THE ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE
de Grand Rapids
In July 2023, the
The Alliance Française (AF) is an international organization promoting the French language and francophone cultures from around the world. The AF was founded in 1883 in Paris, and there are 800 chapters worldwide in 130 countries. The Grand Rapids chapter was founded in 1956 as the French Society of Michigan by Siegel W. Judd, a founding partner of West Michigan’s most prominent law firms, Warner Norcross & Judd, and Judge Thomas F. MacAllister. The AF de Grand Rapids became an official chapter of the international network in 2020. At the same time that Jolene Vos-Camy became president. Calvin emerita professor Leslie Mathews is a past AF de GR president, and Otto Selles is a past board member.
Francophones and francophiles are all welcome to join the Alliance. The AF de Grand Rapids offers French classes and social events, including celebrating Bastille Day, Beaujolais Nouveau, and Mardi Gras, as well as an annual pétanque competition. Twice a month members meet at Schuler Books Café to speak French, and a French-themed dinner club meets monthly. The AF de Grand Rapids has more than doubled in size in the last few years. It draws people from very diverse backgrounds, but who all share a common love of the French language and francophone cultures.
Alliance Française de Bordeaux
Professor Cynthia Slagter (Director of Off-Campus Programs, Spanish) audited FREN 201 and 202 this past year to brush up the French she had learned growing up in Canada and then as a student at Calvin. Once the school year was over, she continued
AF de GR welcomed the Orchestre Pholyphonia from the French island of La Réunion (located in the Indian Ocean) to Grand Rapids for two concerts. High-school student musicians were hosted by AF de GR members in their homes.
her French studies by traveling to France and gave this report:
“This summer, I checked off a bucket list item by spending two unforgettable weeks studying French in Bordeaux with the Alliance Française. Each morning, I joined other French learners from all over the world for a four-hour language class. My afternoons and evenings were filled with charming city tours, fascinating museum visits, and the famous fête de la musique. On the weekend, my wonderful hosts, a retired vintner and teacher, took me to Saint-Émilion to witness the wine production process firsthand. To top it all off, I celebrated my birthday with pâté and champagne on the patio of the charming échoppe where I was staying!”
Get involved!
If your area has a chapter of the Alliance Française, do see how you could get involved. Like Professor Slagter, you could consider going on a “study-vacation” at one of the many Alliance Française schools in France.
Dr. Mo Omari, president of the Alliance Française de Detroit, Yannik Tagand, consul general of France in Chicago, and Professor Jolene Vos-Camy.
Professor Cynthia Slagter in France
LE TOUR DU MONT BLANC
WITH PROFESSOR OTTO SELLES
To mark our 60th birthdays, my wife Rita and I decided to hike the “Tour du Mont Blanc” (TMB), the trail that goes around Mont Blanc. We had heard about the hike while living in Grenoble and had it on our bucket-list of travel adventures.
Traditionally, hikers begin the TMB in Chamonix, France, and hike the trail counterclockwise to pass into Italy and Switzerland before returning to France. The trail is about 170 kilometers (106 miles) long and is usually hiked over 11 days, with segments lasting between 12–20 kilometers (7–12 miles). The trail does not require an ascent of Mont Blanc or any climbing — talk to Professor Vos-Camy about that! However, the TMB follows the mountains that surround Mont Blanc, giving an overall elevation gain of 10,000 meters, about the height of Mount Everest! Unless they were Olympic-level trail runners, most hikers we met found the trail challenging due to the long ascents and tricky descents.
“This doesn’t sound like a vacation,” you might say. Some days I wondered if we should have put “beach vacation in Martinique” at the top of our bucket list. However, the scenery and feeling of accomplishment were well worth the effort. The cheese, bread, and cuisine weren’t that bad either.
Overnight, most hikers camp or stay in the “Refuges / Refugios,” hostel-like mountain huts that offer meals and usually dormitory accommodations. When the trail passes through towns and villages, it is also possible to stay in a hotel. But, you must book your lodging to match the stages in your hike and the mountain huts fill quickly. We decided to go through a company that booked our lodging and transported our overnight luggage from place to place. As a result, we hiked with only a day pack on our backs.
