University of Memphis World Languages and Literatures

We're proud to celebrate the impact of GSIS! Our own French professor, Dr. Will Thompson, helps lead this outstanding program that inspires the next generation of globally minded leaders. 🌎

The University of Memphis has hosted Tennessee’s Governor’s School for International Studies (GSIS) for 40 years, including this year’s June 6-27 session thanks to a $245,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Education.

This specific program focuses on international and global studies with a curriculum that spans political, economic, cultural and social systems of the world and provides students with a rigorous introduction into the interdisciplinary field of international studies.

The world is more connected now than before with the internet and social media available worldwide. An emphasis on international competency is becoming important in every field.

The University’s consistent role as GSIS host positions the UofM as an institution that understands the value of global awareness and acknowledges the various international perspectives that are ever evolving and changing.

Read more » https://bit.ly/4vIwn8f

The French program at the UofM was very well represented at the annual convention of the American Association of Teachers of French, held in Boston from July 9th to the 14th.

Dr. Errol O’Neill presented “Using AI as a tool to transform beginning French courses.” As co-chair of the AATF Commission on Colleges and Universities, he also participated in the panel discussion “Yes!, There is French after High School”.

Dr. Will Thompson attended the convention in his capacity as current President of the AATF, including presiding over the convention’s Opening Ceremony and Awards Presentation.

Former French B.A. and M.A. student Jon Smith, now a teacher at the University School of Jackson, presented the session “Le français dans l’univers de Donjons et Dragons.”

From international research and study abroad to professional conferences and leadership in the field, our WLL community continues to make an impact both on campus and beyond. Félicitations to everyone who represented the University of Memphis this year!

🌍 Our summer check-ins continue! 🌍

This week, we're checking back in with one of our students studying at the Université Catholique de Lille in France. Here's what they had to say about their summer abroad and the experiences that made their time in Lille unforgettable:

"My study abroad experience was life changing. I was in Lille, France studying French. I went to the UK and Paris, France on weekends for sightseeing. I enjoyed seeing Big Ben in London, England and seeing the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. The food was amazing in Europe as well. I actually liked it better in some ways than the United States. My favorite dish was the fish and chips in a London Pub called “The George Pub.” I learned a lot of life lessons in Lille, France. For example I learned to try to experience everything and it's okay to be afraid to immerse in the culture and mess up. I also learned in my AI class in Lille that if you try to do different things you're not comfortable with and you mess up then you succeed because you tried rather than if you never try then you’ll never see how you will do. I tried to speak the language to the best of my ability and I messed up a lot, but gave myself grace and kept trying and improved. I loved the experiences of also going out with different nationalities of people and sometimes by myself in a different culture because I was able to make mistakes and adapt which led to having a great time."

✈️ Where should our summer series take us next? ✈️

🌍 Our summer check-ins continue—this time, we're staying close to home! 🌍

Another successful Tennessee Governor's School for International Studies (GSIS) is in the books!

Every summer, Dr. Will Thompson, Director of International and Global Studies and Associate Professor of French, welcomes 60 outstanding high school juniors and seniors to the University of Memphis for this highly competitive program. Students spend several weeks living on campus while exploring languages, cultures, and global issues, including international business, immigration, the United Nations, genocide, national security, world hunger, careers in diplomacy, and health and environmental challenges.

This summer, one of the language and culture courses was Japanese, taught by Dr. Hironori Nishi!

While many of our summer check-ins have taken us around the world, it's exciting to see global learning happening right here on our own campus. ☺️

🌍 Where in the world is WLL this week? 🌍

From Costa Rica to Germany, our faculty and students are staying busy this summer through study abroad, professional development, and research.

Today we're checking in with our Department Chair and German professor, Dr. Robert Kelz, who is currently conducting research at the Ibero-American Institute in Berlin and the Frank Family Center at the Jewish Museum in Frankfurt for his forthcoming book Global Perspectives on Germans in the Southern Cone. Dr. Kelz is working on the book's introduction and his chapter on the reception of The Diary of Anne Frank in Argentina, drawing from archival sources at these institutions. The photos are from Anne Frank's house in Frankfurt, before her family fled to Amsterdam.

If you didn't get a chance to tag along with some of our students at the Université Catholique de Lille this summer (stay tuned for an update from them!!), you can still immerse yourself in a bit of French culture right here in Memphis.

This Sunday, June 21, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens will open The Café Society: Art and Sociability in Paris, 1855–1914, an exhibition exploring how cafés evolved into the heart of Parisian social and artistic life, bringing people together while inspiring generations of artists on both sides of the Atlantic. To celebrate the opening, the Dixon will host a free exhibition lecture from 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Whether you're a French enthusiast, an art lover, or simply looking for a unique way to spend a summer afternoon, this exhibition offers a glimpse into an important part of French cultural history.

Bon été, Memphis! ☕🎨

Last week, we hinted that our next stop would take us into the Francophone world.

On June 6th, Dr. Conroy and French major Hunter Brau represented WLL at the Computational Approaches to Eighteenth-Century Studies Symposium at the University of Chicago, presenting research that explores questions of networks, visibility, and material constraints with research in eighteenth-century studies through computational and digital approaches.

Dr. Conroy presented "A Global View: Counting Eighteenth-Century Writers in Wikidata," while Hunter Brau presented "Affiliation Is Not Attention: Cross-Cultural Visibility in the Age of Empires."

We are proud to see both faculty and students representing WLL and contributing to research conversations beyond our campus. Congratulations to Dr. Conroy and Hunter Brau on their presentations!

☀ Summer may be quieter on campus, but there are still plenty of exciting things happening at WLL! ☀

We have been busy welcoming incoming Tigers during the NSOs each week to share the many language learning opportunities available at UofM through the WLL.

Attending orientation this summer? Stop by our table to say hello and grab a Tiger keychain of your own!

And our summer check-ins aren't over yet... 👀 Any guesses where our Tigers will be taking us next? Here's your hint: 🥐🍁⚜🍟

Another peek at what our WLL Tigers are doing over in Costa Rica this month! 🇨🇷 We are so grateful to our partners at UNA Campus Sarapiquí for welcoming our students and creating such meaningful language and cultural learning experiences.

🌎 Did you guess correctly? 🌎

Eight WLL students are spending their summer studying Spanish language and culture in Costa Rica, and they are already halfway through the program!

So far, students have:
🌴 Visited Limón to learn about Costa Rica's Afro-Caribbean culture and heritage
⚡ Explored the country's hydroelectric energy initiatives
🍍 Toured a pineapple farm
🏙️ Visited the capital city of San José
🦥 Met some of Costa Rica's most famous residents at a sloth sanctuary

Along the way, they have been building their Spanish skills while experiencing Costa Rica's culture, history, and natural beauty firsthand.

We look forward to following the rest of their journey. ¡Pura vida!

And while our Tigers are exploring Costa Rica, exciting things are happening here on campus, too. Keep an eye on our page for more summer updates from WLL and around the university!