Peer Academic Coaching for World Languages and Literatures - French
łÔąĎ±¬ÁĎ for WLF 101, 102, 203, 206, 208
Location:
Sun in PAL 423, Mon-Wed in WLL Lounge - 4th Floor Palamountain
Peer Academic Coaches are available to help you develop your content knowledge and study skills. There is no need to sign up. Simply stop by!
| Sun 7-9PM | Mon 7-9PM | Tues 7-9PM | Wed 7-9PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ella | Isabel | Ayme | Calli |
| Isabel | Hattie | Mihranush | Anastasia |
meet the wll french pac team
Calli Frankel '25 - PAC Captain
About Me: I’m a sophomore French and Psychology major, and am also a Gear Shed Manager for the Outing Club at Skidmore! I love hiking, climbing, and anything outside, along with cooking good food, and hanging out with cool people!
Why PAC?: I have always found that studying with other people is more productive because you can bounce ideas off each other and keep each other on track, along with being in a fun atmosphere. PAC is amazing because it gives all that a structure, where people who are into studying the same things can help and spend time with each other.
Favorite class and why?: My favorite class was Neuroscience 101 because it seemed so out of my wheelhouse at first, and I ended up loving everything about the course!
Academic Advice: Having a good life work balance is so important in my opinion! Making sure that you do things you love helps relieve stress, gives you a schedule to work around, and generally makes everything more fun.
Hattie Byrne '26 
About Me: I’m a junior majoring in French from central Vermont! I love spending time outdoors with friends hiking, swimming, and skiing, and will never pass up a good campfire or hammock hangout!
Why PAC?: I have found that talking to my peers has improved my conversational French the most. Being in a relaxed setting where you can practice casual conversation while also working through more difficult assignments is a win-win!
Favorite Class: My favorite class was probably Beginner K-pop dance. It was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I was very nervous at first, but I had a blast, and it was a great way to get some exercise!
Academic Advice: Be forgiving of yourself! Take breaks when you need to and spend time with friends or go outside! I’ve always found a good walk can put me in the right headspace to jump back into a difficult task.
Ayme Dupre '27 
About me: I am originally from France. Currently I’m a Sophomore and will be majoring in Business and minoring in Arts administration. I love traveling, going outdoors, eating good food, spending time with my friends and meeting new people.
Why PAC?: I love helping people. French being a very difficult language, I think it is that much more important to have an environment to help fellow students in their language journey. PAC is a more intimate setting than a classroom or asking your professor. PAC gives me the opportunity to help others build confidence in their language skills, and I can share my tips and tricks I’ve learned as a French native speaker.
Favourite Class: My favourite class has been my EN-105 What’s in it for me? writing seminar with prof. Pashley. It was an awesome class where I was able to improve my writing considerably. I learned so many tricks and aspects of the English language that were unbeknownst to me until then. Prof. Pashley makes it fun, engaging, and interesting in her class, highly recommend.
Academic Advice: I recommend keeping on top of your homework. The more one can keep on track of homework and assignments, completing them on time and making sure they are of high quality, professors will recognize the work and value the effort. There’s no right or wrong and everyone has different learning habits; do what works best for you!
Isabel Kiechel '25
About Me: I am a senior International Affairs and French double major, and the Vice President of the French Club! I love being outdoors, going on walks, and hanging out with my friends.
Why PAC?: I think that learning and practicing your French in a casual, one-on-one environment with your peers is an amazing way to improve your French. It’s less intimidating than a classroom setting and allows for more personalized interactions. PAC gives me the opportunity to help others build confidence in their language skills and share my tips and tricks I’ve learned as a French major.
Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class that I have ever taken at Skidmore was World In Distress with Professor Prasad. It introduced me to a wide range of topics in International Affairs, and really challenged me to think critically about global issues.
Academic Advice: Make sure you develop good relationships with your professors, don't be afraid to stay after class to talk to them or ask them questions. The better relationship you have with your professor the more likely you are to succeed in the class.
Ella Provost '26
Majors: French and International Affairs 
About Me: I am a senior and I am on the Skidmore Women’s Tennis Team and President of the French Cultural Club. In my free time, I love to cook with my friends, play violin, swim in the ocean, read, and hike.
Why PAC?: I believe fostering a supportive and encouraging environment is crucial when learning a language. I found that collaborating and communicating with peers in a setting outside of the classroom improved my confidence and enthusiasm for French, and I hope to share that with others!
Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class was Informal Cities with Professor Vivian. I loved this class because we were able to learn about informal urbanism and theories of space (including physical, social, and intellectual) in the French Caribbean. We further discussed decolonial ecologies in relation to developing countries via novels, short films, and movies.
Academic Advice: I find that thinking of your future academic self is the key to success. Consistent effort and focus in class leading up to a big assignment produces the most successful result. Prepare early, be patient with yourself, and seek guidance from your professor even if you do not have a specific concern.
Anastasia Rogozinski '25
Majors: Education and English Minor: French 
About Me: I am a sophomore and I love to read and bake. I like to swim and teach swim lessons over the summer. I am also the publicist for the Bene-Faction club. I have been taking French since I was in 4th grade and have always loved it!
Why PAC?: I think that having a relaxed atmosphere with your peers is a great place to study or get work done. There is no pressure of being in a classroom and getting the “right answer”. And, it is a great way to meet people in your class and other classes in that subject!
Favorite Class and Why: My favorite class was Reading in French. I loved reading, analyzing, and discussing different forms of French literature that I had never been exposed to before!
Academic Advice: Time management is super important when doing work but also outside of school work. Give yourself time to decompress by doing something non-academic that you enjoy. Afterwards, you feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready to get back into your work. Finding a balance can be hard, but it helps improve the quality of your work!
Mihranush Varzhapetyan '26
Majors: International Affairs, French 
About me: I am a Junior passionate about languages and diplomacy. I am from Armenia, and before Skidmore I have also studied for two years in Tanzania. French is my fourth language which I have been studying for four years!
Why PAC?: In my experience, languages are best learned when interacting with others. PAC is the best way to communicate in French with your peers as well as get any help that you need!
Favorite class and why?: My favorite class is Improvisation I, where I learned how to ne comfortable with my own body while dancing and how to express myself through dance without having any prior experience in dance.
Academic advice: Take breaks, don’t overwhelm yourself as it will only make your studying less effective! Everyone learns better differently, so try to find what works best for you!