Professors made a huge difference for Anne Theobald

College of Saint Benedict graduate Anne Theobald ’02, has had a passion for the French language since high school. But it was her time spent at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University that really helped Theobald to develop her passion into a life career.

Coming into college, Anne thought that she wanted to be a high school French teacher. She majored in French and minored in secondary education at CSB. After student teaching her last semester, Anne realized that she missed her French literature classes. In order to continue her studies in French literature, Anne started to consider attending graduate school.

While trying to decide what to do after graduation Anne received some advice from Camilla Krone, a French professor at CSB/SJU. Professor Krone suggested that Anne go to France for a year after graduation to be an English teaching assistant in the French school system. She also suggested that Anne attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) for graduate school, and wrote her a letter of recommendation.

Anne took her professor’s advice. She went to France after graduation and credits Professor Krone with helping her discover an abroad experience that was “one of the best of [my] life ... I made a lot of good friends with whom I still stay in touch” She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in French at UW-Madison and says, “I am where I am now thanks to Camilla!”

Although Anne’s teaching assistantship brought her to France, it was not the first time she had visited the country. France was like a second home to Anne, who studied abroad in Cannes her junior year as an undergraduate. It was her semester abroad that really improved her knowledge of the language.

Anne has returned to France many times since then and is pleased to discover that her professors still remember her. Anne describes studying abroad as a “truly great experience.”

If you ask Anne about her time at CSB/SJU, she will start out by thanking her French professors for helping her develop her language skills and for helping her to discover how to find a career in a field that she enjoys. She credits Professor Krone for directing her to graduate school and more time in France; Professors Vera Theisen, Chuck Villette and Karen Erickson also made deep impressions on Anne.

“My French professors were wonderful. Most of [my classes] were small, and I got a lot of individualized attention. That definitely helped prepare me for graduate school. It was pretty amazing that a small liberal arts school like Saint Ben’s has such outstanding French professors.” Anne said.

Anne is currently a fourth-year graduate student at UW-Madison. She specializes in 17^th century French literature and her minor is second language acquisition. In the fall, Anne will begin to write her dissertation. She is also a teaching assistant for the French department at UW Madison and has enjoyed her teaching experiences. Anne will be returning to France this summer, as a trip to France to visit the friends she made there is an annual event.

Anne is a true example of someone with la passion (a passion) for everything French.