Western French Studies professor Jeff Tennant received a national order of France at the Dr. David S.H. Chu International Student Centre earlier this week, recognizing his work in French phonetics and sociolinguistics, alongside his dedication to fostering shared learning and intercultural relations with France. The Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms) is an Order of Chivalry of France for academics, cultural and educational figures, originally a decoration founded by Emperor Napoléon to honour eminent members of the University of Paris. In 1866, the scope of the award was widened to include major contributions to French national education and culture made by anyone, including foreigners. In 2013, French Studies professor Alain Goldschläger, who established Western’s Holocaust Literary Research Institute in 1996, was honoured with the Order of Academic Palms for his work with the International Task Force for Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research.
