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The Department of French & Italian
Alumni Newsletter
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|  | Rome, Cinecittà. Students stand near a giant head that was used as a prop in Federico Fellini’s Casanova (1976). | |
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Donations to the Department of French & Italian have been used for student scholarships and travel support, to bring important guests to campus, and more. Please give today.
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Greetings from Oxford! The winter break is just a few days away – but what days! The anxiety and excitement of a semester’s end blur with sleepless nights spent preparing for exams and bringing long-term projects to completion. At this moment of the year, the Department wants to reach out to current and former students – to remind you what we have all accomplished and become. Again, this newsletter is driven by students themselves, who have written all the articles, but this time we’re also asking our alumni to talk back to us a little more. To that end, we’ve included a very brief survey to gauge interest in study-abroad trips geared toward our former students (the link is also in a red box to the left). We have included an article from Kristen Stolka (née Barba), a 2002 French major who has made a career working for non-governmental organizations throughout the developing world. She offers advice for students who want to build careers outside the U.S. and recounts some of her adventures. There are articles about interning as a journalist in Florence and last winter’s workshop in Paris, which took place in the wake of a series of horrifying attacks. These initially hesitant, but resilient students discovered a different aspect of France. Its capital is a crossroads of history – which includes not only the triumphs, but also the darkest sides of humanity. Back in Oxford, a new faculty member has taken the reins of our Italian section. An article describes the continent-hopping path that brought Andrea Righi to the Department and his vision for the future. One of our graduate students, Emile Levesque, from a small village in Quebec, describes growing up as a French speaker in North America. And then there is the drama club, one of whose members describes learning to act in a different language and opening to an overflowing crowd. Take a moment with us. And please keep in touch. You can send us an email or check out our social media sites on Facebook and Twitter. We love to hear from you.
Jonathan Strauss
Professor and Chair
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Faculty Spotlight: Andrea Righi Written by Oliver Greive
Last year, the Department welcomed a new faculty member to lead its Italian section, a demanding task that requires a dynamic, foreward-thinking personality who is also an outstanding scholar and a gifted teacher. According to students and colleagues, the Department found all that and much more in the brilliant, ebullient, and easily jocular Andrea Righi. After receiving a doctorate in Comparative Literature from the University of Bologna, in his homeland of northern Italy, Dr. Righi came to the U.S. to work toward a second Ph.D. in Italian Studies at Cornell University. After receiving this second doctorate in 2009, Dr. Righi took a permanent position teaching at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Two years later, he was hired at Colorado University, where he became the head of the Italian Department, simultaneously building up the curriculum there and accumulating an impressive list of publications. At Miami, Dr. Righi has worked to expand the focus of his teaching and research from the literature-only approaches popular in his field. He achieved this by exploring other areas such as philosophy, cinema, and digital media – while approaching literature as one medium of expression among many others. His teaching approach is centered on building up students’ conceptual strengths – in this case, the theoretical elements of philosophy and film studies – while developing their proficiency in the Italian language. The ideal outcome of this approach is a think tank of students and faculty who produce new research directly related to the topics discussed in class. Dr. Righi’s courses focus on 20th- and 21st-century works, ideas, and cultural trends. One of his classes is a survey of Italian culture that focuses on the construction of a feminine identity. This concept is paired with the changing nature of these constructions in the context of the 21st century. Dr. Righi also teaches an advanced level seminar, open to all majors, that explores how digital media shape sexuality and desire in today’s world. Something must be working – since Dr. Righi arrived here in 2015, Miami’s Italian program has tripled its number of majors.
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Winter Lights in Paris Written by Oliver Greive
This past January, several Miami students left home for a three week-long study abroad experience in Paris, France. Led by the French and Italian Department’s Dr. Elisabeth Hodges and the English Department’s Dr. Katie Johnson, this J-Term workshop fulfilled credits for French 131 and English 163 in a truly unique way. The students quickly fell in love with Paris, finding that there was something new to discover every day. From the Eiffel tower to the châteaux of the Loire Valley, these undergraduates had new experiences presented to them at every turn of the trip. Their study abroad balanced time in the classroom with excursions to different parts of France. Sara Meurer, a Journalism and Professional Writing major, reflected on her time in the French capital: “We were there as students, not tourists, so I think we were able to experience the city from a different perspective than a lot of Americans do. We would go out and see new places and things, and then reflect on them and write papers synthesizing our experiences.” This emphasis on genuine cultural contact outside of the classroom is what makes study-abroad opportunities like this so beneficial for students of all academic disciplines. January term trips work well for students with busy schedules, as they allow enough time to get comfortable with living in another country without cutting into the Fall and Spring semesters. These programs are also beneficial for students who are looking to fulfill Miami Plan requirements, thematic sequences, or requirements for a minor field of study in innovative ways. Taylor Becker, a senior Biochemistry major with a minor in Global Perspectives on Sustainability used this study abroad opportunity to do just that. And then was surprised. As Becker explained: “It changed my perspective on how these people lived, and how I could help to apply sustainable living to people in these cities.” In light of the terrorist attacks that occurred in Paris in the November of 2015 – just a few weeks before this trip was scheduled – there was naturally a bit of hesitation in leaving. After the students met with Miami faculty, who fully assessed the situation, every student went on the trip without incident. Becker had this to say about the safety aspect of the trip: “My biggest concern was that I was going to lose my metro pass. I knew that Miami was on top of it, safety-wise especially.”
