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Michaela Grobbel German Professor Michaela Grobbel on Romani History through Art: Professor of German and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures Michaela Grobbel recently published "The Nazi Genocide of the Roma Through the Eyes of Ceija Stojka" in Roma Artist Ceija Stojka: What Should I Be Afraid of? (Hirmer Verlag, München, 2023). This monograph was published on the occasion of the exhibition of "What Should I Be Afraid of? Roma Artist Ceija Stojka" that ran from May 23 to September 25, 2023 at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York. 
French Club is Back! : The French Club is back every other Wednesday from 12-1pm with its French Conversation Hour! Meet at Stevenson 1204, starting February 21st. Ce serait un plaisir de vous avoir là! Click here to learn more!
Professor Emily Clark Emily Clark publishes article in Anales Galdosianos: Associate Professor of Spanish, Emily Clark, published her latest article titled 
Triple Major Margaret Pavey Awarded Reilly French Scholarship!: Margaret Pavey, a senior and triple major in Psychology, French, and the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies, was awarded the Reilly French Scholarship at SSU. Despite pursuing three majors, Margaret studied in France for a year at Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) in Aix-en-Provence through CSUIP. She very much enjoyed her studies and life abroad. She had a wonderful learning experience, and decided to go back to France after graduation to work as an assistant English teacher for a year. One of the eligibility requirements for the Maria and William Reilly French Scholarship stipulates that the awardee plans for a PhD in French and prepares for an international career focusing on French culture. View the A&H spotlight here. Congratulations et toutes nos félicitations, Margaret!
Run...Or Don't informational flyer Professor Emeritus, Christine Renaudin, performs in *Run......Or Don't*: Professor Emeritus, Christine Renaudin is performing Run… Or Don’t at the Theatre of Yugen in San Francisco on February 24-25. Devised with collaborators Christina Lewis and Jenny
Micheala Grobbel Faculty Spotlight: German Professor Michaela Grobbel presents remarks at an art exhibition opening.
German Film Series Fall 2023: Enjoy a German Film every other Wednesday at 7:15 pm in Darwin 107! All movies have English subtitles.
What can you learn in one semester of German? : Find out here!
Interested in taking a language courses at SSU? : Watch this short video to learn more about language classes at SSU from a student perspective!
Three Student Perspectives on Taking German at SSU: Three Student Testimonials  
MLL Graduation Pizza Party!: Come celebrate your accomplishments with Modern Languages and Literatures! Thursday, May 11th, 12:00-1:00 PM RHC 18 courtyard. 
Interested in taking language courses at SSU? : Watch this short video to learn more about language classes at SSU from a student perspective!
cornec_image Alumni Spotlight- Rachel Cornec: While in the French BA program at SSU, Rachel was hired to teach English in France through the TAPIF Program. Rachel went on to teach in Paris after graduating in 2016, once again through TAPIF. Click for more.
The Mitzvah Project: April 10, 2023, 1:00-2:30 PM, Warren Auditorium in Ives Hall: Learn More Here!
Presentation on the Franco-German Partnership : March 13th at Salazar 1033. Join Fulbright FLTA Annabelle Alibert and SSU German Club President Gabriel Peterson for a fascinating presentation on the relationship of Germany and France through the context of the EU! 
French Evenings Poster French Evenings: Come join the French club every other Thursday at 6pm for fun movie and game nights!
Alumni Spotlight- Maria Gonzalez: Maria Gonzalez graduated from Sonoma State in 2011 with a BA in French. She now works in HR for California Human Development. Read her whole story here!
French Conversation Hour is Back!: Join our French FLTA Annabelle for French tables and snack time! Come practice your French or come just to hang out and learn more about the French language. All are welcome! Join in living room at the Student Center at 1-2PM on Tuesdays.
ricardo_calderon_image Alumni Spotlight- Ricardo Calderon: Ricky graduated in 2016 with a double major, Spanish and Sociology, and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. He currently serves as the Coordinator of First-and Second-Year Transition (FAST) Programs at Sonoma State University.  Click for more.
Das Boot 12/6: Don't miss the last movie in the German film series of the semester! "Das Boot" is playing 12/7 at 7:15 PM, in Darwin 107! More info here!
Lets_talk_about_race_in_France "Let's Talk about Race in France: Rejecting Race & Ethnicity Surveys in the Hexagon": Presentation by FLTA Annabelle Alibert, as part of International Education Week, Nov. 16th, from 12-1PM. Click for more.
International Education Week!: International Education Week is next week (11/14-11/18)! For more info click here!
stephanie_gorevin Alumni Spotlight- Stephanie Gorevin: Stephanie graduated in 2009 with a BA in French.  Currently working at a boutique translation firm as a Project Manager, she gets to interact with tons of people all over the globe! Click for more.
Courtney Fisher Alumni Spotlight- Courtney Fisher: Courtney graduated in 2007 with a BA in Spanish, completed a Master of Arts in Teaching, and is happy to be able to use her language skills to bridge the gap with families.  Click here for more.
Kaffestunde!: Tuesdays from 12 to 12:50 in the Living Room at the Student Center.  
Alumni Spotlight- Autumn Vowles: Autumn graduated in 2010 with a BA in French and is currently in a doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University.  Click here for more.
