Westmont Magazine Frankly Speaking: Senior Earns Etienne Gros Prize from French University

Chloe White ’23 embraces all things French, earning the Etienne Gros Prize for Academic Excellence in Literature this summer after graduating from the French Honors program at the Institute for American Universities (IAU) in Southern France.

“We have all been very moved, very touched by your work — always thoughtful, always documented,” said Professor Suzanne Canessa at graduation. “You have a sense for the French language — a poetic sense.”

A double major in history and philosophy with a minor in French, White says Mary Collier, Westmont professor emerita of French, inspired her to study in France. “She was a wonderful influence on my determination to continue learning French and spoke glowingly of the program at IAU.

“I also was drawn to the location, Aix-en-Provence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, full of historic buildings, and about 45 minutes from the Mediterranean.”

White studied French in high school and pursued it further at Westmont. “I knew I had barely tasted the French language, and I wanted to continue discovering its intricacies and working toward fluency,” she says. She also finds French history fascinating.

At IAU, White completed classes in history, literature and art. “My courses involved excursions to libraries and monuments in Aix, meeting local authors and even participating in a public dance performance in the streets,” she says. “Learning in Aix was also learning about the city, its culture, history and amusements. I often visited parks, shopped at the markets or hiked local trails, and I traveled to other areas in France and different countries on the weekends.”

Editor-in-chief of the Horizon this year, White hopes to complete a major honors project in French philosophical history. “I’m also considering a gap year in a Francophone country or pursuing a master’s degree in France,” she says. “I’ve learned as much from the French about beauty, great cheeses and the value of leisure and slowness as I have about their language.”