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Ohio Wesleyan Students Study Impact of Local Markets in France
Name: Chloe Holmes ’18
Majors: French and International Business
Hometown: Gahanna, Ohio
Experience: “Growing, Going, and Staying Local: An Exploration of the Economic and Cultural Importance of the French Local Market.” Holmes traveled to France for four weeks this spring with Meg Teitelman ’17 of Concord, Massachusetts. Their experience was funded by an OWU-funded Theory-to-Practice Grant.
Their project originated through discussions with Mary Anne Lewis, Ph.D., assistant professor of Modern Foreign Languages. Under the guidance of Dr. Lewis, the students completed the project proposal and embarked on their journey to France, bridging not only cultures and languages, but also such disciplines as cultural study, economics, and international studies.
Lessons learned: “Having the opportunity to do an independent research project on a topic you’re interested in or a topic that relates back to a class is one of the best things about Ohio Wesleyan University.
“From our experiences in the French markets, I learned how strong of an impact a culture can have on the products that are sold in stores as well as those sold at the markets. Various regions of a country have their own identity, and that is evident through the items and manner in which they are sold.
“As we learned in class, localization is a great way to develop a strong sense of community and foster regional pride, and we saw this in areas like Strasbourg and Avignon. The market culture in France is still much different than that of the United States, but the economic and cultural reasons behind this allow for deeper exploration.”
Why I chose OWU: “I chose to attend Ohio Wesleyan because I wanted a small school that provided a lot of different opportunities. OWU is a close community, but there are endless chances to travel, do research, and explore your own interests. After four visits, I knew I wanted OWU to be my home.”
My plans after graduation: “After graduation, I would like to study international security and join law enforcement down the road.”