau and loved connecting with my many students. Outside of school, I played a season with my local roller hockey team, Les Bourrins, competing across Île-de-France. The team welcomed me warmly and was a great source
of both language practice and lasting friendships. I also bonded with a group of fellow assistants I met during orientation—we shared countless soirées, and many even came to my wedding in Prague this May. My now-wife, Elizabeth, was also in France, teaching in the Basque region. The distance turned out to be a gift, encouraging us to explore more of France as we traveled to visit each other or met halfway.
A highlight of my year was returning to Grenoble, where I’d studied abroad, to reconnect with my host family, have lunch with Professor Vos-Camy, and catch up with current students. I also took a meaningful trip with Tommy, a former hockey teammate from Calvin, to Normandy, where we visited Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. For those considering TAPIF—teaching is just the beginning, if you want it to be.
Brooke Adelman (2024)
I spent this past academic year nestled in my favorite region of France—Alsace. I lived in Colmar where I immediately felt at home. Everything felt inviting, from the colorful buildings to the narrow cobblestone streets to the hearty food—my favorites being bretzels and chèvre-miel tarte flambée—to the cozy marchés de Noël. Alsace’s harmony of French and Germanic cultures added an additional uniqueness to everyday life, meaning I had as many opportunities to develop my German as my French.
I loved the school I was teaching at as much as I loved the region. I worked in Guebwiller, thirty kilometers south of Colmar, at a lycée professionnel that specializes in hospitality. Although my primary focus was to develop my students’ familiarity with the English language and American culture, I had as many opportunities to assume the role of a learner. Some of my fondest memories include working alongside my students
in the kitchen while they eagerly taught me some of the technicalities of French cuisine. One day we made almost a thousand pâte à choux in an attempt to curate the perfect recipe!
This fall, I’m excited to transition into teaching high school French in Grove City, Ohio.
ALUMNI UPDATES
1 Dorothea Berkhout (1971)
Bonsoir! Just received this [email from Calvin] as my husband and I are in our hotel in Montpellier, where I spent the Calvin interim course at l’Université de Montpellier in 1968! That was a transformative experience for me. Our Hôtel Richer de Belleval is in a renovated hôtel de ville.
Thanks for getting in touch!
2 Grace Stolte (1972)
I really valued my French and German language learning at Cavin. I am writing in English because I don’t know how to change the computer screen well.
I taught French in high school for five years, then stayed home to raise my family. I love languages and culture so I went to university to get an ESL diploma and taught adults for 15 years. I also learned some Spanish in that time.
After retirement, I remain involved with people from many countries, especially Koreans. I have a Quebecois son-in-law and love speaking French with my grandson.
I love the picture of people from every tongue and tribe praising God together. God bless you.
3 Christine Troianello (1977)
I am traveling to France in September, starting in Paris and then doing a bike trip in the Loire Valley. After the bike trip we plan to travel around the Normandy region another week. I’m very excited and thinking that since we may be off the beaten path a bit, we will hopefully find places where I can refresh my memory of French again.
4 Christine Le (1984)
We just visited Paris in April. It is lovely as always, we didn’t want to leave. I’ve lived in Southern California for nearly 25 years. Even though I haven’t had a chance to come back and visit Calvin, I do read about Calvin’s news when I receive the alumni magazine.
My time at Calvin, and especially in the French department, was inoubliable. I am a retired HR professional.
Best wishes for continued success as you lead the department to new milestones!
5 Eric Blickley (1988)
It’s been 37 years since I graduated from Calvin. After earning my degree, I pursued an MBA at Grand Valley State University. Since then, I’ve used French in business interactions with manufacturing companies across the aerospace, power transmission, and agricultural product industries. My work led me to live in Europe for seven years, supporting U.S.-based manufacturing businesses.
Understanding French language and culture has been invaluable when collaborating with partners and colleagues from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. While I speak two languages and have picked up bits of others, I was always impressed by my Belgian colleagues, many of whom spoke at least three languages fluently and another conversationally. In our increasingly global environment, continuous language learning is essential for effective communication and collaboration.
