Taylor Parker
University of Florida
B.A. (magna cum laude) Jewish Studies, French and Francophone Studies , International Studies
FRENCH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM (FMP)
During my time in college, I realized that it can sometimes be very difficult to appreciate the specialization offered through a degree such as French. In an increasingly globalized world, the practicality as well as the necessity of cultural interconnectedness is paramount to the success and stability of the future. Most people do not realize that choosing a major such as French and Francophone Studies goes beyond memorizing vocabulary and learning grammar rules. Majors such as French combine a variety of disciplines and skills sets which require analytical thinking-- which last I checked, was not exclusive to STEM majors! My personal experience as French major has been a melange of history, international and domestic politics, literature (ranging from the 16th to 21st century), comparative ideological and legal frameworks, critical writing, and much more. Mastering grammar, developing a rich vocabulary, and improving reading comprehension of a foreign language just happened to be an added bonus. With French as an official language of twenty-nine countries and a significant global presence in economics, STEM research, and foreign affairs, knowledge of the French language and Francophone culture offers limitless opportunities.
I designed the French Mentorship Program (FMP) with two basic goals in mind: I wanted to establish a network of faculty and students within the university who shared academic and research interests in the French language and in Francophone cultures; I wanted to link this collegiate network with the local community through secondary school French programs as a means of service for college students, and as a mentoring program for high school students to educate them about academic and career interests that draw from the discipline of the French major.
Third and fourth year students majoring in French had the opportunity to do community service by volunteering with the high school mentoring aspect of the program. Here, we sought to encourage to students to pursue learning about Francophone cultures seriously by demonstrating how this knowledge is useful and enhances academic pursuits. Program mentors presented their personal academic engagements with the French major.
In Fall 2014, I and two other students launched the French Mentorship program. We began by pairing third and fourth year French majors with students minoring in French, or paired the upperclassmen with first or second year students looking to learn more about the program. Students came from a variety of disciplines: Biochemistry, History, Business, Engineering, Criminal Justice, and many others. Third and fourth year mentors helped their mentees practice their oral skills, and served as a resource for advising logistics about the French major or minor as well as their other interests. A majority of the students in this program paired the French major or minor with other majors or minors, so we attempted to pair students with similar academic tracts.
In addition to these activities, FMP sought to broaden professional networks between faculty and students. We arranged for a French department faculty member once a month to present their career history, research, or topic of choice to French majors/minors and to those interested in learning more about the versatility of the discipline. Students were able to meet with professors they may not have otherwise encountered and learn more about their professional experiences, research, and courses taught at the university.
Inaugural students for the French Mentorship Program. Students come from pre-med, pre-health, pre-law, business, and other disciplines. Students shared a common interest in French.
FMP Spring event at the Samuel P. Harn Museum. Students visited and impressionist exhibit which featured two real Monet paintings .
To the left: Mentor and mentees at the inaugural meeting. To the right: Me and my mentee, Frantzie!