Clemson student Crayton Rhodes, class of 2025, recently shared his reflections on his recent study abroad experience through Clemson’s “Remembering D-Day: Clemson in London-Paris-Normandy” in Clemson World.
Led by Professor Eric
Touya de Marenne and Col. (Ret.) Lance Young, Clemson Corps Life Emeritus, “Remembering D-Day: Clemson in
London-Paris-Normandy” is a yearly study abroad course which allows students to
fulfill a global challenges requirement by learning about the history, legacy, and
importance of D-Day in a variety of historically significant locations throughout the
United Kingdom and France.
Students revisit the
experiences of American soldiers during World War II and reflect on the meaning
of these experiences through visits to museums, battlefields, memorials, and
cemeteries in France and the United Kingdom. A unique feature of the program is
its face-to-face component, which allows students a personal experience with
history through private guided tours and conversations with eyewitnesses to the
events of D-Day.
As Rhodes reflects in
his post, many students have
the opportunity to connect intimately with their own family histories by reflecting
on family members’ experiences against the real-life backdrop of these events.
To read Crayton Rhodes’s reflection and learn more about his
Study Abroad experience, please visit Clemson World.
An informational meeting about the study abroad program “Remembering D-Day: 2024 Clemson in London-Paris-Normandy” will be held on Wednesday, September 20, from 5:30-7:00PM in Daniel Hall 113.
The program runs from May 14 – May 24, 2024 and takes participants to historically significant locations throughout the United Kingdom and France, including London, Normandy and Paris. Participants will have the opportunity to revisit the experiences of American soldiers during World War II and reflect on the meaning of these experiences in contexts both historical and current. Students will explore important questions and topics from a broad range of perspectives and academic disciplines. The program fulfills the GLCH (Global Challenge) 3990 and FR 3980 course credits.
For more information, contact Professor Eric Touya de Marenne, Department of Languages (etouya@clemson.edu) and Col. (Ret) Lance Young, Clemson Corps Life Emeritus (lsyoung@clemson.edu)
More information can be found on the program flyer below. The Zoom link to the information session is provided on the flyer.
Madison Butler, a 2015 graduate of the Language and International Health program, has received a Spain English Teaching Assistantship from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, a prestigious exchange program offered by the U.S. Department of State and funded by the U.S. government, is awarded to student scholars who, through work and study opportunities and individual research projects in various participating countries, have the opportunity to facilitate cross-cultural understanding by interacting with and fully immersing in the language, culture, and society of the host country.
Madison will be teaching English in Spain as a Teaching Assistant for elementary, middle, or high school level students.
Four other Clemson students and one alumnus were also accepted to the 2020-2021 Fulbright program.
For more information about these outstanding students, see the announcement from the Newsstand.
Kansai University Professor Keiko Ikeda (left) welcomed Professor Philip Ngyuen (center) and Clemson University Professor Kumiko Saito (right) to IIGE in preparation for their Fall 2019 “Business and Japanese People” COIL collaboration. Photo courtesy of IIGE.
Kumiko Saito, assistant professor of Japanese, visited Kansai University’s International Plaza and Institute for Innovative Global Education (IIGE) on June 11, 2019 to discuss plans for Kansai and Clemson’s new collaborative endeavor in international virtual and physical exchange. Her trip was made possible thanks to a Global Learning Seed Grant awarded by Clemson’s Office of Global Engagement. Kansai University is a private university located in Osaka, Japan.
Saito will teach a new course on business and Japan starting in the Fall 2019 semester in which 6-8 weeks of virtual exchange, known as COIL (collaborative online international learning), will be embedded. During the COIL period, students will collaborate online with students at Kansai University to learn about Japanese business and management through hands-on experiences.
Students who wish to expand this virtual exchange to on-site experiential learning in Japan will be able to participate in “Clemson in Japan,” a new short-term summer program at Kansai University which Saito will start in Summer 2020. This summer program, open to all Clemson students, will include an intensive Japanese course and optional internship in Japan. Students who enroll in the COIL course in Fall 19 and participate in the summer program in 2020 will be awarded a JASSO scholarship, which pays approximately $800/month toward expenses in Japan thanks to IIGE’s support.
Professor of French Eric Touya. Photo courtesy of Clemson University Relations.
CLEMSON – Professor of French Eric Touya came to Clemson 11 years ago from the “south-west of the south-west of France,” somewhere between Dax and Bayonne, near the birthplace of Vincent de Paul and Maurice Ravel, and not very far from illustrious authors and thinkers like Montaigne and Montesquieu. It’s about as far away from South Carolina, geographically and culturally, as one can get—but Touya has made it his life’s work to bring those two worlds together and show his students the Earth is much smaller than we imagine.
“Eric Touya brings to Clemson the best of the philological and enlightened European traditions of thought. It is a tradition of research and teaching rooted in the evolution of ideas and the inalienable concept of citizenship,” said Salvador Oropesa, chair of Clemson’s Department of Languages. “The idea is that we, students and professors, are citizens of the world, with rights and duties; we learn from the past to make a better future. Dr. Touya has been a champion of the Language & International Trade program because it puts together the humanities and the ethical creation of wealth to make a better world.”