The hike itself was self-guided, so, we set our own pace without any guide or group. Along the way, we enjoyed talking to other hikers, or trekkers as the British say, from all over the world. Their love of the natural world and respect for each other gave us hope and joy.
While we saw hikers of all ages on the trail, it is not for everyone given the physical challenge and the vertigoinducing drop-offs. There are no guard rails on Alpine trails. Yet, if you feel up to the challenge, I highly recommend the TMB to climb (almost every) mountain and realize your (bucket-list) dream.
See the TMB website for more information: autourdumontblanc.com
French Film Festival, Fall 2023
Now part of the World Languages Department, the French section maintains a variety of activities, including its annual French Film Festival in the fall. We also collaborate with other events in World Languages, such as an alumni career roundtable and the annual Christmas party.
French Classes
Our focus is on the classroom, to making the learning of French fun and rich in cultural learning.
D
Alumni Roundtable French Chapel
The Alumni Roundtable brought together five alumni, three from Spanish and two from French, to discuss their career paths and the role of language in their education, job search, and current work.
World Language Christmas Party
At the World Languages Christmas party, Professor Jolene Vos-Camy and Dr. Mo Chabari, president of the Alliance Française of Detroit, made crêpes for a long line of hungry attendees. French students also led the singing of French Christmas carols.
During a French chapel held in Calvin’s main chapel building, Avery Andersen (’23) and Reagan Herbert (’24) spoke about the impact of their French studies on their lives, particularly of their experience studying abroad.
Professor Otto Selles presented his recent research as part of the Meeter Center Spring lecture.
Meeter Center Lecture
SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY FRENCH MAJORS!
Julien Camy (’24) finished second in the men’s 100-meter fly at the NCAA Division III swimming championships. Both he and the national champion broke the previous Division III 100-meter fly record. Maggie Farrell (’25) took fifth in the woman’s 100-meter fly at the NCAA Division III swimming championships.
Dr. Sarah Klanderman (’14) was back on campus to present a book she co-authored with her father, Dr. David Klanderman (Math), “Using Graphic Novels in the STEM Classroom” (Bloomsbury Academic, 2023). Sarah is an assistant professor of Math at Marian University (Indianapolis, Indiana).
COMMENCEMENT MAY 2024
The French program celebrated this spring the graduation of 11 French majors and minors.
The day before the ceremony, the graduating students joined Professors Vos-Camy and Selles for lunch at Chez Olga, the Haitian restaurant in Eastown. During the lunch, Brooke Adelman received the award for Outstanding French Major in recognition of her excellent work in her courses, her dedicated service as a French tutor, and her participation in the program’s activities.
World Languages
NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR FRENCH STUDENTS
Since last year, students must complete 32 hours in eight courses for a French major or 20 hours in five courses for a French minor.
Courses required for a major or minor:
– FREN 301 Advanced French I: Sustainability in France
– FREN 302 Advanced French II: Discovering the Arts
– FREN 351 French Culture I or FREN 352 French Culture II
One “francophone” course required for a major or minor:
– FREN 361 The Francophone World: Quebec
– FREN 362 The Francophone World: West Africa and the Caribbean
– FREN 363 The Francophone World: North Africa
Electives
– FREN 202 Intermediate French II
– FREN 320 May Study Abroad
– FREN 373 French for International Business
– FREN 375 French Cinema
– FREN 381 Special Topics
Semester in France (required of K-12 Education majors)
– STFR 315 Advanced French Languages in France I
– STFR 316 Advanced French Language in France II
– STFR 330 Contemporary France
– STFR 381 Special Topics (4)
Teaching Assistant Program (TAPIF) Updates
Kathryn Schwegler (’23)
After swearing I would never teach middle school, my first teaching assignment was at Collège Marcel Doret, in Vernet, just outside Toulouse. However, my year with the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) ended up being an amazing experience. I worked with classes from each grade level, the drama club, and a group of dedicated quatrièmes who formed an “English Lab” during their free period.
We talked about everything from US history to pop culture. They learned grammar and culture through music from Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and the Wiggles; made hand turkeys and Valentines; played Jeopardy; and criticized American food. The coolest activity was the video exchange with the students I taught in Chicago. The French students were appalled by the idea of Chicago deep dish pizza, dyeing the Chicago River green for Saint Patrick’s Day, and the Bean.
