French Professor Spotlighted for Life of Success

PLYMOUTH- It’s not where you receive your education that matters as much as who your educator is. In our very own foreign language department, we have a French born and bred professor who is a great asset to Plymouth State University.Mme. Marie-Therese Gardner spent the first 21 years of her life living in France. During these years when she experienced World War II, Mme. Gardner and her family moved to free France for five years, which were spent playing games, swimming, and having fun with her friends. This all came to an end when she turned 17.Mme. Gardner had passed the BAC (equivalent to American SAT) and it was time for her to return to Paris for her higher education. Unfortunately, her first two years back in Paris were at the tail end of the war. “There was no heat, no food; the Gestapo and the French Militia drove around arresting people,” stated Gardner. Mme. Gardner finished her time in France with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a minor in French.Once in America, Mme. Gardner received another Bachelor’s degree from Boston University, and a Master’s in French Literature from Boston College. She is currently in the GAGS education program and intends on obtaining her Ph.D. Mme. Gardner also can be credited with finishing her book for Criminal Justice, a three hundred plus pages and three year project. She also has to look forward to writing her dissertation: “It’s a monstrous amount of work, but monstrous amounts of work can be done.”Madame Gardner’s thoughts on the American education system: “You have a chance here.”