The Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson Scholarship
Scholarship ($3,000) will be offered in 2025 (deadline to apply: February 15, 2025)
The Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson Scholarship enables recipients to obtain proficiency in speaking the French language, unobtainable
in normal classroom work, by attending an accredited summer program of study for that purpose or by applying to the TAPIF program.
To be eligible for the Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson Scholarship, the applicant must:
-
Be a French teacher or young professional with no more than 3 years teaching experience OR,
-
Be a university student who will have completed their junior year before attending the summer program with a declared major in
French. OR,
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Be a university student taking a significant concentration of French, with a declared major and career objective requiring fluency in
French.
-
Apply to a summer program giving academic credit for a university level course of study with courses conducted in French. The program
may be located in either the United States or in a Francophone country. Preference will be given to residents of the tri-state area
(PA-NJ-DE) or to out-of- town students who are matriculated at a University in the tri-state area.
OR
- Apply to the TAPIF program.
The Alliance Française (AF) scholarship committee will weight need, merit, and the applicant’s career
plans when awarding the scholarship in the amount of $3,000
Preference will be given to young professionals, but university students are welcome to apply. Preference will be given
to residents
of the tri-state area (PA-NJ-DE).
In addition, the recipient will be required to write a 500 word (minimum) report
describing their experience in France.
HOW TO APPLY
The deadline for applications to be received by the
AF is February 15,
2025
and candidates will be contacted by March 15th.
online
application FORM and instructions
online
application FORM and instructions
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
-
Complete the application form found on the link above.
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A cover letter written in French or English describing personality: qualities
and strengths academically and personally. (.doc, .docx or .pdf)
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A written essay in French, of 500 words maximum, describing reasons for applying,
career plans, and intended benefits to be derived from the program of study. Explain when and why the applicant started learning
French. (.doc or .pdf)
-
A 2 to 5-minute video recording of spoken French presenting the
applicant in a different way than a cover letter. (.mp3 or .wav)
-
A copy of the application to a program of study as described above. Receipt of the
award is contingent upon acceptance to such a program. (.pdf)
-
2 letters of recommendation. At least one of these must be from the applicant's current teacher of
French. (University
students: can be submitted by mail on university letterhead, or by e-mail. If e-mailed format .doc, .docx or .pdf, must be sent
from professor's university e-mail address).
-
For professionals, two letters of recommendation from the applicant’s
colleagues or employer. (.doc or .pdf).
-
For students, submit a current
transcript of grades (unofficial and scanned copies from the university are acceptable).
The applicant must submit all documents at once and label their documents as follows:
Nameofthedocument_Firstname_Lastname_MLVJ2025
The scholarship is named in honor of Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson, a Belgian woman who dedicated her career to academia and
philanthropy. In the 1950s, she came to the United States as a Fullbright scholar and taught French in Cheltenham High School.
Later, she became an adjunct French professor and trustee at Arcadia University, where she was an advocate for study abroad programs.
The Alliance Française de Philadelphie wishes to thank the family of Marie-Louise Vermeiren Jackson,
for their generosity in establishing a scholarship program that will, in Mrs. Vermeiren Jackson's name, encourage, enable and promote the
study of the French language and culture among deserving young people.
