Carol Jones Saunders 鈥�62 never had the opportunity to study in France as a Dickinson student. 鈥淭here just wasn鈥檛 anything like that back them,鈥� says the former French major, noting that it wasn鈥檛 until graduate school that she took courses in the country whose language she鈥檇 studied for nearly a decade. Once there, however, Carol knew this was the best way to learn the language. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real difference when you鈥檙e totally immersed in the culture,鈥� she says of her yearlong experience in Paris as a Fulbright scholar while pursuing an M.A. at Middlebury College鈥檚 French School. 鈥淵ou learn so much more when you鈥檙e spending your entire day living, breathing and dreaming in French.鈥�
Hal and Carol Jones Saunders '62
After going on to teach French at several universities and colleges, Carol was excited to learn about the new study-abroad programs Dickinson had launched since she graduated. Then she stopped by the Dickinson Center in Toulouse in 2005 during a visit to France with husband Hal and immediately felt this was something she needed to support.
鈥淚 just thought, 鈥楧on鈥檛 I wish that this had been available for me when I was at Dickinson?鈥欌�� she recalls. 鈥淭he fact that we have our own program 鈥� that we don鈥檛 farm our students out as the stepchildren of some other institution 鈥� that makes a big difference. Working from our distinctively Dickinson experience, we immerse our students in the country and the culture. It鈥檚 really the best of both worlds as far as I鈥檓 concerned, and I wanted to do anything I could to help this along.鈥�Carol set her sights on creating an endowment that would permanently fund the position of the center director, who coordinates students鈥� academic work at the center and the University of Toulouse as well as their cultural immersion in extracurricular activities. 鈥淭he goal of our program is to have students truly become a part of the community,鈥� says Sylvie Toux, the center鈥檚 director. 鈥淚n addition to placing them with host families and taking them on trips, I help them find volunteer opportunities, internships, local clubs or sports 鈥� whatever will help to immerse them in the culture.鈥�
The nature of the work means that there is a big advantage to having a permanent funding for the post. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to have a permanent director here because of relationships you need to establish throughout the community,鈥� Sylvie adds. 鈥淚f the director were here for only two years, you would just start to establish those connections, and then it would be time to leave.鈥�
鈥淭he centers and their directors are so important to the global experience at Dickinson,鈥� Carol explains. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 just help the students get enrolled in their courses; they really connect them with the culture. Students get the chance to build friendships not only with fellow Dickinsonians but also with new French friends. These relationships can stick with them for a lifetime. I couldn鈥檛 have this experience, but I鈥檓 delighted I can help today鈥檚 Dickinson students achieve it.鈥�
At a special campus-wide ceremony, Sylvie Toux was installed as the inaugural holder of the Dickinson Toulouse Center Carol Jones Saunders '62 Faculty Directorship.