Outside of talking with the students, my favorite part of the experience was traveling. During my contract, I visited many towns throughout France (my favorite being Èze), and I added Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Monaco, Andorra, and Italy to the list of countries I’ve visited. My favorite moments were spending an evening at Temple Bar in Dublin, watching the sunset atop the Arc de Triomphe, swimming at sunrise in Nice, and visiting Schloss Neuschwanstein in Germany.
Since returning to the U.S., I have begun preparing for my first year of teaching in Detroit.
Christina Romano (’22)
This year, I had the opportunity to participate in TAPIF for the second time. I was placed in Touët-sur-Var, a mountain village north of Nice where I assisted at the primaire level. I was the first assistant to work at this school, and my teachers were very eager to include me in their classrooms. I was able to live in Nice and commute to school, so I truly got the “entre mer et montagne” experience! I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in TAPIF twice, and both were very positive experiences. This fall, I plan to move back to Grand Rapids to pursue work in the field of holistic health while still hoping to keep up with my French!
TAPIF 2024–2025
These recent graduates are participating in this year’s TAPIF program:
Brooke Adelman (’24), in Guebwiller, Académie de Strasbourg.
Avery Andersen (’23), in Nanterre, Académie de Versailles.
Elizabeth Harsh (’24), in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Académie de Bordeaux.
Grace Steenwyk (’23), in Annecy, Académie de Grenoble.
ALUMNI UPDATES
The Early Years of Calvin’s French Program
In reviewing the list of Calvin French alumni, I saw the name of someone from my church who, more than sixty years ago, was one of Calvin’s first French majors: Grace (Ritsema) Pikaart. Below is a summary of our phone conversation about her French studies at Calvin. I was struck by the impact off-campus studies had on alumni from the start!
Grace (Ritsema) Pikaart (’61)
A Grand Rapids native, Grace majored in English and French at Calvin. Although she had fulfilled her foreign language requirement by studying Latin in high school and didn’t have to study French, she decided to take French, her sophomore year starting from zero. Grace doesn’t remember why she chose French—maybe because “it sounded interesting!” She loved language and loved grammar, and those were certainly two good reasons to learn French. In her junior and senior years, she took courses with Art Otten and John Zegers. After her junior year, she took part in a summer program at Laval University in Quebec City, along with six other Calvin students. No Calvin professor came along to Quebec, but the college helped arrange housing. The courses she took there allowed her to complete the major. After graduating, she married Stan Pikaart, and they moved to New Jersey where she taught French and English at Eastern Christian High School. After that year, Stan and Grace returned to Grand Rapids, where she taught English at Oakdale Christian until she became pregnant with their first child—and was no longer allowed to teach! The Pikaarts would later spend 25 years teaching and working in New Mexico at Rehoboth Christian School. They came back to Grand Rapids in 1999. Until last year, Grace taught ESL classes in Grand Rapids. She noted: “I think my study of French and Latin gave me a sense of linguistics which helped me a great deal in explaining some of the intricacies of the English language.” While Grace has not had many opportunities to use her French since the beginning of her teaching career, her fondest memory of Calvin’s French program is of her time spent in Quebec City.
Jim Zeyl (’70)
A lot has happened since graduating from Calvin with a French major. I worked in a bilingual position for some time with the government. I had the opportunity to go on one of the first “Interim Abroad” sessions and attended the University of Montpellier during that period. Our group leaders were Professeur Otten and his wife. Good memories from the late 60s.
Christina Rhebergen (’95)
I live in southwest Michigan with my husband, Troy Rhodes. In April I graduated from the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, with a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction. I have started a private practice, “Present,” and offer individual spiritual direction and retreat leadership. (Check out PresentSD.com.) I am heavily invested in Church of the Savior CRC, South Bend, Indiana, (— although it may not be CRC for much longer—). I make quilts for fun and look forward to more recreational reading now that my courses are done.
