Montclair’s French Program Earns National “Exemplary with Honors” Designation

Montclair State University’s French Program has been designated “Exemplary with Honors” by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), making it the only university to receive this distinction in 2025.

AATF’s Exemplary Programs Awards recognize outstanding French language instruction across elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary institutions nationwide. Honorees serve as models for other programs and are characterized by healthy enrollment, extended language sequences, qualified instructors, ongoing professional development, innovative teaching practices, and strong connections to their communities.

In its announcement, AATF highlighted Montclair’s large number of majors and minors, its three undergraduate tracks and the variety within its master’s degree, as well as the faculty’s active professional engagement. The association also praised the program’s Career Hub for International Language Learning (CHILL), its innovative course co-taught with the University of Bordeaux, and its outreach to secondary schools, notably through yearly French immersion workshops.

“We are delighted to be named an Exemplary French program, an honor that recognizes the remarkable synergy and talents of French-speaking partners at the University and in the surrounding area,” says Elizabeth Emery, Professor of French, Graduate Program Coordinator. “We are incredibly proud of our community, whose members hail from more than fifteen countries where French is spoken and whose generous contributions to developing cultural and linguistic programming have directly resulted in this recognition.”

Graduates of the program are finding success in diverse careers, from education and translation to broadcasting, international business and public service. Gabriel Albaret ‘12, who works primarily with African countries at The Global Fund, attaches “great value to my education at MSU and particularly the French program. It helped me broaden my horizons to not only how I can interact and learn from the francophones of France, but all over the world. French is used in around 50 countries and all continents except Antarctica.”

“Montclair truly prepared me for an enriching and enlightening career as a French teacher in New Jersey,” says Jennifer Applegate Schwester ‘94, Brick Township Memorial High School, President, American Association of Teachers of French- NJ chapter (AATF-NJ), “I just began year 27 and am still going strong!”

Montclair State’s French Program continues to stand out for its commitment to student success, innovative programming, and deep engagement with communities at home and abroad. The AATF designation affirms the program’s long-standing commitment to excellence in language education and leadership in shaping the next generation of French speakers and global citizens.

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