While I was applying for graduate programs in Architecture, I wondered whether my French & Linguistics background would be at all useful to me. Now, having received my Master of Architecture degree, I can say with confidence that it made me one of the most sought-after candidates. The architecture department chair told me as much when he reached out to me, encouraging me to accept his invitation to study at the University of Virginia: “You’re our number 1 candidate, we would love to have you!”
At the time I thought to myself, “He’s probably said that to every other student on the acceptance list…”. Flattery or not, the fact remained that my essay on the Panthéon that I had submitted as part of my application was one of the reasons I had been selected. Furthermore, I could not have written about the experience so passionately had I not known about the building’s historical and cultural significance, or been able to learn more about it, in French, while visiting France. This is but one example of the value of my French studies.
The further I progressed in my degree, the more I realized how much coming from such a different background set me apart from other students. It was always a conversation starter with professors or visiting critics, and provided me with a unique perspective and approach to design. During my final year at UVA I received the Sarah McArthur Nix Traveling Fellowship, allowing me to conduct independent architectural research in France. I submitted papers I had written in French as part of my application, and I believe my French language proficiency was one of the reasons I was selected and received the highest level of funding for my research.
In the summer of 2018 I traveled between cities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, examining traditional 19th century construction methods as well as modern construction from the turn 20th of the century, focusing on rammed earth construction methods, or pisé. I presented my work in the form of an exhibition the following spring, which you can read a bit more about it here.
I graduated in 2019 and have been pursuing personal projects in digital design and publishing, but have recently decided to make a shift back towards language and teaching, and will be applying this fall to the JET program to teach English in Japan.
— Nicholas Grimes, B.A. Linguistics, French & Francophone Studies (2011)