In June, Marie Cécile Ganne-Schiermeier, Lecturer in the French, Francophone and Italian Studies department, and who has taught at Wellesley College for 14 years, received the Ordre des Palmes académiques, Order of the French Academic Palms from the Consul Général of France during the celebration of Bastille Day
“The Ordre des Palmes Académiques is an award that was first created by Napoléon Bonaparte in 1808 and it's one of the oldest non-military distinctions in France,” Ganne-Schiermeier says. “It’s a prestigious distinction given by the French Ministry of Culture and Education to university faculty or intellectuals for the promotion of French language, culture, and arts. I think the heart of it is really this idea of transmission—transmission of French cultural knowledge and heritage to younger generations.”
To learn more, read this Q&A with Ganne-Schiermeier.