Dr. Jean (J.C.) Casagrande was a faculty member at UF for 35 years. He joined the Department of Romance Languages in 1968 and served in many capacities over his long tenure. He served for many years as Director of the Program in Linguistics and the English Language Institute. He worked hard in growing the Program in Linguistics with the desired goal of having it one day attain departmental status. It did so the year he retired. As Director of the English Language Institute, he broadened the student base and worked toward national accreditation for the program. He believed that the practical challenge of understanding languages and their cultures could help promote peace in the world. Dr. Casagrande co-founded the Linguistic Symposium on Romance Languages, a national symposium now in its 48th year. He also served as co-director of the Linguistic Society of America Summer Institute in 1975. He taught classes in French language and phonetics in the Department of Romance Languages. His primary area of research and publication was in French phonetics and phonology. He served as a caring mentor to his students, both graduate and undergraduate, junior faculty, and staff.
Dr. Casagrande was a French citizen , born in Oran, Algeria. He immigrated to the Unites States at the age of 19. He served in the US Army in Germany , where he was able to start his university education with the University of Maryland Overseas Division. Upon discharge, he continued his studies at the University of South Florida, earning his B.A. He went to Indiana University to do his graduate work. There he received his Ph.D. and was a faculty member before accepting an appointment at UF.