I’ve been married to Alison (Snoey) Blickley for 35 years. Together, we have two children, both degreed materials engineers, and one granddaughter. For the past decade, we’ve called Wisconsin home.
To keep up with your French, I highly recommend exploring the EuroVelo bike routes. We’ve
cycled a few sections and found the paths well-marked, with plenty of options for food and lodging along the way. The routes are not overly crowded, easy to navigate, and quite affordable—especially during the off-season months of April, May, September, and Oct. Taking the Bicycle routes also puts you in many interactive situations!
Currently, I help manufacturing businesses improve efficiency and productivity through consulting at CrucibleAC www.crucibleac.com . I am also volunteering. Recently I have learned to bake passable baguettes, scones, and pastries. Alison and I enjoy bicycling local trails, traveling, and spending time with our nine-month-old granddaughter.
6 Alex E. Rietema (1991)
Just wanted to mention that I don’t know what I would do without French cinema.... Particularly that of Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer. Even the snobbish ‘Nouvelle Vague’ (1990 Godard ) gets multiple viewings. There’s also a special place always reserved for Luis Bunuel and his French masterpieces.
I guess I bring this up now because of some kind of clamp down on foreign films that the Bozo Nightmare mentioned a few days ago in the press (in May 2025).
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the documentary Hotel Terminus (1988) and The Sorrow and the Pity (1972) two films which people today can readily identify with in our current political climate.
7 Anji Straayer (2001)
Bonjour! I have continued to use my French since leaving Calvin. I participated in a teaching assistant program my first year out of Calvin and was an English assistant in a French high school in a small town outside of Paris. After that, I moved back to Grand Rapids and have been teaching high school English and French. The school took a break from French for a few years because numbers were very low, but we have recently started to build that back up, so I’m excited to be teaching French to students again. I’ve also had the opportunity to take groups of students to France over the last several years. I’ve led five group trips, and it’s so rewarding to be able to see and hear students use the French that they have been learning in class and use it in real life situations. I continue to remember my time at Calvin and, in particular, my time in the French department, very fondly and I’m so grateful for the professors there for the education I received.
8 Susan Lyon Merrill (2003)
Susan is now the Coordinator of Academic Coaching at Southern Utah University. In her position, she works with students who are struggling in college. She teaches a holistic
course called Academic Wellness that focuses on goal setting, study skills, financial wellness, and mental health, just to name a few things. As part of that course, she also meets with her students 1-on-1 at least three times each semester.
Outside of the classroom, Susan keeps busy. She and her husband, Steve, were both elected to be delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last August. After the election, Susan decided to try her hand at running for a state party office. This past Saturday, Susan was elected to be the Vice Chair of the Utah Democratic Party. This means that she will serve at both the state level and on two national committees, representing Utah.
Susan and Steve live in Cedar City, Utah, with three of their children: Aidan Roustan (20, 3rd year in college); Zach Merrill (13, 9th grade); and Kenzie Merrill (11, 6th grade). David Vargas-Arvizu (29), who they took in at age 19, is gainfully employed and working in Michigan.
9 Zara Rix (2005)
I graduated with a major in English and a minor in French in 2005. Currently, I use my French to welcome and make new English-speakers feel comfortable in our country. I teach English to multilingual middle schoolers in our public schools. Middle school is a special time of life where students are coming into a sense of themselves as individuals who are a part of their specific generation; there can be a lot of social fear and self-consciousness. When I speak French (or Spanish or Portuguese or Italian) with a notalways-perfect accent, or with notalways-perfect grammar or imperfect
vocabulary recall, I show students that they can also communicate in their not-always-perfect English. And when they do that, they can be understood. They can learn. They can be friendly and make friends and risk jokes in another language. I can use my languages to help support their learning. They can use their languages to help me understand what’s going on in our classroom’s dramatic dynamics. And at the end of the day, we get to say that we are deeper, more thoughtful, more invested people because we now know so many different people from so many different places with so many different experiences, and that is special and beautiful. Seeing the unity that can come from this, I see Jesus, and it makes me so thankful.
