(September 1, 2010)

Contact: Rick DelaHaya, Centenary News Services, 318.869.5073

Scholarships Send Centenary Graduates to France

SHREVEPORT, La. (Centenary News Service) — Two Centenary graduates will head to France this fall for roughly one year as part of an annual cultural exchange and education program created by La Fondation Louisiane.

Charles Eddy '10 and David Williams '10 are among seven college graduates from across Louisiana heading to France or French-speaking countries to study abroad or teach conversational English to elementary or high school students.

Charles Eddy
Charles Eddy

Eddy, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French, received the La Bourse James Domengeaux Scholarship and will study French literature at the Université Catholique de Paris.

"I am definitely looking forward to immersing myself in the culture and finally perfect the language skills that I've been working on for so long," said Eddy. "This will give me the opportunity to make my French as good as I possibly can."

David Williams
David Williams

Williams, a history and French major, received the La Bourse Héritage: Patsy Arceneaux Scholarship, which is granted by the French Embassy to allow students to teach English to elementary or high school students for one academic year in France. He sees this opportunity as more of a cultural exchange then just teaching.

"We received information about what to bring with us, such as items from our hometowns and photos of our families among other things," he said. "I think it will be more of an exchange and more conversational then just teaching grammar and English."

Other Louisiana scholars include: Emily Rowley, LSU, Florence Mariboules Heritage Scholar; Zachary Press, Tulane University, France/Louisiane Heritage Scholar; Haley Aguillard, McNeese State University, Mary and Charles Belleau Heritage Scholar; Matthew Perry, U.L.L., Chantal Le Clère Dowty Heritage Scholar; and Joshua Beckham, U.L.M., Lois and John Breaux Scholar.

La Fondation Louisiane sponsors the annual scholarship competition for Louisiana university and high school students for study in Francophone countries. The collegiate competition and selection was undertaken by a committee appointed by the Foundation with input from college and university faculty from around the state. A committee of the Louisiana Association of High School French Clubs chose the winners of the high school awards. Formed in 1989, La Fondation Louisiane is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of the French language in Louisiana.


About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and has been recognized as "One of the Best 373 Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of "America's Best Colleges" and one of by Forbes.com. In 2008 Centenary College celebrated 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.