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May 7, 2010

senior receives prestigious Breaux scholarship to study in Belgium

A senior student majoring in French at the University of Louisiana at Monroe recently earned the prestigious Lois and John Breaux Scholarship to study at the University of Mons-Hainaut in Mons, Belgium. The statewide competitive scholarship is awarded one time per year.

Josh Beckham of West Monroe, also a member of the Honors Program, will spend the 2010-2011 academic year in Belgium. He will receive a round-trip airplane ticket, tuition, and a $10,000 stipend for the year to cover books, lodging, and meals.

“It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to study French in a country where that language is so prevalent,” said Beckham. “Travel and language study are two things that really interest me, so to say that this opportunity is exciting for me is an understatement.”

Members of the scholarship committee selected Beckham following his interview in Baton Rouge in March. Drs. Fred Adams and Chris Michaelides, both of the Foreign Languages Department, nominated Beckham.

La Fondation Louisiane established the scholarship in 1998 in honor of former U.S. Senator John Breaux and his wife Lois Daigle Breaux. The organization enjoys a partnership with the French community of Belgium/Wallonie-Brussels and the University of Mons-Hainaut in order to recognize students of French.

The Foundation previously recognized Beckham as the recipient of Sparks Family Scholarships.

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