10 Valerie Bokma (2006)
I teach at a small rural French Immersion school in Sparta, ON. I teach mostly grade 8 as well as other subjects like science, PE, and the Arts. I greatly enjoy being able to use my French throughout the day and am looking forward to a summer break. My husband is working for Volkswagen and our three children attend the local Christian School in Aylmer, ON.
11 Christina Hill Phillips (2014)
I am currently living in Montreal, Quebec with my husband, Nathan, and our son, Theo. We have been living in Quebec for nearly seven years now and are happy to call it home. I teach kindergarten at an English immersion school (francophone students learning English) just outside of Montreal. Learning French has been an incredible gift for me, not only because I can connect and interact with so many different people in my day-to-day life, but also because it has provided opportunities to explore different perspectives and points of view and has helped me develop compassion for others.
12 Amanda Bublinec (2015)
I’m still at Pitt, working as the Assistant Director of Development for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences & College of General Studies - fundraising and alumni engagement work mainly. I also
started a Masters of Public Policy and Management (MPPM) last fall at Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and am really enjoying the coursework so far.
13 Joel Smith (2015)
It’s hard to believe that almost 10 years have passed since my time at Calvin. After graduating with degrees in French and mechanical engineering, I began my career as a vehicle prototype engineer for a Ford subsidiary and worked there for over six years. I decided in the fall of 2018 to look for opportunities to further my engineering skills, and so I applied to the Master of Mechanical Engineering program at the University of Michigan – Dearborn. I was fortunately accepted into the program and began classes part-time in the 2019 winter semester. Although the 2020 pandemic added complications with the program, I was able to continue taking courses until I decided to leave my job with Ford in the fall of 2022 to begin a master’s thesis where I was afforded the opportunity to do research under an advisor studying the effects of cell geometry on convective heat transfer in liquid metals. We were able to get our research published the summer of 2024 through AIP Publishing in Physics of Fluids (Vol. 36, Issue 7), and as of this summer submitted a patent application for our research through the University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships Program. Additionally, I had the privilege of presenting our research findings at the American Society of Thermal and Fluids Engineers (ASTFE) conference in Washington, DC this past March. Although my involvement in with this thesis has
just recently concluded, I graduated with my master’s in mechanical engineering in the spring of 2023 and shortly after started a new position as a thermal systems engineer with Northrop Grumman in Maryland where I now work in cryogenic design for superconducting materials.
14 Nicole Reenders (2016)
After completing my Masters of Landscape Architecture at the University of Manitoba in 2021, I started working as a landscape architect at a firm in Winnipeg, Canada. I am currently working towards getting my registration and stamp. Because my company has offices across Canada that work together virtually, I’ve had opportunities to use my French when working with the Montréal officetranslating construction documents, reading proposals for projects in Quebec, and even participating in a couple meetings that were conducted entirely in French (which was a challenge!). However, I took a pause from work last September when my son Emmett was born, and I’m currently loving being on maternity leave! I’ve found a few French children’s books second-hand and have been reading them to Emmetthopefully he’ll pick up a few words en français!
15 Emily Bass (2020)
Since graduating in 2020 with a bachelor’s in French, I participated in TAPIF and was assigned to a primary school in Nogent-surOise as an English teacher! It was an amazing experience, but most recently, I’ve spent the last 2 years studying for a Master of Arts in Applied Diplomacy with a concentration in Critical Ethnic Studies at DePaul University in Chicago. I’ve loved every aspect of this grad school program and what it has offered me - I was able to intern at a non-profit, immigration law firm as their first Advocacy Intern and revamp their human-first advocacy campaigns. I was also selected to be a research assistant for the director of my grad program! We spent this past year researching and writing an article about grassroots/citizenled diplomatic orgs in the EU who are combatting ethno-nationalistic sentiments and it was presented at the International Studies Association conference this year. As the year has now come to a close, I was awarded Outstanding Graduate Student for my research contributions and for having the highest grades of my program. I can’t wait to see what this new year brings!
16 Amberleigh Greene (2020)
After graduating with a French Secondary Education degree in 2020, I moved to Morocco and have been happily living here ever since! My first three years here I taught English at a University in Fes, then I moved to the small mountain town of Ifrane where I have been working on getting my master’s degree in North African and Middle Eastern Studies at Al Akhawayn University for the last two years. I am scheduled to defend my thesis in July! I have been applying to jobs here in Morocco and in the US, and I’m looking forward to seeing where my path will lead next! Bonjour from Québec!