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 | (above) Florence, Piazza Santa Croce. (below left) Rome, Fontana di Trevi. (below right) Rome, inside the Colosseo. | |
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Florence, Cooking School. The students make ravioli, a sformato di asparagi and panna cotta (dessert). Once they have finished, they eat the dishes they made. |
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Written by Hannah Jolly
My trip to Florence, Italy broadened my cultural horizons, tantalized my taste buds, and changed my views of the world. Studying abroad in Florence – a city known for its art, culture, and great food – was one of the most enriching experiences I have had the privilege of living. Each morning, I walked across the historical Ponte Vecchio to my Travel Journalism and Italian Film classes. Between our assignments of analyzing foreign film and writing about our daily experiences, my classmates and I explored the streets of Florence, breathing in the smells and scents of new leather, sweet gelato, and steaming plates of pasta and Parmesan cheese. My nights were spent writing for The Florence News, an English-language newspaper in Florence, Italy. As a journalism student, the opportunity to have six of my news pieces published in an international newspaper was invaluable, along with the hands-on reporting experience I was able to obtain. When my classmates and I weren’t learning and working at our internships, we spent the weekends traveling across Europe and expanding our horizons. I climbed the hillsides of the Cinque Terre, visited the balcony of Juliet in Verona, paddled down the waterways of Venice on a gondola, took a nighttime cruise on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, and visited the Vatican in Rome. My study abroad experience is one that will forever be with me as it changed my view of the world and myself as a student, adventurer, and person.
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From Oxford to the World:
Alumna Kristen Stolka's Advice on Making a Career Abroad
In what year did you graduate, and how has your career evolved since then?
I graduated from Miami in 2002 with a double major in French and International Studies. After graduation I was unsure where my career would take me, but I was very interested in learning more about Africa and simultaneously improving my conversational French. At that time there were no Africa-related courses available at Miami.
I contemplated Peace Corps but decided that I didn’t want to take a break from the work world for another 2+ years. I saw a flier on a bulletin board near the International Studies office for a program through the University of Minnesota called the Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) where I could travel to Senegal in West Africa and live with a family, learn about Senegal, and participate in an international development type internship. I signed up and spent 2002-2003 in Senegal where I conducted my internship at a reproductive health organization. It definitely changed my life, and I’ve been working in Africa ever since.
I returned and got a job with an organization that did work in international educational development. I learned the nuts and bolts of international development work in low-income countries and how this work is funded and implemented through government grants and contracts. I spent 3 years doing this work before I decided I wanted to work in public health and took a year off to get my Masters in Public Health (MPH).
After receiving my MPH, I returned to work in international development, this time focused on my passion for women’s reproductive health. I spent 2 years doing this type of work and then switched over to the international research field where I am currently doing research focused on a variety of public health issues including maternal and child health and infectious diseases such as HIV, Ebola and Zika.
Which skills learned here in the department have you found to be the most useful professionally and personally, and how have you used them?
My French language background has certainly given me an upper hand over the years. It’s partly why I was hired for my current job in fact. They needed someone to travel independently to Central Africa for several weeks at a time to monitor a research study and work primarily with French-speaking physicians, nurses, and data managers. I was willing and able to do that. I also often have to write a lot of emails and brief reports in French and my training allows me to do that more accurately than some of my colleagues who learned French primarily through Peace Corps or other experiences abroad. We often have to use translation services to get larger reports done more quickly and I often have to do quality checks to make sure the translations are done well.
What advice might you have for current French and/or Italian students, including about working abroad or otherwise using skills learned here in the department?
I would advise current French students to do study abroad for at least a semester or more, do an internship abroad, or go live with a family abroad. I wished I’d had more options for study abroad where I could truly immerse myself in a culture and a language. It’s nice to have other Americans around sometimes, but it can get in the way of truly learning about another culture.
Working abroad is a bit of a catch-22: you have to have some experience working or living abroad if you want to work or live abroad. So you have to proactively seek out those opportunities because employers will be looking for that in your resume if they want to hire you to do that kind of work. Alternatively, get into a job where you can support international projects, without the expectation of traveling, and find ways to meaningfully contribute to the work. Your colleagues will see your dedication and efforts and eventually opportunities to travel abroad will come.
Where have you been, that is, where have you travelled for work or pleasure?
