The Department of Modern Foreign Languages is pleased to announce that the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) has awarded Kelly Silvers the 2013 AATF Outstanding Senior in French Award. This award is made annually to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in the study of French as well as exceptional commitment to the French language and the many cultures where it is spoken. A recipient for the Award at Augustana College must be a major in French, a non-native speaker of French, have achieved a minimum 3.4 GPA in French, and have completed an honor's thesis with a minimum grade of A-.

Kelly is a triple major in French, International Studies, and Modern Foreign Languages. She participated in a semester study abroad program in Grenoble, France and is a member of Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. Her honors thesis—La Vie et la poésie de Charles—Orléans—examined the intersection between the poetry and the life of Charles, Duke of Orléans and King of France, who was taken prisoner by the English following the battle of Battle of Agincourt on October 25, 1415.

The AATF was founded in 1927 and is the largest national professional association of French teachers in the world with nearly 10,000 members. It has as its mission the promotion of the study of French language and French-speaking literatures and cultures at all levels.

Six Augustana College students were inducted into Augie's Mu Alpha chapter of Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society.

• Laura Bane—Art—Rockwell City, Iowa
• Sydney Fleming—Psychology and French—Rapid City, South Dakota
• Sabrina Johnson—Civitas Honors, Art, French minor—Bellevue, Nebraska
• Madeline Nykamp—Biochemistry and French—Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Megan Soe—History, French minor—Fremont, Nebraska
• Elle Onisciuc—Government/International Affairs, Modern Foreign Languages, French minor—Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Pi Delta Pi, established in 1906 at the University of California, Berkeley, currently has more that 360 chapters in the United States. The purpose of the Society is to recognize outstanding scholarship in the French language and Francophone literature, to increase the knowledge and appreciation of Americans for the cultural contributions of the French-speaking world, and to stimulate and to encourage French and Francophone cultural activities. The faculty advisor is Dr. Scott Fish.

Six Augustana College students were inducted into Augie's Upsilon Omicron chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society.

• Michaela Bernard
• Logan Bulock
• Maria Cook
• Kathryn Johnson
• Amanda Knowler
• Katherine Sturgeon

Drs. Pilar Cabrera Fonte and Michael Rueter, and Professor Sam Ogdie were also inducted as honorary members. Sigma Delta Pi, established in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley, currently has more that 580 chapters in the United States. The purpose of the Society is: to honor those who attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language and in the study of the literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking peoples; to honor those who have made the Hispanic contributions to modern culture better known in the English-speaking world; to encourage college and university students to acquire a greater interest in and a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture; to foster friendly relations and mutual respect between the nations of Hispanic speech and those of English speech; and to serve its membership in ways which will contribute to the attainment of the goals and ideals of the society. Augustana's Upsilon Omicron chapter of Sigma Delta Pi was established in 2000. The faculty advisor is Prof. Elizabeth Herman.

Students from three different MDFL classes will be presenting their research at this year's Augustana College Symposium on April 20, 2013, which takes place from 1:00-5:00 P.M. in the Madsen Center.

• Cami Ponton-Vives, "La Mezquita de Córdoba: el símbolo del triunfo" ("The Mosque of Cordoba: Symbol of Truimph")
  Research Director: Dr. Michael Reuter


• Kelly Silvers, "La Vie et La Poésie de Charles d'Orléans" ("The Life and Poetry of Charles d'Orléans"
  Research Director: Dr. Scott Fish


• Michael Tveter, "The Colonial Wall in Chocolat: Claire Denis’ Crucial Portrayal of the Spatial Separation of Europeans and West Africans." Research Director: Dr. Scott Fish

Further information and presentation times are available on the Symposium page.

The Department of Modern Foreign Languages is pleased to announced that fifteen Augustana French-language students have been awarded scholarships to participate in "Topics in French: La Belgique: du Passé au Présent" (Belgium: From Past to Present), a 2013 spring break course in Belgium led by Dr. Scott Fish, associate professor of Modern Foreign Languages, and Florence Thompsen, instructor of French and a native of Belgium. See the complete story, and follow the students' adventure by liking the course Facebook page and blog.