Alice Cataldi honored by French embassy

2:19 p.m., May 20, 2004--Alice Cataldi (second from left), UD instructor in foreign languages and literatures, has been named “chevalier” of “l’ordre des Palmes Académiques” (the honorary society of the French Ministry of Youth, National Education and Research), for her contributions to the spread of French culture. Laurence Emile-Besse (second from right), cultural attachée from the French embassy presented the award May 6 at UD.

Former winners of the award are Mary Donaldson-Evans (far right), Elias Ahuja Professor of Foreign Languages and Literatures, and Veronica Eid (far left), president of the Alliance Français of Delaware, who taught French at UD for several years.

Born in Israel, Cataldi attended a French boarding school in Tel-Aviv and speaks Arabic and Hebrew, in addition to French and English. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Connecticut. Cataldi serves as president of the Delaware chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French and is a member of the board of directors of the Delaware Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, which honored her as Foreign Language Teacher of the Year in 1990 and Advocate of the Year in 1999. Cataldi has coordinated the UD’s Summer Institute for Foreign Language Teachers for five years, serves as adviser to foreign language education majors and adviser to the French Club.

Article by Sue Moncure

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