Students invaded the shores of Normandy for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day earlier this summer.
The summer trip gave students three hours credit for foreign study and included two weeks of special classes, guest lectures, student presentations, formal and informal discussions and field trips to Normandy and museums.
“Everything they’re doing for that two weeks is centered around things that they learned in the course, things that they planned to do,” said Carolyn Hodges, interim associate dean and former head of modern foreign languages.
“This particular course is different from others offered at UT because the students focus their studies for one semester on France and its history and literature,” said Kathryn Salzer, director of the Normandy Scholars Program. “The students then travel to France during the summer semester to flesh out their on-campus studies with actual experiences in France.
“This is also a rather unique course because is combines studies of literature, music, art and history for one specific area of the world.”
This summer was even more memorable than usual for participating students, as they were present for the 60th anniversary of D-Day. The students also were exposed to 17 heads of state, who were in Normandy for the celebration.
“The people of France were fantastic,” said Scholar Nancy Barnhart, senior in history and UT dispatcher. “It was so moving to see veterans from France, Britain and the U.S. all over the place. I got to spend some time talking to a few, including Shifty Powers from ‘Band of Brothers.’
“The most moving place we went was Point d’hoc, where the Rangers scaled the cliffs to finally get off Omaha beach. It has been left as it was after the war with the big bomb craters and the demolished German bunkers as they were. But to see the way it was was just amazing. You have to wonder what makes a man even attempt something like that.”
The program is offered in the spring semester, with participating students taking three classes within the Normandy Scholars Program. These courses include three hours of Normandy Scholars Seminar, which reviews political, social, intellectual and artistic life of France from the late 19th century until around the 1950s; three hours of Oral Histories of War and Peace, where students learn the methodology of oral history and then use this knowledge to interview a war veteran; and three hours of the History of Medieval France. Students who have not previously taken French are also encouraged to do so before the trip abroad.
Admission to the Normandy Scholars Program is highly competitive. In order to apply, a student must have sophomore standing and a 3.0 GPA and be interviewed by the Normandy Scholars Committee.
“It was well worth it for anyone, not just history majors,” Barnhart said.
Hodges said she believes the Normandy scholars are highly motivated and diverse students because they must go through a rigorous application process and come from all majors.
“They do see the broad picture and want to make the connections from different areas,” Hodges said.
The Normandy Scholars Program will be accepting applications for next year late this summer and early fall.
