Nicole

Certified Tutor

I received my Ph.D. and M.A. in linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley, and my B.A. in linguistics and French from Cornell University. As an undergraduate, I lived in France for two summers: I studied abroad in Paris, where I lived with a host family the summer of my sophomore year, and I conducted independent research in southwestern France during the following summer. As a graduate student, I conducted year-long fieldwork in France for my dissertation research on Gascon, an endangered language spoken in southwestern France. I primarily lived in Toulouse, but also lived in other regions throughout Gascony, such as Bordeaux, Tarbes, and Pau. I also traveled to numerous other regions of France, such as Provence and Normandy, and other countries throughout Western Europe during my time abroad. My fluency in French, linguistic expertise, and experience living in France make me skilled to tutor French for all ages. I am also passionate about French culture and would convey this knowledge through my sessions as well, as language cannot be studied in a vacuum; language and culture are intertwined.

In addition to tutoring French, I am skilled in teaching research and writing skills to students, including college essay writing. As a graduate student, I served as a Teaching Assistant for six different classes, many of which involved research papers and writing assignments. I taught students how to choose research topics, form theses, conduct research, structure papers, and include citations. I also am an organized person by nature and could assist students in organizational skills to improve their study habits, such as making schedules for assignments, organizing their documents, etc.

I initially entered the field of linguistics since I have always been passionate about learning about different cultures, so I enjoy going to various cultural events in my spare time, such as museums, concerts, festivals, etc. I also enjoy spending time outdoors and hiking in scenic parks.