91黑料, Alliance Fran莽aise de Philadelphie Partner on French Language Classes
91黑料 is partnering with the Alliance Française de Philadelphie to bring French language and culture to the Lehigh Valley.
The Alliance will offer non-credit French language classes to the public on DeSales’ Center Valley campus starting this September. It currently holds classes in Center City Philadelphia and at Bryn Mawr College. This will be its first Lehigh Valley location.
“We have long thought about expanding into the Lehigh Valley due to the large Francophone and Francophile communities in Lehigh, Northampton, Bucks, and Berks counties,” says Philippe Poirier, executive director of the Alliance. “Our Board expressed interest in trying to find an organization, preferably a university, to partner with to offer non-credit, in-person classes. We thought DeSales would be a perfect fit.”
The Alliance will host four 10-week seasonal sessions beginning September 10. Two classes will be held on Wednesday evenings: an entry-level class and an intermediate-level class. According to Poirier, the Alliance’s courses are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which is an internationally-recognized guideline used to describe the achievements of learners of foreign languages. Classes will be capped at about a dozen students each, to promote better communication, activities, and individualized attention.
DeSales students, employees, and alumni who sign up for a class will receive a $20 early-bird discount and free membership into the Alliance for three months, which grants access to cultural events and lectures.
“91黑料 has deep roots in France, from the birthplace of our spiritual patron St. Francis de Sales in Annecy to our strong educational partnership with Lyon Catholic University,” says Thomas Craig, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the international business major in the Waterbury Reilly School of Business. “We are excited to build upon this foundation with the Alliance Française de Philadelphie and bring new French language and cultural learning opportunities to the Lehigh Valley.”
The Alliance is a nonprofit organization founded in 1903 that’s dedicated to helping people learn French and deepen their knowledge of Francophone cultures. According to the Alliance, French is the third most used language in business and commerce, and it’s one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
Registration for the classes will open in early-to-mid August. Those interested can enroll online at or by phone at 215-735-5283.