This post originally appeared on U College of Humanities News and was published October 1, 2025. This article is republished here with permission.
From left: David David Do Paço, Wanda Pillow, Anne Lair, and Michael Middleton.
David Do Paço, academic cooperation attaché with the French Embassy in the United States, visited the University of Utah’s College of Humanities to meet with students, faculty, and administrators about future opportunities for collaboration between Utah and France.
His three-day visit to Salt Lake City began with high school students in the French Bridge Program, led by Anne Lair, professor/lecturer of French and France’s Honorary Consul in Salt Lake City. Do Paço said he was moved by the students’ testimonies, noting their “humility, maturity, and intelligence” as they described how learning French could open doors for social mobility and cultural connection.
He then turned his attention to French students at the U, discussing their academic goals, summer opportunities at the Université Catholique de l’Ouest, and potential graduate programs in France.
In a meeting with Dean Wanda S. Pillow and Associate Dean Michael Middleton, the group identified opportunities for faculty research, graduate programs such as the Lafayette Fellowship, and initiatives supporting women in education and undergraduate programs. A key theme was reinforcing connections between France, French Polynesia (Tahiti), and Utah.
Do Paço also presented the France in Higher Education program, the Transatlantic Research Partnership, and several new initiatives launched by the French National Research Agency and universities such as Aix-Marseille and Université de Grenoble Alpes.
“As we all know, the Humanities have been facing difficult times lately,” said Lair. “The different topics of collaboration raised between Dr. Do Paço, Dean Pillow, and Associate Dean Middleton are doable, invigorating, and will give us the energy we need to move forward in terms of collaborative research for faculty in the College, and also opportunities for future graduate students through the Lafayette Fellowship.”
The Lafayette Fellowship, introduced during Do Paço’s visit, will support 30 American students pursuing a master’s degree in France across a range of disciplines. Alison Shimko and Susan Anderson from the University of Utah’s Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships met with Do Paco to discuss application guidelines and will support students interested in applying.
Do Paço also met with history faculty Susie Porter and Kiki Mackaman-Lofland to discuss potential collaborations in postcolonial studies, and with Honors College advisors about the new fellowship.
Throughout his visit, Do Paço emphasized how French studies connect diverse disciplines, from political science to music. “I have seen once again how French Studies nourishes a variety of backgrounds,” he said. His visit highlighted how international collaboration can enrich faculty research and student opportunities, strengthening the ties between Utah and France.