(PC: Jason Bryant)
Ben Heuberger (’00)
Spending time with my family is a blessing, though the time flies, strangely, as I’ve learned, in slow motion. My daughter, 10, and sons, 8 and 3, are a result of God’s goodness to my and Caroline’s marriage of many years. Our oldest is a gymnast and the entire family enjoyed watching the Paris Olympics nightly this summer! Let’s go USA and Korea! Our youngest will be starting at a traditional German Kinderschule this Autumn following in his older brother’s footsteps; It’s sure to bring great fun to the family with new words to use around the house and new-to-us cultural celebrations. Wishing all health and peace in Christ this year!
Steve Bulthuis (’00)
I graduated from Calvin with a degree in Political Science/ International Relations, with a minor in French, in 2000. After spending some time in Russia and getting my MA in international affairs, I worked in refugee resettlement in Syracuse, New York, before moving to Washington, D.C. For the past 14 years, I have worked at the World Bank Group, starting off as a political and security analyst,
using my Russian and French language skills to monitor groundlevel open-source intelligence sources. Leveraging that operational experience, I spent time advising the chief security officer of the World Bank Group before becoming one of the managers within the department. I now oversee our security operations in Europe/Central Asia, Latin America/Caribbean and our headquarters campus in Washington. I’m grateful to have attended Calvin at the turn of the millennium and have many fond memories of the French department.
Dena Stahlheber (’01)
This past year, I was thrilled to take on a new role as Executive Director at the center for the arts in the Lake Sunapee Region of New Hampshire. My love for the arts and experience in France serves me well in this role. I enjoy being part of this beautiful community with astounding talent and creativity. I am also part of this coming year’s Leadership New Hampshire cohort and hope to grow my understanding of the state and partnership opportunities through this experience. I enjoy this small corner of New England with my family in a multi-generational home and recently visited Paris, reconnecting with French culture and language. In my free time, I record Christian podcasts for moms called “Uplifting Real Christian Moms” and still share “The Heart of Prayer” book I authored with churches and people of prayer wherever I go.
Bethany Pasma (’05)
In 2021 and 2022, I moved to Guatemala where I taught English as a foreign language to middle school and high school students. After having studied Spanish on my own for a couple of years, this was a great opportunity to have regular Spanish conversations and really solidify my Spanish skills. In late 2022, I returned to Canada and began teaching in an elementary school, where I was immediately asked to teach French. My Spanish is definitely stronger than my French nowadays, but I make it a goal to speak only French in class with my students (meaning they don’t speak English, and I don’t accidentally speak Spanish instead of French!), and most days we both do pretty well!
Val Bokma (’06)
I graduated in 2006 and have been fortunate to teach in the local French immersion schools for most of the years since. This past year, I taught science and phys-ed in French to
grades 1–8. I teach mornings which allows me to be home more with my three kids who are 12,10 and 6. They attend the local Christian school in our little town of Aylmer, Ontario. I feel blessed to be able to use my French in the public schools and be able to also serve at the local Christian school in a volunteer capacity. My husband has been busy working on a huge project for Volkswagen making electric batteries. We enjoyed our summer here in SW Ontario, playing at the Great Lakes and lots of walks through the local conservation areas. Here we are at Ipperwash Beach on Lake Huron.
Eric Rottman (’10)
I ended up completing a Ph.D. in French and teaching for a couple of years before deciding to leave academia. Since then, I have worked in Quebec doing software implementation and finally made it to Chicoutimi! I currently use my French as an interpreter for the Office of Refugee Resettlement working with Guinean youth. I’ll start my second year of an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health in the Fall.
Johanna Ellis (’20)
Since graduating from Calvin, my husband and I have been teaching English at a community center to Syrian refugees and Jordanian locals in the North of Jordan. We’ve also been intensively studying the local Arabic dialect. Though I miss speaking French in my everyday life, my study of French has given me a great groundwork as well as study strategies to be able to learn Arabic and communicate with my local friends in Jordan.
Juliette Mpano (’20)
Shortly after graduation, I moved to Boston and worked at a hospital for almost a year. Due to some immigration hiccups, I had to make an abrupt decision to move again and enrolled in a year-long data analytics program in New York. I graduated in November of last year and started my full-time role in the summer of 2023. I now work as a
data analyst for an NGO. It’s been different and challenging, but overall, I feel extremely lucky. I also started a fellowship this summer focused on global health that pairs well with my job. Outside of work, I’ve gotten into hiking and sometimes make trips upstate New York (hiking inspiration credit definitely goes to the excursions we did in Grenoble ☺) I also spend time helping with my neighborhood’s community garden composting program, which I’ve found to be therapeutic and tons of fun.
