Alexia Little

Tell us a little bit about what you’ve been doing since graduation! 

Upon graduation, I began working as a magazine feature writer and sports reporter in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia (I had another major in journalism and media). Subsequently, I earned my master’s degree in journalism and mass communication at the University of Georgia where I am currently a doctoral student in the same subject. Between my master’s and PhD studies, I worked in strategic communications at Vanderbilt University. A media historian by research area, I’ve published several studies in peer-reviewed journals and traveled around the country presenting my work.

What made you decide to start learning French? And what motivated you to keep going with it? 

Each student at my high school had to choose a language to learn. As I had already had Spanish courses earlier in my schooling, I decided to take French as a new challenge. My mom had also studied French and really enjoyed the language during her time at UT. French is a beautiful language, and some of the greatest literary and scholarly works of all time found their roots in France, so I wanted to be able to read the original works and engage with the language for myself. I really enjoyed the structure and grammatical fluidity, not to mention the world of cultural studies language study opened to me, so I continued on and eventually spent a summer term in Paris.

What are some of the ways that studying French at UT has helped you in your post-graduate career?

 Firstly, the careful attention needed to learn grammatical structures and tenses in French and write/speak with clarity made me pay more attention to my written English, also, which bolstered my journalistic and scholarly writing. Secondly, my French studies broadened my worldview and opened me to new people and experiences despite sometimes incredibly dissimilar backgrounds, facilitating my ability to interview all kinds of people and find common ground to build trust and tell accurate, compelling stories. Specifically in my scholarly pursuits, my studies in French introduced me to key thinkers, theorists, and historians who provided some of the original frameworks from which I work in mass communication such as Maurice Halbwachs (collective memory), Michel Foucault (power in memory and history), and Jacques Derrida (oppositional binaries). The ability to read and translate their original texts provides deeper nuance and understanding in building theoretical frameworks for my studies of memory in the American press.

To what extent do you use your knowledge of French language and culture in your life and work today? 

Many theoretical perspectives from which we draw in journalism and mass communication research came out of France or Francophone areas in Africa, Switzerland, and elsewhere. I often encounter terms such as “parole” and “la langue” that refer to the ways in which we study mass communication discourse (structuralist perspectives, for instance), which help to elaborate concepts. Knowledge of the historical and cultural moments in which these theorists were working helps to better understand their attempts to more fully historicize the social process and communication. Beyond the specifics, my time in French at UT also helped me to develop my critical thinking skills in reading texts from many different eras and regions, a skill that carries forward in many situations. In a more personal sense, I still very much enjoy French films, music, and programming, recently seeing Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) on the big screen at a theatre in Nashville. I also recently took a course centered around first films by major directors, and we discussed Agnes Varda and others a great length.

Tell us about a particularly memorable moment or experience you had while learning French.

I have so many enjoyable memories from my time learning French at UTK, but our Pi Delta Phi honors society induction dinners stand out as favorite moments. Each year, we welcomed new inductees while honoring graduating seniors. Newer students, soon-to-be alumni, and faculty broke bread at a restaurant with some French flair such as the French Market or Mimi’s Café. Our faculty, always attentive, compassionate, and incredibly supportive, would attend in great number to celebrate our accomplishments as students. Each of those meals came with great conversations, laughter, and highlights from the year – a time to simply enjoy the company of good friends and colleagues and a reminder that the community we built would extend far beyond our time on Rocky Top.

Did you ever study abroad? If so, can you tell us a little bit about that experience and how it shaped you?

In 2017, I was fortunate enough to travel to France with the UTK in Paris program. Each moment immersed us in French culture, history, and language, from simple breakfasts with our host families to excursions to Versailles and the Loire Valley. We overheard rehearsals for Carmen at the beautiful and historical Opéra Garnier; studied some of the world’s greatest pieces of art at the Louvre and Musée D’Orsay; paid homage to Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and so many others at Père Lachaise cemetery; traversed Paris’ underground in the catacombs; and lunched in the gardens and parks around the Eiffel Tower and other major landmarks. We were lucky to see Notre Dame before that awful fire several years ago. Every minute connected us to our collective global history while providing an immersive view of a culture and lifestyle different from our own. Truly special.

What advice would you give to students who are thinking about majoring or minoring in a language but aren’t sure how it will fit into their future plans? 

More education never hurts, and you never know when a word or phrase from a second language will creep into your own lexicon or work and help you to more fully understand. So many great works and ideas originate around the globe, and having the ability and knowledge to engage with them lessens the gaps between people and places and deepens perspectives on many topics from language to politics to economics to art and everything in between.

What would you tell someone who’s considering taking a language about why they should do it? And what advice would you give them for how to approach language learning?

I fully endorse language learning. My best advice is to have fun with the curriculum and take every opportunity to connect with your classmates, faculty, and (of course) the language. Language learning can be a challenge, but it comes with such great rewards. The more courses you take and the more comfortable you become with the language, the more you can learn about literature, art, humanism, politics, economics, fashion, food, history, entertainment – anything and everything. Language learning opens a world of possibilities (pun intended), so lean into those studies with an open mind and commitment. Don’t view language learning as a requirement for graduation; view it as a requirement for more fully living.