St. Thomas might soon lose its French society, thanks to a declining level of participation.
For several years, the STU French Society has been a place where francophone students could brush-up their language and culture.
It was also an opportunity for people who wanted to learn a second language to come and participate in fun activities while practicing their French.
However, this year, participation and interest has been declining. Despite having a prominent francophone base at STU, the society has been struggling to attract people.
French Society President Vanessa Moran thinks the decline of interest might be because the word isn’t going around.
“It needs to be more advertised” Moran said. “Students need to know that there is indeed a French Society at STU. I think that it’s a useful and entertaining resource that should not be let down.”
With the year coming to an end, the society is now looking for people to take over as executive committee. Moran says being on the committee was rewarding.
“I wanted to become the President of the French society because encouraging and promoting the French language and culture seemed like an interesting challenge,” she said. “I was hoping to create opportunities for people to participate in French speaking activities.”
These opportunities might come to an end. With no volunteers for the positions on the committee, the French Society could be folded if they can’t find anyone to run it. This could be a devastating blow for the STU community.
“I think it is extremely important for STU to have a French Society because we are in New Brunswick – a bilingual province,” Moran said.
“The French language and culture should be recognized and maintained. I think that without the French Society, STU would lose a part of its cultural diversity.”