Puebla_Downtown Nuevos Horizontes en los estudios hispánicos: Sonoma Graduate Student Conference on Spanish Language Teaching: Click for more information.
Dr. Renaudin French Professor Dr. Christine Renaudin Retires: after 32 years of outstanding service to Arts & Humanities. Click here for more info.
Caroline Neyman Photo Alumni Spotlight- Caroline Neyman: Caroline Neyman graduated in 2010, with a B.A. in French. She is currently the Operations Director at the Green Music Center. Click here for more.
French 475 Senior Seminar Presentations: 5/17/22 at 2pm, GMC 1058 French 475 Senior Seminar Presentations: Please join the SSU French Program for our Senior Seminar Presentations this coming Tuesday, May 17, at 2pm in GMC 1058. 
SYRCE Symposium: May 17, 2022, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm, at GMC SYRCE Symposium: On Tuesday, 5/17, the SYRCE Symposium will be back in person in the Green Music Center between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Everybody is invited! 
MLL Class of 2022! Congratulations MLL Graduates! : We proudly celebrate the Class of 2022! Click here for information on Commencement 2022!
German Film Series Spring 2022: The German Club presents their Spring 2022 German Film Nights! All are welcome to join Yasemin, our Fulbright FLTA, and the German Club every other Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. in Darwin Hall 107!
Dr. Suzanne Toczyski Dr. Suzanne Toczyski invited to lecture at Pasadena City College: On Friday, March 25, Professor Suzanne Toczyski will give an invited lecture on the history of Haiti and the Haitian-American diaspora in the context of a symposium on "La Francophonie," to be held at Pasadena City College. 
Amanda Best Photo Alumni Spotlight- Amanda Best: Amanda graduated in 2019 with a double major, French and English.  She completed her MA at Trinity College in Dublin and aims to apply to the doctoral program for comparative literature at UC Berkeley.
Kaffeestunde_Spring 22 Kaffeestunde: SSU’s weekly informal German conversation hour facilitated by our Fulbright FLTA Yasemin Schünemann! Come and join us! We meet every Tuesday from noon to 12:50 p.m. in SIP/Student Center. Click here for more information!
Raymundo Lopez Alumni Spotlight- Ray Lopez: Ray graduated in 2020 with a double major in French and Political Science. He completed his MA at Stanford and is now at Michigan State University, doing a PhD in American politics, with a minor in political methodology. 
The Integration of Turkish Guest workers in Germany The Integration of Turkish Guest workers in Germany: Today is the day! Don't forget to join Yasemin, our German Fulbright FLTA(Foreign Language Teaching Assistant). She will be presenting on the integration of Turkish Guest workers in Germany and will be giving personal insights about the topic. 
International Education Week: What does it mean to be German?: Join our Fulbright FLTA, Yasemin Schünemann, and our two PLFs, Gamze can and Lydia Bobb, as they answer questions and discuss experiences growing up in Germany. Click here for info and zoom link. 
Alumni Spotlight- Kelsi Mundell: Kelsi graduated in 2015 with a BA in Psychology and a minor in German. She was accepted into the Master’s Program of International Affairs at City University of New York Baruch College. Click here to read the full interview. 
Alumni Spotlight- Jenna Riggan: Jenna Riggan graduated from SSU in 2012 with a BA in French and a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Wine Business Strategies. Click here to see her full interview.
German Club Upcoming Events!: Do you like coffee, movies, trivia, or board games? If you answered yes to any, then be sure to check out the German Club’s upcoming events!
Alumni Spotlight- Josephine Ockrassa: Josephine graduated from SSU in 2019 with a BA in German Cultural Studies, and a minor in Music. She is currently completing her Master’s Degree at SSU in History. Click here to see her full interview. 
French Club Movie Night! 10/07/21: Bonjour Tout le Monde! Today @ 7:30pm, the French Club will be having a hybrid meeting where you can zoom in or you can go to Salazar Hall 2024 to watch "Il a déjà tes yeux" a heartwarming film about an adoptive mixed-race family facing the challenges of parenthood. See you there!
German Film Screening & Discussion TODAY 9/29, 7:15 p.m. in 2020 Salazar: Hallo and Welcome to our third film screening of the German Klub!
Fall 2021 German Film Series Fall 2021 German Film Series: The German Club presents! All are welcome to join Yasemin, our Fulbright FLTA, and the German Club every other Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. in Salazar 2020! All movies are connected to German language and literature classes at SSU! It is FREE for everyone and there are English subtitles!
Sarah Heyward An interview with French alum Sarah Heyward: Sarah Heyward interview. I was a double major in French and Studio Art.
elise Alumni Spotlight-Elise Manzanillo: Elise graduated in 2018 with a special major in German Cultural Studies from SSU. She is currently enrolled in the Master’s Direct Entry Nursing program at Columbia University
Alessa Alumni Spotlight-Alessa Rigal: Alessa graduated in 2008 with a double major in French and Global Studies, and a minor in Spanish.
holly Alumni Spotlight-Holly Blevins: Holly Blevins (Lyon), a 2018 graduate with a special major in German Cultural Studies, is working on an MSc at the University of Potsdam.
erica Alumni Spotlight-Erica Forster: Erica Forster, a 2013 graduate of the BA program in French, lives in Paris, France, and is the Operations Manager for The Tour Guy guided tours company. French Professor Suzanne Toczyski interviewed Erica via Zoom.
shani langford Alumni Spotlight-Shani Langford: Shani Langford is a 2012 graduate of the BA program in Spanish who lives in Washington, D.C. and works for the US Department of Agriculture.

Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos! Willkommen! Bienvenue!

The programs and courses of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures make accessible to students the languages, literatures, and cultures of France and the Francophone world, Germany and other German-speaking countries, and Spain and Latin America. Studying a foreign language also provides a multitude of benefits that impact many aspects of life and enhance your career opportunities.

On behalf of the faculty of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, I welcome our students to the 2023-2024 academic year!  My colleagues and I look forward to working with you! All of us are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community in which everyone can strive for success. We are committed to acts of kindness to create a supportive learning community in which kindness is a guiding principle. For more information see the United in Kindness-resolution.

President Ming-Tung "Mike" Lee and his wife Fei with Professors Emily Clark & Michaela Grobbel at SSU Decision Day

 

 

We welcome Nathan Gerdes, our visiting Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (Fulbright FLTA) for the upcoming AY! Nathan comes from the beautiful town of Münster in western Germany, and is excited to be at SSU this fall and next spring. He just completed his Master’s in English, Italian, and Education at the University of Münster. At SSU, he will support the German Program, co-teaching German language courses, assist German language learners in their studies outside the classroom, and offer German-related events together with the SSU German Club. As a Fulbright Cultural Ambassador, he will also offer cultural events on and off campus. Nathan can be reached at gerdesn@sonoma.edu or during his office hours in 10A Rachel Carson Hall. 

Nathan Gerdes

German Fulbright FLTA Nathan Gerdes

-Dr. Michaela Grobbel
 Chair, Department of Modern Languages