MACON – Mercer University senior Anna Cizek was recently accepted into the Teaching Assistantship Program in France (TAPIF) and will teach secondary English at the Académie de Nancy-Metz for seven months during the 2017-2018 academic year.
A joint initiative of the French Ministry of Education, the Centre international d'études pédagogiques and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the program's goal is to strengthen English language instruction in French schools by establishing a native speaker presence while also providing American Francophiles with excellent teaching experience and first-hand knowledge of French language and culture.
“Anna has been a wonderful student, loving the language and culture of France so much that she used her French name, Yvonne, in all of her classes with us,” said Dr. Anna Weaver, associate professor and chair of foreign languages and literatures. “While she has thoroughly enjoyed learning French on a personal level, it has also helped her achieve her career goals. We are proud of all that she has accomplished and know she will be a great assistante.”
Cizek, from Naperville, Illinois, is a triple-major in international affairs, French, and global health studies. Following her teaching assistantship, she intends to pursue graduate school for international affairs or language interpretation and translation.
“The Teaching Assistantship Program in France is the ideal next step to achieving my career goals. The program will allow me to grow academically and culturally while expanding my professional network,” said Cizek. “I would like to thank my advisers, Dr. Eimad Houry and Dr. Anna Weaver, as well as Dr. David Davis for their encouragement and guidance throughout my time at Mercer. I would also like to give a special thanks to Deputy Director of Athletics Sybil Blalock for giving me the opportunity to achieve my full potential both on and off the field.”
A student assistant and former infielder and pinch runner on Mercer's softball team, Cizek has traveled with Mercer On Mission to Greece and South Africa, presented research in Doha, Qatar, studied abroad in Morocco and interned with the Québec Government Office in Chicago, Illinois. This summer, she will intern with the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations in Washington, D.C.
Cizek is secretary of Mercer's French Club and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Sigma Alpha honor societies. She was a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I All-America Scholar-Athlete, received departmental honors for her work in international affairs and multiple awards in Model Arab League and Mock World Health Organization, and was inducted into the Order of Omega Executive Council for exemplifying high standards of scholarship, leadership and involvement in the Greek community.
TAPIF allows more than 1,100 American citizens and permanent residents to teach each year in public schools across all of metropolitan France as well as in overseas regions such as Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. For more information, visit http://highereducation.frenchculture.org/teach-in-france.
