Alumni Highlights
Melanie (Kloian) Benezet, French, BA French - Linguistics, 2009
Melanie (Kloian) Benezet
2009 Graduate
Language: French
Major: French - Linguistics
Melanie came to GVSU as a nontraditional student having previously worked in Film & Television. In her senior year, Melanie studied abroad at the Université Catholique de Paris and in her last semester organized the Fete de la Culture Fran çaise festival for the City of Grand Rapids on behalf of GVSU.
After graduating from GVSU, Melanie moved to Paris, France. At the same time, she also completed two TESOL certificates that she immediately put to good use. While in France, Melanie translated and instructed working professionals at companies all over Paris. She also taught various subjects in Business English at the graduate school IPAG.
Melanie moved back to the United States at the end of 2012 and picked up where she left off working in Film. She now works in the Business Affairs department for the Filmed Entertainment Group at Universal Pictures. Melanie uses French regularly in her job as she works with film acquisitions from partners and sales agents all around the world. In addition to the challenging job, Melanie is in her final year at USC Gould School of Law obtaining a Master of Studies in Law degree.
An unexpected benefit to learning French was that Melanie was able to establish a relationship with distant cousins in Grasse, France. She communicates with them regularly and visits them when she returns to France.
Updated January 2020
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