Congratulations to Professor Daniel Nabil Maroun who obtained a highly competitive grant awarded by the French Embassy and the FACE Foundation to initiate much-needed revisions in the French Undergraduate Curriculum. Professor Maroun’s proposal, entitled “Professionalizing French in Illinois: Empowering French and Francophone Studies,” responded to a call "to initiate mid-to-long-term changes in French and Francophone Studies through innovation, equity, inclusion, and social justice in the context of a diversifying US society". The proposal was developed in collaboration and consultation with members of the FRIT UG committee, Professors Zsuzsanna Fagyal (Head), and Marcus Keller (Director of Centre of Excellence/France@Illinois). Under the leadership of Professor Maroun, it will provide seed funding ($12,000), among others, for the development of new courses, such as “French for the Professions” and “French in the Community." These courses will offer majors and minors professionalized French language instruction and serve underrepresented Francophone populations' needs in multiple sectors of activity in the greater Champaign-Urbana region.

Félicitations to Professor Maroun and colleagues!