Program's Persistence Guaranteed through Student and Faculty Backing within FLA
The Foreign Language Assistant (FLA) program at the College of the Holy Cross will continue to operate for future years, following a successful campaign led by students and faculty to reverse the initial decision.
The FLAs, who lead practicums for students taking introductory and intermediate classes in World Languages, will continue their roles. They are instrumental in coordinating culturally-rich activities that educate students about what life is like back in their home countries. One of these traditions, the FLAlidays, will continue to take place in Stein Hall, where the FLAs cook traditional dishes from their home countries.
The students' and faculty's collaborative efforts have led to the continuation of one of the school's most beloved programs. Erin McCaffrey '25, a French and Political Science major, led a petition with nearly 1000 signatures to save the FLA program. Several professors also signed a petition to call for the reversal of the cancellation of the FLA program.
The Foreign Language Assistant program has been a hallmark of the College's World Languages department for over 20 years. It invites advanced English-speaking students from nine countries to join the campus community for a semester, offering a unique cultural exchange opportunity.
The decision to terminate the FLA program due to budgetary reasons has been reversed. The current group of FLAs were notified by the Provost's office that the program would continue. The past few weeks have demonstrated the power of collective effort towards a common goal.
Every Holy Cross student knows about the FLAlidays, a yearly tradition in which the FLAs cook traditional dishes from their home countries and set up a table in the middle of Stein Hall for all students to enjoy. This tradition, along with the practicums and other activities led by the FLAs, will continue to enrich the learning experiences of students studying foreign languages at the College of the Holy Cross.
- The Foreign Language Assistant program, a cherished tradition of the College of the Holy Cross, will endure for forthcoming years, thanks to a successful student and faculty-led campaign.
- The FLAs, key figures in conducting practicums for students in World Languages, will persist in their roles, also organizing cultural events that foster students' understanding of life in their home countries.
- The highlight of these cultural events, FLAlidays, taking place annually in Stein Hall, will persist, featuring dishes from the FLAs' homelands.
- The collaboration between students and faculty was instrumental in reversing the decision to terminate the FLA program, originally due to budgetary concerns.
- Erin McCaffrey '25, a student majoring in French and Political Science, spearheaded a petition to preserve the FLA program, garnering nearly 1000 signatures.
- In addition to students, several professors also signed a petition supporting the reversal of the FLA program's cancellation.
- Beyond promoting personal growth and education-and-self-development through language learning and cultural exchange, the FLA program offers unique opportunities for student engagement, making it a significant feature of the campus community and a cornerstone of the college's World Languages department.
