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URI French
& TMD Alumni
To Send Alumni News, Updates, Inquiries EMAIL HERE
To subscribe to the URI French Program Listserv (for Current and Past
Students) EMAIL HERE
Where Are They Now?
2000s
Rachel
Lomonaco
(2005) spent a year in Guinea, Western Africa working
for the Peace Corps and here is the update she sent us in September
2006:
Both of my passions emerged as a teenager when I began to study French.
Somehow I just couldn't get enough of French! I loved to learn the
language, I watched movies, listened to music, learned whatever I could
about the culture and society. But when it came time to fill out
college applications, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to
study apparel design. I was stuck on design and vintage clothing, and
my love of French wasn't going to sway my decision. But it was always
in the back of my mind. In fact, I ended up at URI because I
couldn't imagine going to an art school where language studies wouldn't
go past an intermediate level. And once at URI, my very first class was
oral expression with Prof. Durand. Within a week, he managed to
convince me that doing a dual degree was entirely possible and really
quite simple. And he was right. During my four years at URI, I was able
to finish both degrees, study abroad in France, help in the Historic
Textile and Costume Collection and finish a tailor shop apprenticeship
with Nordstrom in Providence. What I most love about my college
studies, is that I was able to mesh my varied interests: language,
literature, sociology, philosophy, film studies, design, historic
costume and practical apparel construction. And the professors in both
departments were endlessly helpful. Both fields have given me something
practical to carry with me the rest of my life. I now have the ability
to express myself in two languages on topics as diverse as
existentialism, music, psychology, politics, agriculture and film. And
I was able to work with Peace Corps in francophone Guinea with an
assurance that many struggle to acheive. Knowing the language
beforehand gives you the opportunity to create more lasting
relationships and help people more readily on a technical level. You
can gain the trust of people more easily and also appear more
knowledgable and professional in whatever field you enter. As for my
textile and apparel background, nothing is more basic to a people's way
of life than clothing and textiles. In many areas it is the one truly
expressive art form they use on a daily basis; and tailors and weavers
are found in every village. My time in Guinea motivated me to keep
French an integral part of my life and solidified my desire to return
to URI to continue studies in textile conservation. (2006)
THE BA/BS IN FRENCH
& TMD,
DON'T LEAVE URI WITHOUT THEM!
To become a French
& TMD double major,
no paperwork, no
office visits, no hassle, just write to adurand@uri.edu and that's it!
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