New York, September 24th, 2018 — Anne-Sophie Guéguen, Corinne Günger (officers), and Vannina Boussouf, Nicolas L’Hotellier and Evelyn Lolis (chevaliers) will be awarded the awarded the insignia of the Order of Academic Palms by Jean-Michel Blanquer, French Minister of National Education on Monday, September 24 in New York at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. They will receive this distinction in recognition of their tremendous contributions to the promotion of French language and culture in the United States, in a spirit of sustained educational excellence and innovation.

The Order of Academic Palms was founded in 1808 by Napoléon 1er. It honors individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of education, and recognizes their dedication and accomplishments in teaching, scholarship, or research.

Corinne Güngör is the head of the French-American School of Princeton, a high-quality establishment which she co-founded in 2000 and provides PK-8 bilingual education. Prior to this, Güngör earned a B.A. in Legal Studies and Teaching certificate in Anthony, France. From 1991 to 1998, she was an elementary teacher in Paris, then moved to the French international School of Philadelphia where her rigor and her benevolence earned her the title of Chevalier of the Order of Academic Palms. She’s kept on fostering French language and culture during her tenure as Vice-President of the Association of French American Schools Association in North America (AFSA) from 2007 to 2011, and now furthers her experience in bicultural education by working in close partnership with local actors in the region of Princeton. Her promotion to Officer of the Academic Palms rewards her tireless commitment in developing her elementary and middle school and “collège”, whose classes have recently been accredited by the French Ministry of Education.

Evelyn J. Lolis is a Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership and Administration of Hofstra University. Trilingual in English, French and Greek, she has been appointed head of the Hewlett Woodmere Public School from 2013 to 2015, and is now Principal of the Lilian Weber School of the Arts, a pioneer institution in the field of bilingual education. Lolis has strived to develop the school’s program into high-quality bilingual education, to make sure it provides the best possible opportunities for developments in academics and performing arts. Given her expertise and her commitment to linguistic and cultural exchange, she greatly assists the French Embassy, and officials studying the rise of bilingual courses in New York.

Anne-Sophie Guéguen was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the Academic Palms in 2011 to honor the opening The French Academy of Bilingual Culture, which offers French curriculums accredited by the French Ministry of National Education. She started her career in education in 1994 at the French lycée of Addis-Abeba, Ethiopia. Since 2011, in the United States, she has kept on furthering France’s presence and influence in the state of New Jersey by opening two additional campuses and a “college”, allowing students to pursue their instruction in a French program throughout secondary education, and doubling the establishment numbers. Furthermore, Anne-Sophie Guéguen was recently elected to enter the administrative committee of the Society of French International Schools in North America, where she was in charge of Communication.

Nicolas L’Hotellier, current Assistant Head at Lycée Français of New York, began his career as a math teacher, and quickly switched to in-service learning, focusing on reception arrangements and aid schemes for non-Francophone students and refugees. After receiving a Masters in Management specializing in the administration of public educational organizations and passing the selective entry exam held by the French Ministry of National Education to enter the management staff of educational institutions in 2004, he was Assistant Head in several establishments, including, since 2009, the Lycée Français of New York. As such, he is a key element in promoting French education abroad, especially thanks to an original, innovative educational provision such as international oriented options for the “baccalauréat”.

Vannina Boussouf started her career in Southern Corse, where she taught for eight years. From 2004 to 2008, she was hired by the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana to work in a public school in New Orleans. Then she occupied the position of Head of the primary school of the Lycée Français of New York. Boussouf is in charge of 34 classes and a staff of 72 French and American teachers, and takes to heart child development and well-being in international, bilingual settings promoting diversity as well as French language and culture.

Jean-Michel Blanquer will also take part in a series of events during the week, including a visit of LaGuardia High School for the Arts and a public talk with Michael Middleton, Dean of Hunter College School of Education on September 25, 2018.

The Cultural Services of the French Embassy promotes the best of French arts, literature, cinema, language, and higher education across the US. Based in New York City, Washington D.C and eight other cities across the country, the Cultural Services brings artists, authors, educational and university programs to cities nationwide. It also builds partnership between French and American artists, institutions, and universities on both sides of the Atlantic. In New York, through its bookshop, Albertine, it fosters French American exchange around literature and the arts.

Jean-Michel Blanquer is an academic and a French politician.  After obtaining a degree in philosophy from the Sorbonne, he pursued a DEA in political science at Science-Po in Paris, then earned two law degrees: a doctorate and the aggregation of public law. As a graduate student, he went abroad, in particular to Colombia and the United States.

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Media Contact

Camille Desprez, Cultural Services of the French Embassy, camille.desprez@diplomatie.gouv.fr, +1.212.439.1417