MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Seven Middle Tennessee State University students spent three weeks immersed in French language, culture and history this summer through MTSU’s faculty-led Summer in Normandy study abroad program.

Led by Joan McRae, professor of French in MTSU’s Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures, the June 22 through July 12 program took students to Normandy and Paris, combining language study at the University of Caen with host-family stays and visits to museums, monuments and historic sites. Five undergraduate and two graduate students participated.

“I create a space for them to learn to adapt, to be independent and rely on themselves, and to relish travel and experiencing new cultures,” McRae said.

Senior Renee Tetteh, a double major in French and political science, saw those lessons come together when she found herself lost with a dead phone and had to rely on her French to ask a stranger for help.

“What I learned was a lifesaver,” Tetteh said. “I got home safely because I was able to communicate well with a stranger.”

Tetteh previously studied abroad in Senegal and saw the France program as another opportunity to study internationally while completing the final six credits of her French double major. Living with a host family for two weeks and attending classes at a French university gave her daily opportunities to strengthen her language skills.

“It made me take learning a new language more seriously because it would be relevant to my future career,” said Tetteh, who plans to pursue international law.

She added, “I also learned how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and become more comfortable using French in everyday situations.”

McRae said she watches students develop independence throughout the program, particularly as they learn to navigate unfamiliar surroundings.

“The first few days in Paris, they followed me like little chicks through the streets and the metro system,” McRae said. “By the last day in Paris, their free day, they could navigate themselves and explore on their own.”

‘I really want to do this’

For graduate student Michelle Halman, the program represented the final course in a college journey she completed at age 56.

Halman recently completed her Master of Arts in Liberal Arts at MTSU while working full-time as an academic advisor for University College. Her interest in studying abroad began while encouraging the students she advises to explore the same opportunity.

Halman attended MTSU’s Study Abroad Fair, hosted by the Office of Education Abroad, with her students and visited faculty tables to learn more about the programs available. When she stopped to talk with McRae about Summer in Normandy, her perspective shifted.

“I found myself thinking, ‘I really want to do this,'” Halman said.

Going through the application and planning process herself gave Halman a new understanding of what students face when preparing to study abroad.

“There were scholarships, financial aid, employee tuition benefits, course substitutions, university paperwork, passport requirements and travel arrangements to figure out,” Halman said. “I remember thinking, ‘If this feels complicated to me, and I work here, how overwhelming must it feel for our students?'”

The experience changed the way she approaches her role as an advisor.

“Before, I could explain the study abroad process. Now I understand what it actually feels like to go through it,” Halman said. “I know the excitement, the uncertainty, the paperwork and the planning that students experience. That firsthand knowledge has made me a better advisor.”

Beyond the personal growth students experienced, the program connected their studies to the historical and cultural sites they visited throughout Normandy and Paris. They kept daily journals, completed research projects inspired by their experiences and continued their language studies at the University of Caen.

When reflecting on what left the greatest impression, Halman mentioned their visit to the Normandy American Cemetery.

“Standing there made history feel very personal,” she said. “Reading about World War II is one thing, but standing where those events unfolded and seeing thousands of graves overlooking Omaha Beach is something I’ll never forget.”

McRae said visits to places such as the Normandy American Cemetery, Pointe du Hoc, Versailles, the Paris Catacombs and museums throughout Paris give students experiences that are difficult to replicate through classroom instruction.

“Standing on the Pointe du Hoc or in the American Cemetery puts students on the front line, offering a profound understanding that no lecture could,” McRae said.

Halman returned from France with another milestone ahead. The study abroad course completed the requirements for her master’s degree, which she received from MTSU in its recent August commencement ceremony. 

“I learned that growth doesn’t have an age limit,” she said. “I’ve always considered myself an introvert, and traveling internationally with a group of students I did not know pushed me outside my comfort zone. I realized I was capable of more than I had given myself credit for, and that’s a lesson I’ll carry with me long after this trip.”

Her experience also changed the advice she will give students who question whether studying abroad is within reach.

“I would tell them that they absolutely belong,” Halman said. “Don’t let your age, career, or responsibilities convince you that you’ve missed your opportunity. I was 56 years old, working full time, and finishing my master’s degree when I studied abroad. If you’ve ever thought, ‘Maybe someday,’ my advice is simple: don’t wait.”

— Mike Davis ([email protected])