I have traveled a lot for work. In Africa, I’ve traveled to Guinea, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Zanzibar, Cameroon, Burundi, and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Asia I’ve traveled to India, Pakistan, and Nepal. One of my favorite work trips was to Amman, Jordan because I was connected to a local family that took me to local restaurants and to see the amazing historic sites throughout the country. Nepal was also amazing as I got to paraglide for the first time.
For pleasure, my husband and I have traveled to Grenada, Ireland, Italy and Croatia (before we had two small children!). In 2017 I will have a chance to travel to Brazil for the first time to monitor a study of pregnant women in Zika-affected areas.
What was the most exciting thing that you've done?
As mentioned above, the opportunity to see Petra in Jordan and go paragliding in Nepal were pretty exciting!
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| Québec ou « l'accent français en Amérique » Written by Émile Lévesque-Jalbert
J'entends encore ma mère qui s'étonne : « Tu vas étudier la littérature française à l'université Miami à Oxford en Ohio? » Ne sachant trop comment lui répondre, je me suis contenté de confirmer en hochant la tête, le sourire fendu jusqu'aux oreilles. Un an et demi plus tard, c'est avec ce même sourire plein d'enthousiasme et de fierté que je regarde le travail accompli et le chemin parcouru. Originaire d'un petit village situé dans l'Est du Québec, j'ai fait mes études de premier cycle dans la ville de Québec et j'ignorais tout de l'Ohio. Mais, peut-être est-ce dû à mes origines campagnardes ou ma propre éthique de travail, quand je me suis retrouvé de l'autre côté des Appalaches, je me suis rapidement reconnu dans la mentalité du Midwest; ces gens qui travaillent dur, tête baissée, avec le coeur sur la main. Partout, que ce soit chez les étudiants, les professeurs ou les membres de l'administration, j'ai senti cette même bienveillante générosité qui m'a accueilli à bras ouvert, comme s'il y avait entre nous une lointaine parenté. Même si je comprends ma mère d'avoir sourcillé, vivre au milieu de cette sorte de carrefour culturel m'aura permis d'apprendre autant sur moi que sur les autres. Ni Français, ni Américain, je me suis retrouvé dans une heureuse proximité avec ces deux cultures. Quand j'ouvre un livre, il est français, mais si je lève la tête pour converser, je passe à l'anglais. J'ai donc appris énormément, mais j'ai aussi appris que peu importe ce que je fais on entend toujours mon accent. On l'entend si bien que, à chaque début de semestre, je dois rassurer mes étudiants en leur disant qu'ils sont bel et bien dans un cours de français et que, bien sûr, la grammaire québécoise est la même. Heureusement, les étudiants comprennent vite que mon accent n'est pas une lacune, mais plutôt une fenêtre sur une autre culture. Au sortir de ces deux années à Miami University, je ne peux qu'exprimer ma gratitude pour la confiance témoignée et l'incroyable opportunité qui m'a été offerte : c'est ici que j'aurai appris à m'étonner de la similitude ainsi qu'à célébrer la différence, y compris la mienne.
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| Bringing Down the House with the French & Italian Theater Club Written by Abigail Weissfeld
The French and Italian Drama Club was created in the Spring 2016 semester to provide an opportunity for French and Italian speakers to practice their language skills and gain new appreciation for theater. The club is made up of French and Italian speakers at all levels of fluency, from first year students to native speakers. The club also gives students and faculty a chance to work closely in a fun and comfortable setting. In May 2016, we had our first performance, at the Oxford Community Arts Center, which showcased excerpts from the French absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco and various Italian futurists. Despite being a new club on campus, we performed for a full house at our debut show, and the audience was incredibly receptive. Excerpts were entirely in French and Italian, accompanied by English supertitles. This semester, we have been working on pieces from Dario Fo and Molière. Next semester we are planning for a couple of performances, including excerpts from Dario Fo, Ionesco, and Molière in their original languages, as well as a couple of excerpts translated into English. Every rehearsal is a new experience, because we always uncover something about our characters or better ways to interact with the stage. Rehearsals begin with warm-ups: physical games and exercises that help us to familiarize ourselves with our environment and our characters. These warm-ups are also vocal, allowing us to feel and play with the words as we produce them. We then begin on our excerpts, trying to find new, better ways to stage our performance and make the words our own. Rehearsals can be as short as an hour and a half or as long as three or four hours, but we always leave having learned something new about the literature and language we’re working on. Being a member of the French and Italian Drama club does not require past acting experience. Beginners work side-by-side with experienced actors, students from the Theater department with students from French and Italian, and everyone gains from the experience. Members gain confidence in their French and Italian pronunciation and their public speaking skills, as well as new insights into French and Italian literature.
For further information, and a glimpse into what we’re up to, look us up on Facebook and YouTube. We’ll see you at our next performance!
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| College of Arts and Science at Miami University
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