Alliance Française de Philadelphie awards two scholarships for francophone students and young professionals every year
The Alliance Française de Philadelphie Scholarship committee awarded two brilliant candidates to their 2026 scholarship program. The committee has considered need, merit, and career plans while selecting the winners.
The Pierre C. Fraley scholarship’s beneficiary is Morgan Tarr, who will use the scholarship to attend a study abroad program in Nantes, France. She has been interested in the French language and culture since she was little. Morgan is currently completing studies in Global Cultures and Applied Translation, at Carnegie Mellon University. Last spring, she earned her degrees in French and International Studies from Shippensburg University, with concentrations in Political Science and International Development. Morgan says: “French has been at the heart of all my academic projects and will continue to be for my future plans.” We are so pleased to help her gain this experience and build a foundation for her future career.
Varsha Sentil is the Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson Scholarship recipient. Varsha has accepted to be a teaching assistant with the TAPIF program in Lyon, France. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Media Studies, and Minors in French & English, at Temple University. She hopes to share her love of language and communication with the next generation. “This scholarship will allow me to use my love for French to build on my pedagogical knowledge and explore a new cultural environment” says Varsha. We are honored to help facilitate her career adventure.
The Alliance Française de Philadelphie wishes to thank the families of Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson and Pierre C. Fraley, for their
generosity in establishing a scholarship program that will, in their names, encourage, enable, and promote the study of the French
language and culture among deserving young people.
The Pierre C. Fraley scholarship’s 2025 beneficiary is Stephanie Lopez. She attended the 2025 Summer
Immersion Program at the Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada. Stephanie is currently completing a Double Major in Political
Science and Spanish at Haverford College. She started learning French a few years ago and stated: "Through my parents, I’ve
had the privilege of learning Spanish, which has opened my eyes to the importance of being a strong communicator. The fluency I have in
two languages has become a strong quality in my life, as I’m able to help my family and others. This has developed my curiosity for the
pursuit of knowledge in other languages like French".
Read Stephanie's Report
Eliza Mast is the Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson Scholarship 2025 recipient. Eliza is currently a student at
Messiah University, where she is majoring in social work and minoring in French. In order to complete her minor, she studied
abroad in Strasbourg, France, through the program Accès in the fall semester of 2025. In her application, Eliza stated: "Continued
French study will help me to be able to communicate effectively with more diverse populations in my career. I am passionate about
fostering community, bridging gaps between diverse cultures, and promoting appreciation of French language and culture".
Read Eliza's Report