Dr. Laurence Denie-Higney, Senior Lecturer of French in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies, was named a Knight (Chevalier) in the Order of Academic Palms, or l’Ordre des Palmes académiques, on January 5th, 2023. The Academic Palms is one of the oldest civil honors bestowed by the French Republic. The awards were created in 1808 by Napoléon Bonaparte to honor university professors for distinguished service. A formal recognition ceremony will be held at the Consulate in Los Angeles.
In addition, Dr. Denie-Higney has assumed the role of Director of the Center for Excellence at UCLA. Realized through a partnership with the Cultural Services division of the French Embassy, the Center undertakes diverse programming and language initiatives that promote French and Francophone literature and culture. UCLA is part of a broader, nation-wide Network of Centers of Excellence. From 2019-2022, Professor Lia Brozgal served as the Director.