17 Christine Vermeer (2020)
This May I had the pleasure of leading Calvin’s sophomore Arts Collective class on a May term trip to Montréal, Québec City and Ottawa with Otto Selles.
We visited many arts and cultural sites with the students including the Musée des Beaux-Arts both in Montréal and QC, a Marianne Trudel concert, a local jazz night, a tour of the drawing vaults at the National Gallery of Canada, and we even attended a French language mass at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
Pictured here is a selfie with the group in front of “The Ring” downtown Montréal.
It was a great opportunity for me to practice my French, as most of our students haven’t taken any French!
18 Tara Daniel (2021)
After graduating from Calvin University I went on to earn my Masters in Social Work at Case Western Reserve University. I then passed my state licensure exam and started working for Child Protective Services where I have been employed for almost 3 years. As a caseworker, I investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect and help parents reunify with their kids. While I have been unable to use French in my career, I have been able to utilize Spanish (I double minored in French and Spanish at Calvin). There is a large Spanish speaking population where I live and I have many Spanish speaking cases as a result. In my free time I love to travel and have been to two French speaking countries so farCanada (Quebec) and Tahiti. My husband and I are also expecting
our first baby who will be born in October! Of course, I have already stocked up on the French baby books (my favorite of which is Où est la licorne?) and plan to teach our baby both French and Spanish.
19 Anastasia Watson VanderPloeg (2023)
These days, I only use French to message my host family from Grenoble, but sometimes I still dream in French.
I have spent the last few months working for the education department of a pregnancy resource center. The instructors go into West MI schools, churches, and youth programs to teach about healthy relationships and self-worth, so I support the office, the instructor team, and the other organizations who license our curriculum to use in their own communities all over the world. In the fall, I will be attending Notre Dame Law School. My husband Andrew and I like to go to the Grand Rapids Symphony, play with our cat Marius (like from Les Misérables), and work on crafts or projects while our favorite movies play in the background. We are very blessed.
20 John Yi (2023)
Après mon étude de Calvin, je suis retourné chez moi le 16 décembre, 2023. Depuis mon retour, je cherchais un travail pendant un an et à la fin de Novembre 2024, j’ai été embauché à Gracebell, une entreprise chrétienne qui produit et vend les produits chrétiens. Ma partie du travail est la logistique, aidant à créer et emballer les produits. Malheureusement, personne ne connaît français ou anglais là, alors on communique tous les jours en coréen. Pour ne pas oublier la connaissance du français, espagnol ou allemand, je lis ou regarde YouTube ou des films après le travail. Pendant mon travail, je réfléchissais à suivre un Master cependant je ne sais pas lequel pour suivre.
Voilà. C’est la nouvelle de moi.
Bien cordialement
FACULTY AND STAFF
1 Alison Bristol
High enrollment for first year French this past Fall led to three sections of 101. Cheers to the French tutor group leaders who stepped up to help: the pace of first year is rather “vite”.
Culture explorations by the students in 101 & 102 included Francophone festivals and music of Canada, discovering crêpes- right here in G.R. ( Brown Butter Creperie and Cafe), and an in-depth review on Grasse, in Provence (France) known as the perfume capital of the region (some say, of the world). Students’ enthusiasm for discovering French culture is genuine and contagious!
An adventurous group of 13 students this May discovered Paris, Marseille and Lyon. Marseille has a uniquely inviting and diverse atmosphere, unlike the classic Paris experience. The rich history of this ancient port city came alive with visits to area museums and sites enhanced by the in-depth knowledge Prof. Vos-Camy. Language learning skills at the Alliance Française took flight thanks to outstanding instructors. Prof. VosCamy and I settled into a Marseille “quartier” where we became regulars at the boulangerie on our corner.
The attached photo captures the climb up the Tour Eiffel. Haleigh and Alex were at first dubious about whether Prof. Bristol could make it up there on foot! Bravo à toutes les trois!
