URI_Research_Magazine_Momentum_Fall_2019_Melissa-McCarthy

in new ways thanks to their questions and comments.” Through this merger of disciplines and experiences, a highlight of the humanities, Kealhofer-Kemp wants to inspire her students as she was inspired. She is currently teaching an upper-level class entitled “Filming the Margins in French and Francophone Cinema,” which focuses on French language films whose protagonists are on the margins — of society, family, history, politically or in other ways. Students who have paired a major in French with a major in science or engineering have shared with her the influence of studying a language and the humanities on careers and personal growth. Indeed, research shows that in a globalized, connected world, language proficiency and cultural competency are among the most important skills employers desire. “Studying the humanities expands your worldview,” Kealhofer-Kemp says. “This can be done in many ways — for instance, through literature and film. It shapes how we see other people and interact with the world.”

institute — many unavailable anyplace else — she will explore the films these actors and actresses make, the roles they are offered (or not), the construction of their star personas, and how they discuss their identities and careers. Kealhofer-Kemp emphasizes that her research connects to teaching. She describes a distinct experience teaching a course on French cinema, in which she taught French majors and Film/Media majors in the Harrington School of Communication and Media, alongside students who had never studied the language or watched a French film. “That is the beauty of having students from diverse areas of study and backgrounds,” she says. “I see films

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