St. Thomas’ student-led clubs faced big budget cuts in the fall of 2023, meaning the French club took a break from hosting its regular meetings. This semester, however, the club is back and better than ever.

The club dwindled out in the fall of 2023 as all of the e-board members graduated and motivation to run the club simultaneously decreased with the budget. This semester, the club re-elected an e-board from ranging grade levels to ensure the club will stay running for future students.

“We have a whole chain of people that will follow after we leave,” said Mike Omalanga, the club’s secretary.

During the previous semester, the focus of the meetings was on identifying new leaders who could resurrect the club.

This semester, the French club has a fresh e-board, filled with both juniors and seniors, that planned a kick-off event celebrating Mardi Gras on Tuesday to increase club engagement.

“Historically, Mardi Gras is the day that precedes Lent, so it was like Fat Tuesday where you could do whatever you wanted and have fun,” said Clemence Villernet, the club’s event coordinator.

In the past, French Club had meetings filled with French conversation or occasionally making traditional crepes, but this spring, they wanted to switch it up to garner more interest for the club.

“We are trying to be more intentional with what we do,” Omalanga said. “Last year there was no connection with people in French Club and people at the school in general, so now we are actually trying to focus on specific things, such as this one.”

The Mardi Gras event was important for increasing club involvement, but the club leaders also expressed the significance of the holiday and French culture itself.

“French Club is obviously not only a language, it’s a culture, and I think just like any other culture, it’s important to share it,” Omalanga said. “It’s important to be represented as well, to include people, to make people feel at home.”

The club leaders also stressed the importance of recognizing that culture is multifaceted.

“I’m a French international student, and there are not that many French students on campus, so I was surprised when I discovered the French club,” Villernet said. “It’s way more than a lot of French people on campus because there are people who have parents with roots from different countries in Africa too and all of the other places that speak French. It’s actually a big community of people.”

Moving forward, Omalanga and Villernet have confidence in the planning of the newly elected e-board and collaboration efforts that will keep the club running smoothly.

“Yes, we have titles like vice president and presidents, but we can ask each other to do different tasks that don’t relate to the position,” Villernet said.

Through the dedicated initiatives of the new leadership team, French Club will live on at St. Thomas.

“There will be more,” Omalanga said. “French is great.”

Cecilia Wallace can be reached at wall1238@stthomas.edu.