Campus Connection

Creative projects bridge language learning and professional success

Introducing yourself and learning how to order food in a foreign language are some of the basics of French language education. But Assistant Professor of French Dany Jacob wants students to finish his classes with much more than this. 
  
Jacob and Anna Keefe, Associate Professor of French, develop projects that will link students with the career skills, earning them a distinct badge of honor as they launch into today’s global professional world. Whether translating French letters from the 1800s for the Wisconsin Historical Society or creating example materials for an international marketing campaign, Jacob says his students slowly build a professional portfolio over the course of their classes. The skills they gain align with skills employers find critical to success, at UWL referred to collectively as the Eagle Advantage. 
 
“I’m European. I speak seven languages. English was my fourth,” says Jacob, a native of Luxembourg. “I’ve seen how, with language, the world opens wider. You can go anywhere — see, taste, experience, and live life. You can fulfill your personal dreams. Not only that, but you can also gain an edge in the professional world.”
 
Some modern language graduates have translated language acquisition to professional positions in foreign countries. Others have applied their knowledge to work for global corporations based in the U.S. 
 
Below Jacob shares several class projects that weave professional experience into French education. See projects on display on the third floor of Graff Main Hall on the UWL campus through the end of the spring semester. 

Translating a piece of early Wisconsin life

 FRE 317 students collaborate with Special Collections and the Wisconsin Historical Society

Students in French 317: Practice in Translation collaborated with Teri Holford in Murphy Library Special Collections to formally translate French letters for the first time from a mother to her daughter in the 1830s. The completed product will be added to UW-Plateville Archives and Special Collections and be of tremendous help to the Wisconsin Historical Society. 

The letters were written by Mary Ann Fisher to her daughter, Elizabeth Baird. Fisher was the daughter of a French colonizer and the daughter of the Ottawa tribe’s chief. Adding to the challenge of translation, French was not Fisher’s first language, so she spelled many words phonetically. Because of this, students first translated the document into grammatical French and then to English, a slow and methodical process that involved careful interpretation of the text. Students said the project helped them see how complex interpreting text can be and how important context is to get the final product right.

The letters provide a window into the past that non-French speakers haven’t had access to, students said.

It is extremely easy, when thinking about history, to forget that the individuals involved were just like people today with deep and complex emotions instead of simply a name on a piece of paper, explain students Trenton Ruffalo and Gabrielle VonBolhuis. The letter reminded them that even back then, mothers worried and missed their daughters dearly.

Translated letter from Mary Ann Fisher to her daughter, Elizabeth Baird:

My dear child,

I received your letter from the 6th which was a great consolation for me to hear that you
are doing well. I got treatment in Mackinac for two weeks and returned last Sunday in perfect
health. I wrote to you and Eliza from Mackinac, which I hope you received. I won’t waste time
writing you a long letter today, but I have one surprising piece of news; the old Katie is going to
marry Henry Valiancour. The news was published last Sunday. You can imagine what kind of
household it’s going to be like; he’s a widow with two kids, and she doesn’t even know how to
sew. Your grandmother brought this upon her, but she said she needs a husband. My darling, it
would make me very happy if you were to send me garden seeds and a headdress, it is very much
needed because I only have the ones you made for me. Tell Eliza that I will write to her very
soon. I know your grandmother and aunt will send their best wishes, as well as the reverend, Mr.
Bonduel, who reassures you of his respects while I am here at home. I will let you know that
next time I write to you. Kiss my dear grandchildren for me.
Your tender mother,

Building an international marketing campaign in a foreign language

FRE 307 students collaborate with Marc Manke, Art, and his graphic design class, ART 408

Student groups in a French Professional Communication Class came up with a bilingual slogan to market UWL’s French program, as well as campaign materials such as a poster, postcard, stickers, swag, and social media posts. The project leader had to communicate in French with Jacob, who acted as the business client. Students collaborated with graphic design students led by Marc Manke, Assistant Professor of Art. Design students created the designs with the added challenge of working with a language most didn’t know. 

One student in FRE 307 who aims to work in international business management one day, said the project helped them learn how to work with others and trust that they will do their part vs. attempting to manage everything.

“This project will help me a lot in the professional world because I learned how to be professional in many situations,” explains student Kylie Homar. “I learned a lot of things that are very useful in the workforce, and I learned different cultural nuances that can help me in the future when I work with people with global backgrounds.”

Postcards from the French-speaking world

FRE 102 students share a fictious story from worldly travels

Second semester French students selected photos from any part of the French-speaking world and invented stories about their travels to go along with them. These fictional postcards were an opportunity to practice writing French in the past tense. It also involved researching what there is to see and do in French speaking countries, which are all over the world from Africa to The Caribbean islands.

“It helped raise awareness that French is not just spoken in France and Quebec,” says Jacob. “French is everywhere.”

On the cards, students made up fantastic stories of how they were attacked by crocodiles or met the love of their life. Some researched details down to the specific restaurant menu items they ate on their journey.

“I want to get them to dream,” says Jacob. ”Language opens doors. It gives you access to dreams and desires. As they say in France, ‘Impossible n’est pas français’ or nothing is impossible (in French).”