Rylan Shewmaker (’21)
After graduating from Calvin, I moved to Brussels, Belgium to pursue my master’s degree in Urban Studies. It was a lucky comingtogether of interests that I pursued randomly during my undergraduate studies — geography, political science, and French. During my studies, I was fortunate to find a strong community amongst my peers, most of whom were also international students. I lived with four classmates I met on Facebook, and we were lucky to become quick friends. I worked as a barista at a local café, and got comfortable with the phrase “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand, could you repeat that?” as I served clients in French — unfortunately, context clues don’t suffice in the service industry. Since graduating in September 2023, I’ve started working
for a small non-profit and have moved from my student apartment to a shared house with a garden. As I work part-time, I’ve been rediscovering the joy of hobbies after my busy student years — primarily learning Dutch, learning to draw, and cycling. My friends and I are figuring out what it looks like to be busy adults who no longer live together but still see each other regularly. My visa status unfortunately becomes uncertain this fall; I feel settled and at home here, and I hope to find a way to stay.
Alice Crowe (’22)
After graduating from Calvin in 2022, I worked in Raleigh, North Carolina as a paralegal at a law firm and studied for the LSAT. Last August, I moved to Washington, D.C. and started law school at American University Washington College of Law. I recently completed my first year and am currently interning with an organization that represents whistleblowers in a multitude of spaces. In the fall, I will be a member of a law review and serve on the executive board of the International Refugee Assistance Project and Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Outside of law school, I have joined a run club and participated in some local races, found a church family, explored more of D.C., and begun to build a community of friends.
Avery Andersen (’23)
Since graduation, I have been working a manufacturing job at RT London furniture company in Grand Rapids, tutoring French here and there, and playing men’s league hockey. In the fall I will be an English teacher’s assistant with TAPIF. I’ve been placed in Nanterre, France, a neighborhood bordering Paris to the northwest. I will be living and teaching at a middle school. Outside of TAPIF, I plan to develop myself as a visual artist during my 8-month stay in France. This winter, I will apply to Master of Fine Art programs which would begin fall of 2025. With an MFA I aim to become a professor, curator, art director, or other creative professions. One of my fondest memories from my French studies at Calvin is my semester abroad in Grenoble, France. This year I am excited to visit my old host family and their dog Cannelle.
Isaiah TenHuisen (’23)
I spent this past summer relaxing with family and birdwatching in Michigan, Florida and North Carolina. Next year I will continue teaching at a Spanish/English dual language elementary school in Brooklyn while pursuing some creative writing projects. I will also be planning a wedding with my fiancée! I have enjoyed life in Brooklyn, but often find myself looking back on my time in Grenoble and missing my dear host family and the many pastries I would eat on my walks home from school. Most of all, I miss speaking French daily and surprising my host parents at dinner with newly learned vocabulary from school. In my spare time I read books and comics in French, but I hope to get more involved in the Frenchspeaking side of NYC this year!
Anastasia Watson (’23)
I graduated in Spring 2023 with degrees in French and politics, philosophy, and economics. Since the fall, I have been working for a state representative at the Michigan House of Representatives in Lansing. I am looking into law school and graduate school possibilities for the future. I am also planning my wedding! My fiancé is a Calvin grad too, and he made a dream come true when he proposed in front of the Eiffel Tower during our trip to France this spring. Some of my best memories from my French studies at Calvin are when my mom and sister came to visit me during my semester abroad, and I took them to my favorite places in Grenoble and Paris. We had the best time, and I got to show off all that I had learned in so many different settings outside the classroom. We can’t wait to visit again!
John Yi (’23)
After graduation, I returned to South Korea, searching for jobs until June. However, in July, I started to
study for a TESOL certification to get an English teaching position. Further, I am considering enrolling in Centre International d’Etudes Françaises (CIDEF) program in Angers, France, to enhance my French and applying to graduate school. During my French studies in Grenoble, France, I enjoyed looking around downtown, visiting museums, eating in different restaurants with friends, and enjoying the experience at the Alps. Furthermore, I had a great opportunity to have classmates from various nationalities and make friends with them.
