Audrey Brunetaux
Associate Professor of French
French and Italian
French is spoken in more than 30 countries around the world. Italian is the native language of 59 million people in the European Union.
Whether you love the language or have an interest in European and Francophone cultures, studying French or Italian at Colby will open a world of opportunity.
About French and Italian
Students majoring in French and Francophone Studies take classes in language, literary and visual arts, and culture, including history, philosophy, and science—all conducted in French. Classes are small, allowing for individual attention and close collaboration with your peers and professors. Extend your classroom experience by joining the French Club, dining with your classmates at the French table, and studying abroad, a requirement for all French and Francophone Studies majors.
The minor in Italian Studies develops students’ language skills and introduces them to life and culture in Italy. Courses cover topics from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to the modern and contemporary Italian state. Enhance your language skills through study abroad, expand your culinary experience with advanced courses on Italian cuisine, and participate in department-sponsored events including film screenings, discussions, and off-campus excursions.
Faculty and Staff
Learn more about the members of the department
Brianna Counts
Administrative Assistant II, French/Italian, German/Russian, and Spanish
Lilia Di Pierro
Italian Language Assistant
Valerie Dionne
Professor of French and Italian
Flavien Falantin
Assistant Professor of French
Nicole Ferrari
Visiting Assistant Professor of French and Italian
Léonard Marchand
French Language Assistant
Benedicte Mauguiere
Professor of French
Mouhamedoul Niang
Associate Professor of French; Chair of French and Italian
Adrianna Paliyenko
The Arnold Bernhard Professor of Arts and Humanities
Gianluca Rizzo
Paul D. and Marilyn Paganucci Associate Professor of Italian Language and Literature
Toni Veneri
Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian
- Guy T. Filosof, M.A. ’81, Ph.D., 1969-2001, Professor of French, Emeritus
- Dace Weiss, M.A., 1981-2001, Assistant Professor of French, Emerita
- Jonathan M. Weiss, M.A. ’86, Ph.D., 1972-2008, NEH/Class of 1940 Distinguished Professor of Humanities, French, Emeritus
- Charles A. Ferguson, Ph.D., 1967-1995, Associate Professor of French and Italian, Emeritus
- Arthur D. Greenspan, M.A. ’91, Ph.D. (Columbia, Indiana), 1978-2018, Professor of French and Italian, Emeritus
News
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Apr 09, 2024
Adrianna Paliyenko publishes co-edited book Redécouvrir Louisa Siefert (1845-1877)
From publisher: Le présent recueil ouvre des perspectives nouvelles sur…
Apr 04, 2024
Yannik Büchi ’17 majored in French, and today he’s a full-stack software developer at real estate startup Upright
From Colby News: “I had an identity crisis, and I…
Nov 07, 2023
Danila Cannamela Publishes Italian Trans Geographies
From the publisher: Italian Trans Geographies provides a remapping of…
Oct 03, 2023
Adrianna Paliyenko publishes The Stoics: A Bilingual Critical Edition
From the publisher: Louisa Siefert was a prolific…
Apr 08, 2022
You’re Speaking My Language: Jacob Lawrence’s The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture
During the Fall 2021 semester, students…
May 16, 2020
Lauren Ruddy Elected to Phi Beta Kappa
It is an honor to have been elected to PBK,…
Mar 11, 2020
Paige Buell ‘19 Accepted into Master’s Program at Paris School of International Affairs
Paige Buell ‘19 was accepted for the Master’s Program in…
Mar 11, 2020
Tessa Schrupp ‘20 to Present Honors Thesis at Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium
Tessa Schrupp ‘20 will present her honors thesis project, “Plurality…
Mar 11, 2020
Dr. Danila Cannamela invited to present at De Bosis Colloquium at Harvard University
Dr. Danila Cannamela was invited to present her book, The…
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