Inspire 2026 Faculty on Inspire: French Summer Language Institute Course
"I can’t wait to see the transformation with the inaugural class of Inspire French SLI students this summer, and I hope that this will be their beginning into a life-long journey into the French language and culture." - Spyridon Simotas
Inspire: French Summer Language Institute (SLI) immerses students in French language and culture while building real-world communication skills and cultural confidence. In this brand-new four-week course, beginners can earn six college credits and fast-track their path to French fluency. Through engaging classes, cultural experiences, and interactive activities, students will develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills while discovering the richness of French and Francophone cultures. Below, meet Roxanne Ewoudou, Lindsay Jubak, and Spyridon Simotas, the instructors for this brand-new Inspire course for Summer 2026!
Meet the Instructors:
Q: Tell us about your journey into the French language and how you developed your expertise in the field?
Lindsay: I began studying French as a sophomore in high school with a prior background in Spanish. I continued my study of French through college and went on to major in it while an undergraduate student at Florida State University. I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in French to gain more proficiency in the language and explore French studies more deeply. I earned my MA from the University of Notre Dame in 2021, and I was admitted to the doctoral program in French at the University of Virginia that same year. I am currently a fifth-year PhD student in the French department at UVA.
Roxanne: I’m originally from the Francophone region of Cameroon, so French is my native language. Interestingly, I came to understand the language on a much deeper level when I began teaching it. As native speakers, we rarely pause to think about the rules behind the language we use every day, and teaching pushed me to explore and articulate those structures in a meaningful way.
Spyridon: My journey is anything but straightforward. I grew up in Thebes, in Greece, one of the most ancient continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Growing up there, I felt a disconnect between my reality, confined in a small town, and the big, colorful world out there. So, for me, language learning was not just another subject, but the first step into a world I was yearning for. Plus, I enjoyed language learning. I was good at it, and that kept me going.
For example, when I started learning French as an absolute beginner (after I had been a learner of English for a few years), I was able to advance quickly. That was a surprise to everyone, including my teacher, who was impressed by my progress. A year later, I moved to Paris, and my mentor there encouraged me to enroll in a literature program. Along with my literature degree, I took a specialty track on teaching French as a foreign language, which landed me my first teaching assignment at the University of California, Santa Barbara. It didn’t take too long to realize that teaching was what I wanted to do with my life. My expertise in the field is the result of my years of experience and continuous learning. Teaching and learning constantly inform each other.
Q: What knowledge and skills can students expect to learn in the French Summer Language Institute course this summer at Inspire?
Lindsay: You will learn to engage with French and Francophone cultures using the target language.
Roxanne: You’ll learn how to introduce yourself, talk about your interests in French, and engage with a variety of Francophone cultures through the language. Throughout the course, you will also develop greater confidence and fluency.
Spyridon: Students will learn the fundamentals of French language in all four core language skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. At the end of the program, they will be able to interact in French in everyday familiar situations. This will serve them as a foundation to continue learning French, expanding their horizons, and working their way to even greater fluency. As a by-product of this experience, I hope that students will realize not only how to say things differently, but also how to see the world a little bit differently.
Q: Do students need a background in the French language or French culture to be successful in this class?
Lindsay: No! Just a passion for learning a new language and engaging with new cultures!
Roxanne: No, not at all!
Spyridon: No! This class is designed for beginners. In fact, if students have taken French classes before and they have reached a certain proficiency level, this may not be the ideal class for them.
I encourage students who are contemplating enrolling in this class to consider their own motivations. Ask themselves why they want to spend their summer learning French. Finding or coming back to their initial intention(s) will help them on a bad day or when things may seem to be getting harder. My motto in class is: “C’est difficile, mais ce n’est pas impossible!” which translates to: “It’s difficult, but it’s not impossible!”
Q: What advice do you have for students interested in taking your class this summer?
Lindsay: I would recommend that you come in with an open mind: learning a new language can be challenging, especially at the beginning, but if you stick with it all your hard work will pay off!
Roxanne: Relax, enjoy the process, and don’t aim for perfection. Learning a language takes time. You won’t become fluent overnight, and that’s okay. Making mistakes is part of learning, they help you improve. Speaking a new language can feel intimidating, but no one expects you to be perfectly accurate right away.
Spyridon: To get the most out of this learning experience, I would recommend that students block their calendars for the program’s 4-week duration, stay focused on their learning goals, and be prepared to stretch the limits of their comfort zones.
To get a better sense of what a language class looks like, think of a workshop rather than a lecture hall. Students will be interacting constantly with French media (text, audio, video) as preparation for their interactions with each other and with their instructors. By doing so, they will be able to build their own communicative strategies and internalize the fundamental structures of French. I want to emphasize that these interactions are collaborative and rely on students’ focus and participation. The class, from day one, will be entirely and exclusively taught in French!
Q: What are you most looking forward to about Inspire this summer?
Lindsay: Sharing my passion for French! I love teaching students how to communicate with people they would have never made a connection with had they not learned to speak their mother tongue! I am also looking forward to whetting high school students’ appetites for continuing their language study when they get to college and potentially becoming French majors down the road.
Roxanne: I’m excited to meet motivated and passionate students!
Spyridon: As someone who likes new beginnings, I am very excited about this year’s inaugural class of Inspire French SLI. Beginner classes are particularly rewarding both for teachers and students, because the transformation is most palpable. I can’t wait to see that transformation with the inaugural class of Inspire French SLI students this summer, and I hope that this will be their beginning into a lifelong journey into the French language and culture.
