Biography
Zach grew up in a rural Missouri town about an hour west of St. Louis. He moved to Champaign in 2024 to study French Linguistics. He is interested in studying endangered French dialects in the United States, in addition to regional languages of France like Norman and Poitevin-Saintongeais. His particular focus at this moment is the endangered dialect his great-grandparents spoke as their first language, Paw Paw French, also known as Missouri and Illinois Country French. His other interests include Franco-American history, literature, culture, music, and folklore.
Research Interests
Historical Linguistics
Missouri & Illinois French
Linguistic Anthropology
Franco-American Culture, History & Folklore
Heritage Studies & Preservation
Language Endangerment & Death
Linguistic Minorities, Diaspora & Migration
Education
Master of Arts: French Applied Linguistics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (in progress)
Bachelor of Arts: Romance Languages, emphasis in French, University of Missouri
Bachelor of Arts: International Studies, emphasis in International Business, University of Missouri
Bachelor of Science: Business Administration, emphasis in Management, University of Missouri
Undergraduate Certificate: Multicultural Studies, University of Missouri
Grants
Diffenbaugh Fellowship 2024-2025
Courses Taught
French 101, Section F, Fall 2024
French 101, Section B, Spring 2025