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2019 Scholarship opportunities to learn French now open

Posted at 3:39 PM, Nov 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-16 16:39:50-05

BATON ROUGE, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) announced today the opening of the application period for its 2019 French language scholarship opportunities at summer programs in Canada, Belgium, or France. These scholarships provide an opportunity to Louisiana students, teachers, and professionals to improve their French language skills and cultural awareness for current and future careers in Louisiana.

“CODOFIL has been able to offer these scholarship opportunities for more than 35 years thanks to our partnerships with universities and foreign governments,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “I am excited to be able to announce this year’s opportunities for people here in Louisiana to help connect them with our rich French heritage and the French network around the world to continue promoting and preserving that culture in our great state.”

A variety of scholarships are available for university students, future French language teachers, French language teachers currently teaching in Louisiana, and professionals working in Louisiana who want to improve their French speaking to make their workplace more “French friendly.”

Lauren Spann, CODOFIL scholarship recipient in 2018, says of her experience, “Without my scholarship experiences through CODOFIL, I would have never imagined moving to a francophone country at 18 years old to pursue an internship through my home university during my freshman year of college. My skills in French have evolved so much as a result of constant interaction with native French speakers both during the program and our keeping in touch after. I hope to become an international judge one day, and my experiences abroad right now are what are keeping me focused on my path to success.”

Scholarships are also available for participation in Escadrille Louisiane (“Louisiana Squadron”). This two-year program trains Louisianans in an effort to place highly-qualified, certified, and fluent French-speaking teachers from our state in our French Immersion schools.

“The Escadrille Louisiane program is a unique chance to study abroad and experience another culture while working toward a Master of Arts in Teaching. I strongly recommend this program to those passionate about French, want to promote it in Louisiana, and are not afraid to make the most of an unparalleled program,” stated Ryan Langley, an Escadrille Louisiane participant currently living in Rennes, France, as a part of his training.

Motivated applicants can access the 2019 Scholarship Guide through CODOFIL’s Scholarship webpage for more information on available scholarships and application processes. Applicants may apply for only one scholarship per year. Application deadlines are as follows; however, applicants are encouraged to submit as early as possible:

 

Friday, December 28, 2018:

Escadrille Louisiane for certified teachers currently teaching French in Louisiana
Friday, February 15, 2019:

Escadrille Louisiane for future French teachers in Louisiana

Summer scholarships for university students, teachers, and professionals
Applicants will be notified of the status of their application no later than Friday, March 29, 2019.