Who of us in the Philadelphia AATF does not know Marilyn Conwell? We have all gone many times to Rosemont College for our AATF and MLAPV meetings. We meet her regularly at countless activities, and have been charmed by her brilliant wit and personal charm. No wonder then that she received, at long last, the coveted Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in Teaching Award for Post-Secondary Education. The award was presented at the joint meeting of the AATF and FIPF in Atlanta Georgia, at a special luncheon on July 20, 2004. Diana Regan and Joanne Silver were among our colleagues present at the ceremony. Her award entitles her a year’s complimentary membership in the AATF and FIPF, and a subscription to Le Français dans le monde, in addition to a modest cash honorarium. However, it is the honor that comes to her and to our Chapter that we celebrate most of all.
Marilyn is an indispensable member of our profession. Above all, she is an outstanding teacher. She insists on high standards for her students, and they respond accordingly. She continues to chair the Foreign Language Department, attract French majors, and offer training in Foreign Language Methods to many students. With a sense of humor and a criterion of excellence, she guides them on to become some of the best teachers in our area. A veteran professor, Marilyn also serves Rosemont College on search committees, advisory councils, and countless other ways. She is never idle.
Technology in Foreign Language Education has grown thanks to Marilyn’s efforts. She established the Conwell Learning Center, which assists not only Rosemont students but also neighboring colleges and high schools. She shares her facilities very generously with friends in the entire area, and Rosemont also extends the use of the Center to other subjects.
Marilyn is among the pillars of our AATF Chapter. She has been an officer in the Association, hosts many meetings, attends all Executive Board gatherings, and contributes greatly to all of these. She assumed many responsibilities at Regional AATF conferences, three of which took place in our area within recent years. We also meet her at national meetings. If there is a job to be done, she is sure to volunteer, and to do it well.
In addition, Marilyn’s name has become synonymous with the DELF/DALF examinations sponsored by the French Government. She is tireless in recruiting students to take this examination and in organizing, and often preparing, the necessary materials. People have come from as far as Washington D.C. for these tests. When Washington proposed the elimination of DELF/DALF, Marilyn took the case to Paris, and hopefully American students can continue to profit from this experience.
Most of all, Marilyn is a good friend to many of us in the AATF Chapter. She is now enjoying a sabbatical semester in which she plans to research the contemporary theater in France, particularly in Paris. We wish her well, and look forward to sharing the results of her research and her own priceless comments on life in Paris when she returns. |
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