Brooke Adelman (’24)
In May, I graduated with degrees in French and English secondary education. Right after graduation, I joined Calvin’s German studyabroad program where I enrolled in a German language and culture course at the Goethe Institute of Berlin. For the rest of the summer, I lived in Ohio with my family, preparing to head to France in September. There, I’ll be employed through TAPIF as an English language assistant in the Académie of Strasbourg. Reflecting on my time at Calvin, I appreciated opportunities I had through the French department to learn about the cultures and history of areas of the world that aren’t usually focal points in general history classes. These places include Québec, the Caribbean, and North and West Africa. These courses allowed us to explore the rich cultural diversity of the francophone world, which I’m excited to do more of when I move to France in the fall.
Kendy DeHaan (’24)
Just before graduation, I secured a job in Spain, teaching English as a second language while acquiring a certification through the Meddeas program. After moving over my tassel, I headed to Greece with my aunt and sister. We hiked Santorini, surveyed the Parthenon, and spread out on beaches that emulated the surface of the moon. Returning from the week’s respite, I immediately launched into visa preparation, online Spanish classes, and a virtual tutoring position. Now in my last few weeks of summer, I am increasingly thankful for the group outings put on by the Calvin French department. From a Model UN opportunity that challenged my French to navigating the streets of Paris, I’ve learned to revel in new cities, cultures, and adventures. That same adventurous spirit encourages me to continue exploring and learning from those all over the world!
Elizabeth Harsh (’24)
Since graduating from Calvin this May, I have continued working as
a nurse tech in a Grand Rapids hospital as I apply to medical school. This October I will be starting the teacher assistant program in France (TAPIF) and my placement is a small town on the Spanish border called Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I will teach at a regional high school and hope to continue playing rugby. I am excited about this opportunity because it allows me to expand on all the things I have learned in my Calvin French classes. I will always be grateful to the French department faculty who have championed me in not only my French journey but also through my personal and professional development.
Reagan Herbert (’24)
Salut! I graduated from Calvin University with a double major in Spanish and French languages. This summer has been a whirlwind of travel adventures. Since graduation, I visited California and Florida; traveled to Japan for the very first time; and went to France, Italy, and Spain with my dad for three weeks. I am so grateful for Calvin’s French department for many reasons, including the special experiences it gave me through studying abroad in Grenoble, France, in 2022. I genuinely enjoyed learning French at the local university with a vast range of students from quite literally, every corner of the world! This fall, I will be starting an internship with the Walt Disney Company in Orlando,
Florida. It will be one step closer to my dream job of becoming a part of Disney’s VIP Tour Services as a tour guide. I hope to utilize my Spanish and French skills to interact with and help guests from all Spanish and French-speaking countries. I love getting to know people and building relationships with others, so I am thrilled to go work at the most visited U.S. tourist destination soon!
Valerie Lacroix (’24)
I graduated this spring with majors in biology and French with a minor in psychology. This summer I am currently working on an undergraduate research program at the Kellogg Biological Station—Michigan State University. I am also looking into and applying for graduate school and funding opportunities abroad. This upcoming fall semester, I will finish my remaining courses at Calvin University. Furthermore, in the spring, I will be looking for job and career options to raise funds for graduate school in the future. My experience in studying abroad in Grenoble was an amazing experience that motivated me to apply for graduate school internationally. I was able to live in a different country and immerse myself in a new language and culture. It was a great opportunity that I wish to continue to explore in the future.
Adelyn Roush (’24)
After graduating from Calvin with majors in French and psychology, I moved to St Paul, Minnesota and am working at a Christian nonprofit mental health agency as a client services coordinator. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala with my boyfriend to visit his family and have also enjoyed volunteering on my church’s worship team and working on improving my Spanish. This fall, I plan to start Bethel University’s master’s in counseling program. I’m excited to take this step in pursuing a career in mental health therapy, and hope to serve a diverse population of clients (French- or Spanish-speaking...?). I have so many wonderful memories of my time studying French at Calvin that have enriched my life and my language skills today. One of my favorites was studying abroad in Grenoble and bonding with my host parents and fellow students.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Alison Bristol
I am the new French adjunct instructor at Calvin. It has been my pleasure to begin teaching the beginner level during Fall 2023 with a modest group of 15 FREN 101 students and then a similar section of FREN 102 in Spring 2023.