Touya researches and teaches the French language and 19th-21st century Francophone culture (cultures shared by groups of French-speaking people from different areas) and literature courses. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to literature, art, theory, ethics and society in his extensive list of classes. Some of the courses he offers include studies in French literature and theater that introduce students to authors like Proust, Sartre, Camus and Simone de Beauvoir. His “Contemporary French Civilization” class invites students to approach the social, cultural and political issues that define France in the 21st century. He also teaches a “Francophone Women Authors” class that examines the works of women authors, characters, themes, genres and movements in Francophone literature, and “French Feminism and Theory” in which he explores the works of major figures of French feminism such as Monique Wittig, Hélène Cixous, Julia Kristeva and Luce Irigaray.
“I enjoy the interaction with the students who are curious learners, and eager to examine through literature major philosophical and political questions but also explore cultures and modes of thoughts different from their own,” said Touya. “I am particularly interested in the progress each student can make and I like to impart to them a certain rigor and a sense of enjoyment.”
While he loves bringing French language and culture to his students in the classroom, his favorite thing is bringing the classroom across the ocean to France.
“A defining moment for me was when I began to co-lead in 2010 with Col. Lance S. Young the ‘Paris-Normandy program’ through which Clemson students revisit the journey of American soldiers during WWII in Normandy, Paris and Northern France,” he said. “I felt a bond with the students as an American, even though I am originally from France, as we reflected on the past and paid homage to Clemson students who now rest in Normandy and gave their lives for the liberation of my native country and the world.”
Touya continues to lead groups of American students to France every summer, offering them the opportunity to learn about their country’s and world history “but also about themselves.”
In his free time Touya enjoys the beauty of Clemson’s campus, and of nearby wilderness areas like Table Rock Park. He received his D.E.A. in Comparative Literature at the Université de Paris IV, Sorbonne, and his Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago. He received the John B. & Thelma A. Gentry Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities in 2012 and the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Service in 2017. His most recent book is Simone de Beauvoir: le combat au féminin (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France/Humensis, 2019).
L&IT-French Senior Mari Lentini. (Photo courtesy of Mari Lentini.)
Mari Lentini is a graduating senior in the Language and International Trade (L&IT) program. She studied in France, interned with the U.S. Department of State, and is President of the French Professional Society. Let’s learn more about Mari and her accomplishments.
Where are you from and why did you choose to come to Clemson?
I am from Houston, Texas, although for the past couple of years, my home has been Maggie Valley in the mountains of western North Carolina. It’s about two hours away from Clemson and I chose Clemson because of its close proximity and how the Language and International Trade major combined a language program with business courses. The versatility of the L&IT program to achieve and apply language mastery in the global marketplace is incredible – my L&IT friends have followed their passions into industries such as commerce and trade, fashion, government and politics, teaching, nonprofit work, and more.
How would you describe yourself? What do you like to do in your free time?
I am a curious person and like to learn new concepts and explore new places. My frequent travel experiences taught me how to plan ahead and be organized as well as to be adaptable and spontaneous. In my free time, I enjoy running, studying new languages, hiking, and going to concerts.
Mari during her internship at the U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of Mari Lentini.)
Why did you select your major(s)? Have you studied abroad or done internships related to your studies?
I knew that I wanted to study abroad while in college. I absolutely could not wait to go to France and use French in my daily life. L&IT really interested me because in addition to the class requirements, there are two education enrichment requirements: one is to study abroad in a country with your target language and the second is to complete an internship at a company that uses your language. These components demonstrated to me that Clemson cared about my growth and development in language and cultural fluency.
My minor is in Global Politics, which shaped my study abroad experience. I completed two study abroad programs back-to-back. First, in winter 2017 with the Institute of American Universities College, I had the amazing opportunity to explore how American diplomacy and its institutions are implemented abroad, specifically in Morocco, Belgium, and France. This included understanding the structure of U.S. embassies, meeting with diplomats at the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca, the U.S. Mission to the EU, and the U.S. Mission to NATO, and visiting non-governmental organizations to grasp the effectiveness of the track II diplomacy approach in assisting with conflict resolution and the achievement of foreign policy goals.
Immediately following this, I studied for a full semester in the south of France with IAU College at Aix-en-Provence. I did a homestay to fully immerse myself in the French language and culture. My classes included courses such as Arabic (at the moment, Arabic is not offered at Clemson, so I jumped on the opportunity to learn a new language while abroad!), International Economics and the EU, and French Children’s Literature, to name a few.
Mari with the 2018 American Diplomacy study abroad cohort in Paris, France. (Photo courtesy of Mari Lentini.)
If you would like to read more about my experiences and see pictures, feel free to check out my study abroad blog: www.aixperiencefrance.wordpress.com.
