W&L’s Elly Dyer ’26 Selected for Teaching Assistant Program in France

W&L's Elly Dyer '26 Selected for Teaching Assistant Program in France Dyer is looking forward to gaining classroom experience in France before pursuing a career in education policy.

By Emily Innes Stanley
June 2, 2026

Washington and Lee University graduate Elly Dyer '26 has been selected for the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) to teach English in France. At W&L, Dyer double majored in cognitive and behavioral science and sociology with a minor in French. Dyer is from Lexington, Kentucky, and graduated from Henry Clay High School.

TAPIF is administered by the French Ministry of Education and its international agency, France Education international, in coordination with the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. Teaching assistants are placed in elementary or secondary schools throughout France, teaching English linguistic and language skills while improving their own French language skills and fully immersing themselves in French culture and society.

For Dyer, TAPIF represents the intersection of her interest in French language and francophone culture and her passion for education, and she views the program as an opportunity to continue developing a deeper appreciation for intercultural exchange. Participating in TAPIF will also give Dyer valuable classroom experience, which she plans to apply to her future career in education policy.

Dyer is also looking forward to returning to France after spending Spring Term and Fall Term of 2024 in France. Her Spring Term Abroad program in Toulouse, led by Mohamed Kamara, the H. Laurent Boetsch, Jr. Professor of Romance Languages, and Stephen McCormick, associate professor of French, was Dyer's first time traveling outside the United States, and "profoundly changed [her] academic trajectory at W&L" by renewing her interest in studying French. She was struck by the difference between learning a language in a classroom and applying it in daily life and decided to study abroad again in Toulouse through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).

"TAPIF represents a culmination of my French studies at Washington and Lee, as well as high school and middle school," Dyer said. "After studying abroad, I knew I wanted to return to France to continue studying the language and integrating into the culture. I had also lived with a host family in Toulouse, and from that experience I recognized the profound benefit of learning a language from a native speaker. I hope I can serve that role for English-learning students in France."

Dyer is grateful for the mentorship she has received from her major advisers, Julie Woodzicka, the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, and Lynny Chin, associate professor of sociology. Kamara, McCormick, Kelley Cordova, visiting assistant professor of French, and Kristina Roney, assistant professor of French, were also sources of support, guidance and inspiration during Dyer's four years at W&L.

"Elly has always had this amazing ability to make connections between the myriad of ideas she encounters, not just within one class, but between her classes and the real world," Chin said. "Elly's insights always enrich the discussions she is a part of. Her intelligence and attention to detail made her a joy to work with while she was an undergraduate and will make her invaluable to whatever pathway she chooses in the future."

On campus, Dyer worked as a student assistant for the Office of Lifelong Learning, where she appreciated being able to share her passion for travel through the office's programming. She taught French to local elementary students through the Languages for Rockbridge program and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, the First Year Orientation Committee and the Peer Tutoring program. Dyer also worked as an intern for W&L's DeLaney Center during the summer of 2025, under the mentorship of Michael Hill, director of the DeLaney Center and professor of Africana studies, and Adrienne Jones, DeLaney postdoctoral fellow in southern race relations, culture and politics, and appreciated the chance to spend a summer in Lexington and get to know the local community better.

"After spending eight months away from Lexington studying abroad, having an extended period at school allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for the Washington and Lee and greater Lexington community," Dyer said. "I was able to volunteer at the Office of Lifelong Learning, meet community members and spend time exploring the town with time I wouldn't have during the school year. While I loved France, I also love Lexington, and the summer of 2025 reminded me of that."

With TAPIF, Dyer will spend seven months in the Aix-Marseille region, teaching at the secondary level. She will begin the program in October 2026, after spending June and July in Nice, France, serving as an alumni intern for CIEE. After TAPIF, Dyer plans to attend law school and pursue a career in public interest and education policy.

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