What is your professional background?
I'm the Administrative Director of USAC Lyon. USAC is a consortium of 35 universities in the United States, headquartered in Reno, Nevada. Its mission is to send American students to study abroad on the programmes of their choice. My job is to welcome them and organise their stay. There are more than 50 host agencies in over 30 countries. I've always worked in these agencies. Being Italian, I started in Turin 26 years ago, after studying business at university. I spent 10 years as programme coordinator. I spent the next 10 years in Viterbo, in central Italy. Since 2016, I've been working in Lyon, one of USAC's two French offices along with Pau. The Lyon programme has been a partnership between USAC and UCLy since 2019.
How do you take care of students?
We accompany students 100%. We look after them from the moment they arrive at the airport. My team manages the rental of accommodation, university residences or host families, course enrolment and timetables. We organise cultural activities, course-related visits and city outings. Our role is also one of support, we are there to help them in case of emergency or need.
We take Americans to discover Lyon and the surrounding regions, such as Beaujolais. In winter, we organise a day trip to the Alps. We show them that you don't have to go as far as Marseille or Paris to see the country! Our students also sign up for activities run by the ILCF's animation department.
How do the courses work?
All students admitted to Lyon are enrolled on an ILCF programme: the semi-intensive semester or annual programme, or the intensive summer sessions in June and July. Every morning, they attend classes at the Institute. They have all already studied French for at least a year, and many of them have chosen our language as their major.
In the afternoon, they attend classes specially developed for their groups. They choose from more than a dozen electives, courses in politics, art history, French literature, etc. In this way they earn credits that are recognised in the United States. Classes are held at the Catholic University. Some students also choose to take UCLy courses in French, for example at the ESTBB school.
It's important to remember that American universities have fairly strict expectations, both academically and in terms of the day-to-day life of the young people they send. We want to offer the 'French reality' while respecting these expectations. The United States and France operate very differently, and our job is to adjust. For example, the ILCF language courses are a course that has to be adapted to American credit tables. Fortunately, our collaboration works well, because the ILCF understands these issues, and its programmes are generally in line with USAC.
What do you enjoy about your job?
Even if it's repetitive and we set up the same activities and support for each group, I love what I do. I enjoy helping students discover a new culture. They're going to encounter difficulties along the way, but I always find them with their eyes shining. Having studied abroad, I've had the same experience! Seeing their enthusiasm and amazement, witnessing their change, helps me to renew myself too.
Do you have any good memories of the groups you welcome?
There are so many of them! I remember the messages received during or after the stay, the thanks from students and their families. Universities also give us positive feedback. It's great to see that our work is recognised every year. We work for a very large network, but we try to provide support as close as possible to the student. We do this with the help of partners and activities that we have chosen to offer an unforgettable experience. I share all these words with my team so that we can enjoy them together.