I studied in Avignon, France, for one college semester and went on as a Rotary Scholar to study one year at the University of Liege in Belgium. I completed an MA in French language pedagogy and literature at Northwestern University where I was both TA and then lecturer. I moved on to Mundelein College and North Park College in Chicago where I served on the faculty for two years.
My husband, Steve, and I have five young adult kids. Abby graduated from Calvin with sociology and social work and serves at Blodgett hospital (MSW), James is also a Calvin grad in recreation therapy, works with students and athletes at Grace Christian University. Amy is a social work grad from Calvin serving
at Mary FreeBed, and Jack just completed his degree in marketing, management with psychology at Calvin this past spring. Aubrey works in social services in Denver, Colorado. I could not be more grateful for this chance to serve at the university that has been so key in the direction and education of our kids.
This fall our numbers in French have grown, and I will be teaching three FREN 101 classes. Getting to know Calvin students is the very best part of this role. Calvin students are always up to something interesting— combining a French minor with archeology, studying in Jordan this fall, moving to France to teach ESL, and. There are any number of adventures underway. Our students take with them a lifetime tool—the bridge into a new culture through the pathway of language. I hope your French is not getting “shelved.” There are so many ways to use it, and endless opportunities to grow with it. Bon courage! Et vive le français!
Otto Selles
My teaching was divided between core and advanced courses. Fall 2023, I taught FREN 101 and 202. These courses had many student athletes; representing Calvin’s swimming, hockey, and lacrosse teams. They were a fun and hard-working group. Calvin’s hockey teams (Division One and Division Three) have attracted many Canadian athletes, who often take French! I have not had so many Canadians in my classes for years.
For the spring semester I taught FREN 302 and 375 French Cinema. I last taught the cinema course in Fall 2020, when restrictions obliged us to meet in the Gezon Lab Theater. That semester, students were seated on risers, six feet apart from each other, while I struggled with unreliable AV equipment placed on what remained of a play’s set. If you took that course, you remember! It was a pleasure to return (without social distancing) to great French movies and the discussions they inspire.
I completed my fourth year as chair of world languages and served on the Core Governance Committee. I was very glad to see stronger enrollments in our language programs and a very strong commitment by my colleagues to strengthen off-campus offerings. My work on the Core committee was very demanding as the core language requirement came up again for long debates.
I presented papers on a prophetic Huguenot group known as “les Multipliants” for Calvin’s Meeter Center Spring Lecture (April 3, 2024) and at the American Society for
Eighteenth Century Studies (Toronto, April 5, 2024). This research was published in June: “Un « réveil » du protestantisme français au début du XVIIIe siècle? Le baptême de repentance chez les Multipliants (Montpellier, 1720–1723)” Revue d’histoire du protestantisme, Volume 9 (2024), p. 193-233.
My research took a new direction when I was asked to join a team based at the Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier that is editing the correspondence of Beaumarchais, author of “Le Mariage de Figaro.” For this project, I spent two weeks this summer at the Clements Library, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) examining its holdings of Beaumarchais’ letters.
On a personal level, the year was very rich. Our daughter Isabelle (’19) got married in September 2023 and lives in Grand Rapids; Anna (’17) began work as an immigration lawyer and also lives in town. Luc (’21) moved to London, U.K., and got engaged. This summer, we all visited Luc and his fiancée in London. From there, my wife, Rita, and I traveled to Chamonix, France, where we began an amazing 12-day hike around Mont Blanc. (See photo and related article.)
Jolene Vos-Camy
This year was a change in pace for me. It was the first year in many where I had no administrative duties, either as vice-chair of the Faculty Senate or as chair of the French Department. I enjoyed teaching full-time in the classroom, and I enjoyed being a student again by auditing German 201 and 202 in preparation for leading the 2nd May in Germany program. New books in all my French classes kept me very busy with teaching.