For my internship, I interned in Washington, D.C. with the U.S. Department of State in Summer 2018. I was an Orientation intern at the Foreign Service Institute. Orientation, colloquially known as A-100, for newly-hired U.S. diplomats is where they learn more about the State Department and skills they need to be successful for their career in the Foreign Service. I helped to coordinate and participate in their workshops, and this experience provided invaluable insight in my decision to pursue a future in foreign policy.
What advice would you give to other students in your major?
I would encourage students to develop strong and meaningful relationships with one another and their faculty. Get to know your advisor and other people in the major early on inside and outside of the classroom – the Introduction to L&IT class is a great place to start as well as your language’s professional society. Participate in your language club’s events, like the film showings and their conversation tables. Reach out to past students who have gone abroad or interned and hear why they picked the city or program that they did, and then continue to stay in touch with them!
Are you involved in any extra-curricular organizations, and what is your role?
Mari at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. (Photo courtesy of Mari Lentini.)
I am someone who likes to be busy and involved in my community, and I am still discovering new clubs that match my interests in languages, foreign policy, and music. Currently, I am the President of the French Professional Society and am helping to plan the upcoming L&IT conference in March 2019. I also am a delegate for the university’s Model United Nations team and chaired for committees at the Clemson University Model United Nations Conference and a French collegiate conference in Aix-en-Provence. I serve in the judicial branch of Student Government and manage finances for my service sorority, Gamma Sigma Sigma. I also love concerts and country music, which is why I became part of CMA EDU. As Vice President of Special Events, I help to plan and coordinate the events for our members, including opportunities to learn more about careers in the music industry and the business side of it from professionals.
What are your future plans?
I am searching for a business or foreign policy internship for the upcoming summer. I am also in the process of researching fellowship programs that will help make graduate school more accessible for me. I would love to continue my learning in area studies, specifically in the effects of French colonization on the development of North African societies, or in the field of international law. My dream career is to join the U.S. Department of State as part of their Foreign Service.
The Japan Alumni group in Tokyo. (Photo courtesy of Clemson World magazine.)
While the Japan Alumni group is not yet an official Clemson Club, some of the more than 50 Clemson alumni and friends in Japan have been getting together for events a few times a year. They are exploring ways to support the University including providing support and guidance to students studying abroad in Japan or alumni moving to Japan for work, as well as finding internship opportunities for students. They are hoping to be the first international chartered alumni club. They gathered in November when Yuki Kihara Horose, study-abroad coordinator for Clemson Abroad, and Carolyn Crist, a student adviser with the College of Architecture, Art and Humanities Global Engagement, were visiting partner institutions in Japan. The group joined emeritus professors Yuji Kishimoto and Toshiko Kishimoto in Tokyo, their hometown, where they received the Japanese national medal of distinction in 2017.
Katrina Killinger and Alan Wright at Chukyo University. (Photo courtesy of Chukyo Abroad office).
Two Japanese majors in the Department of Languages were recipients of a scholarship awarded by Chukyo University in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Katrina Killinger (double major, Japanese and English) and Alan Wright (Japanese major, computer science minor) are finishing their year-long study abroad program at the university and received the award for being the exchange students with the highest GPAs.
At the award ceremony, Katrina gave a thank-you speech in Japanese. More information about the ceremony is available in Japanese here.
Students at Chukyo University. (Photo courtesy of Chukyo Abroad office.)
Jae Takeuchi, assistant professor of Japanese, said, “I have taught both of these students in different classes and they are very much deserving of this award!”
Two students in the Department of Languages have been selected as the 2018 Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars. Congratulations to Jessica Harris, an Economics and Philosophy major with a French Studies minor, and Hannah Pearson, a Modern Languages-ASL and English major with a concentration in Writing and Public Studies. Both are juniors in the Calhoun Honors College.
The program provides Jessica and Hannah the opportunity to study at St. Peter’s Summer School at Magdalen College at the University of Oxford in England. The cost of their room, board and tuition will be covered by the scholarship. They will select a course in English literature, Medieval studies, or environmental studies to complete during the summer. When they return to Clemson in the fall, Jessica and Hannah will give a presentation to the university community on their experiences.
The Christopher J. Duckenfield Scholars Program was established by the family and friends of Chris Duckenfield, who was Clemson’s vice provost for computing and information technology. He was also an alumnus of St. Peter’s College of the University of Oxford. The program enables one or two members of the Calhoun Honors College who demonstrate extraordinary talent, motivation, commitment, and ability to attend St. Peter’s College. Duckenfield Scholars also are expected to demonstrate the ability to adapt to the tutorial style of learning that exemplifies university education at Oxford and elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
L&IH-Spanish students at the hospital in Seville. (Photo courtesy of Europa Press.)
Language and International Health-Spanish majors Paris Arrington, Sydney Hamby, Anna Longaker, and Adrina Patterson are taking classes and completing their L&IH internships in Seville, Spain. Students had the opportunity to visit the Hospital Universitario de Valme to learn more about the healthcare system in Spain. They met with Rafael Aznar (Director, Center for Diagnostic Imaging), Javier Román (Manager, Clinical Care), and Fausto Rubio (Manager, Radiology) to discuss health services, new programs, and emerging technologies.