2 Otto Selles
Last summer, I was asked to be cochair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department while continuing to serve as chair of World Languages. Fortunately, Professor Emily O’Brock, post-doctoral fellow for English and French, was able to take on some of my advanced French courses. I taught FREN 201, FREN 361 Quebec, and an honors course tied to the French Film Festival.
While both departments faced significant challenges due to budget cuts, I enjoyed seeing students’ progress in their art and design projects while continuing to connect with French students. FREN 361 prepared me for the trip to Quebec that I directed in May with French alum Christine Vermeer for the Arts Collective Cohort.
In October 2024, I gave a paper on Beaumarchais’ correspondence at a conference held in NYC at Columbia University. Over the year, I exhibited my landscape photography at my church and Calvin’s Center Art Gallery. Finally, Pandora Press (Hamilton, ON) accepted to publish this fall a collection of my poetry.
My wife Rita and I celebrated the marriage of our son Luc to Grace Yahiro last September and, in March, the birth of our first grandchild, Charles (Charlie) Selles Lowe, to our daughter Isabelle.
3 Emily O’Brock
I returned to Calvin as a de Vries postdoctoral fellow, teaching both French and English courses. This year was a full-circle experience for me as I taught French 301 and 351 in the fall and French 302 in the spring. I took these three courses in my first year as a student at Calvin and I was delighted to teach them in my first year as full-time faculty.
I also designed and taught a medieval English course called “Monsters, Mandrakes, and Madmen” which focused on much of what is weird and wonderful in the Middle Ages, particularly things related to animals, plants, and the environment. As a medievalist it was a lot of fun to teach within my area of specialization.
In addition to teaching, I organized a panel for World Languages students to highlight the benefits of language and culture skills in diverse career paths. I also served as a faculty mentor to a crafting club started by one of my students.
It has been wonderful to return to the Calvin community this year, which makes it so much harder to leave. I’ve taken a position at the University of Chicago as the Romance Languages and Literature Librarian and sadly, my first year at Calvin will also be my last. I am extremely excited for this new endeavor, but I will miss my students and colleagues at Calvin.
4 Jolene Vos-Camy
In fall 2024, I directed the Semester in France program for the first time in nineteen years. It was a delight to accompany the group of ten students to Grenoble. We started in Paris where highlights included seeing wheelchair rugby games at the Paralympics along with the more typical visits to places like the Musée d’Orsay and Versailles. The semester in Grenoble was full of fun adventures with excursions to the Chartreuse monastery and distillery, La Mure, Vizille, Lyon, Geneva, and Annecy. I especially enjoyed weekly dinners with small groups of students at my apartment where students used my kitchen to prepare amazing meals.
In the spring, I taught French 102 and 202 to motivated students. I also enjoyed reconnecting with Calvin alum Dr. Emily O’Brock, our post-doc for whom I served as mentor in the spring semester.
I led the May in France trip with Prof. Alison Bristol who has been teaching French part-time at Calvin. We had thirteen excellent students, most of whom had never taken French (see the report in this newsletter).
In June, I presented a paper on Charlotte Rose de Caumont La Force, a French 17th century author, at an international conference in Lecce, Italy.
French Program Changes Coming in 2026-2027
Otto Selles
Last fall, Calvin’s Board of Trustees asked the university to control spending and deliver a balanced budget by 2026-2027. The “Streamlining of Academic Programming and Operations” (SAPO) task force was created, with the promise of cutting budgets but not jobs.
By April 2025, however, SAPO began reviewing programs and we learned that the French major and minor, along with the German minor, might be cut.
With three days to respond, Professors Jolene Vos-Camy, Herman De Vries (Germanic Languages) and I developed a counter proposal. SAPO was impressed
and recommended our proposal to the Board, which gave its approval in May. The French and German programs will continue in 2025-2026 with no layoffs.
To provide the university significant savings, however, we will be obliged to make significant curricular and personnel changes by 2026-2027. For example, I will move from the World Languages department to act as the permanent co-chair of Visual and Performing Arts and teach chiefly courses in English.
We were heartened by letters that French and German students sent to the university’s administration. Board members told us they read these letters. Our deepest thanks to current students and alumni for their support.