In the realm of research, I continue to work on French 17th century women writers. My current focus is on Charlotte-Rose de Caumont La Force. In October I attended the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association conference with Brooke Adelman, a Calvin student, who co-presented a paper with me: “Les maximes d’un divorce: la dissolution du mariage de Mlle de La Force au XVIIe siècle.” Our panel was organized by former Calvin professor Glenn Fetzer, who has been department head of Languages and Linguistics at New Mexico State University since 2012. While in Colorado, I was able to visit Char and Peter DeJong. Char was a long-time French teacher at Grand Rapids Christian High and sometime French instructor at Calvin, and Peter retired from the
Sociology Department at Calvin some years ago. In December, my article, “À la défense de la fée: “Persinette” de Charlotte-Rose de Caumont La Force” appeared in Segni e Comprensione (Italy).
In May 2024 I co-directed the May in Germany program with Spanish professor Dwight TenHuisen. According to the feedback from students, they enjoyed exploring Germany and German culture with a French and a Spanish professor who both speak German.
In fall 2024 I will direct the Study in France program in Grenoble for the first time in 19 years. I am looking forward to experiencing France with a new generation of Calvin students, reconnecting with friends in the area, and exploring the mountains.
The highlights of my summer were a rock-climbing trip to the Red River Gorge with a Calvin colleague and learning to sail. In July I spent a week cruising the Canadian North Channel (northern Lake Huron) on a sailboat.
I continue to greatly enjoy my volunteer work as president of the Alliance Française de Grand Rapids. Our membership has nearly tripled in the last four years, our French classes are in high demand, and our social events are a lot of fun.
FORMER FACULTY
Vicki De Vries (’90)
Greetings from Boston! It’s hard to believe I’m starting my fifth year at Boston Trinity Academy. It’s been an adjustment teaching high school again, but there’s a lot I love about it. This is due in large part to the fact that Boston Trinity isn’t just any school. We strive to offer an exclusive Boston prep school education to a student body that is both racially and socio-economically diverse. It’s a stimulating and rewarding place to teach.
When I’m not teaching, my husband, Kyle, and I stay busy working on our 100-year-old house, which is always an adventure. We’ve renovated two bathrooms and are starting to plan for the kitchen. We also enjoy hiking and skiing in the nearby White Mountains. Thanks to long walks with our dog Gus, whom my Spring 2020 students met over Zoom, we know our Boston neighborhood very well. If you ever find yourself in the area, let me know. I’d love to show you around!
Irene Brouwer Konyndyk (’71)
Retired now for 12 years, life is never dull. I was dramatically affected by Covid aftereffects of hearing loss and balance in one ear. There were days of debilitating vertigo for almost a year, and I finally got a diagnosis at the University of Michigan Vestibular Clinic last summer. Thanking God for renewed health, I am grateful that regular physical therapy at home keeps any further symptoms away. My husband and I traveled to Europe again this spring.
Professionally, I have stopped doing workshops on foreign language learning and learning disabilities and will soon be letting my website (www.foreignlanguagesforeveryone. com) expire. As to family life, we all enjoyed the July 4 week at our lake house on Lake Cecelia. Jeremy (’99), Liesje (’01), Abby (’04), and their families are all doing well. Our grandsons are now 14, and our granddaughters are 11 and 10—lots of fun!
Leslie Mathews (’72)
So many ways to stay involved with my francophone friends and French! I continue to serve on the Board of the Alliance Française de Grand Rapids and head up the scholarship committee which made two awards to students this year. Notable this year was the chance to attend the Fédération des Alliances in Atlanta with Professor Vos-Camy.
Being a member of the Savannah French Club keeps me in touch with francophones from all over. Weekly lunches at the Café Taureau and monthly buffets featuring food from various francophone regions are wonderful chances for conversation.
This year marks the 43rd for Translations Unlimited. I stay busy translating and reviewing clinical trial documentation online from French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, which allows an inside look at exciting new developments in that field. My French came in handy during our two-week tour of Morocco in March, which included delightful desert camping. (See photo.) This summer brings a stay in Breckenridge, Colorado with all 15 members of our family, including the seven grandkids!