Why study French at Lyon College?

Lyon College's close community is perfect for learning another language. Small class sizes, student-faculty mentorships, and weekly conversation sessions help students improve their oral and written French skills. Lyon also has an exchange program at the Centre de Francais Langue Etrangere in Poitiers, France. Students can study in France for a semester or a year while taking courses with the Université de Poitiers.

Faculty Members

Dr. James Martell, Dr. Awah Mfossi Sidjeck

Ways To Get Involved 

Learning French doesn’t just happen in the classroom. The French Club offers many activities for students. These include trips to New Orleans and the Memphis opera and events like Crepe Days and masquerades. The Lyon Film Cycle shows multiple European films each semester. Presentations and discussions follow the film. You can also attend the weekly Pause Café, where students discuss cultural and everyday events. 

Student Spotlight

“Learning another language is such an enriching experience,” says French major Raleigh Jeffrey, ’20.

He has a well-rounded knowledge of the French language and culture thanks to his classes and is building on that foundation by studying abroad in France.

“Lyon has given me the skills needed to communicate in a foreign environment with ease,” Jeffrey says. “The enthusiasm of the French professors is invigorating in a way that consistently pushes me to do my best and to learn more.”

Interesting Places

Lyon alumni have attended graduate school programs, both for M.A.s and Phds, at excellent institutions like Louisiana State University and the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.