[Studyabroadadvise] JYF French Teaching Assistantships

[Margaret Scouten]

Dear colleagues,

Each year, SBC JYF offers teaching assistant positions to students from 
the Sorbonne to work and/or teach in some of our Advisory Board 
Committee Colleges. Currently, we have eight postes d'assistant at: 
Agnes Scott, Denison, Kenyon, Mount Holyoke, Randolph-Macon, Sweet 
Briar, Washington & Lee and Wheaton. Our academic consultant in the 
Paris office, Mrs. Lucy Hervier, interviews the French students between 
mid-January and March. She often invites students from the host 
institution to participate in the interview process.  The committee then 
pre-selects the candidates and sends the dossiers with recommendations 
to the French departments of the American universities. The final 
decision is made by the American French department by the end of March 
or early April.

Requirements vary at each university but in general the French assistant 
works 10 to 15 hours a week for the French department. He or she assists 
the French professor in the classroom, organizes French conversation 
groups, animates a weekly French table and helps tutor students.  As F-1 
international students, they are required to register for at least 3 or 
4 courses per semester.  They receive an International scholarship which 
includes tuition, room and board plus a monthly stipend (between 
$1700-$6000/year) in exchange for their services. 

Both the American and French students benefit immensely from this 
program. JYF keeps in close contact with many of the French students 
upon their return to Paris.  They are encouraged to participate in  JYF 
activities and are always delighted to meet American students, 
especially from their "host institution."  The program also allows our 
American students to have immediate contact with French students during 
their study abroad experience. Needless to say, the Assistantship 
Program helps JYF with  negociations with Paris III, Paris IV, and Paris 
VII.  In the last few years, enrollment in the Sweet Briar program has 
grown considerably.  As a result, these French universities are asking 
us to accept more French assistants. Therefore, if you would be 
interested in accepting a French assistant at your university for fall 
2006 or fall 2007, please advise.  We realize that there are many 
budgetary factors involved in making this decision, but we are certain 
that developing this program would be mutually beneficial for all 
parties involved.

 Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Margaret