The work of cultural diplomacy puts one in close contact with fascinating writers and thinkers. For French and Italian Ph.D. student Sophia Millman, a Social Impact Fellowship at Villa Albertine, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ U.S. institution for arts and ideas, landed her the opportunity to interpret for author Vanessa Schneider in conversation with journalist Alexandra Schwartz. This was one of many experiences that revealed distinct facets of translation and the French/American book industry. During her fellowship, Millman was a front-row participant in La Nuit des Idées (The Night of Ideas), Villa Albertine’s global “flagship nocturnal marathon of philosophical debates, performances, readings.

She also participated in the Albertine Translation Prize selection process – and helped to launch its first French-American Book Market. Complementing her research interests, which span cultural gerontology, 20th-century French and Italian feminist theory, and film studies, off-campus work helped her to develop career-differentiating skills in global and intercultural fluency.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been a Social Impact Fellow and to have been supported by Princeton in pursuing my professional development off campus. I learned much more than I imagined I would about translation and the French/American book industry. Moreover, I was able to collaborate with other departments at the Villa Albertine, and I now feel excited about pursuing a wider range of opportunities in cultural diplomacy.” – Sophia Millman, GS, French & Italian

Her mentor, Louise Quantin, was well prepared to guide her through these initiatives. A 10-year veteran of the French publishing industry, she oversees the promotion of French and Francophone authors and thinkers through the organization of residencies, tours, and events. In many ways, hers is a professional path defined by creative ideation.

"After more than ten years working in publishing in France, I wanted to put my skills to the service of the French diplomatic network in the United States. This new professional experience, which is both closely related to the work I was doing before, but also very different, is extremely rewarding and shows how risk-taking and change are most often rewarded!" – Louise Quantin, Director of Books and Ideas Department, Villa Albertine, Book Attachée at the French Embassy in the U.S.

Read about Ph.D. student Pierre Azou’s experience with Villa Albertine.

Our Fellowship Partner

Villa Albertine, a French institution for arts and ideas in the United States, builds on the bold and innovative programs that have been the hallmark of the French cultural network abroad for more than a century. Created by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and supported by the French Ministry of Culture, Villa Albertine offers a novel artists’ residency model in which residents choose the location best suited to their work within the host country. With a permanent presence in 10 major US cities, it aims to foster in-depth exploratory residencies for artists, thinkers, and culture professionals hailing from all creative disciplines. 

Learn More About GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellowships

GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellowships are bespoke opportunities for Princeton graduate students with nonprofit organizations that have partnered with the Graduate School. Host organizations work closely with the Graduate School to determine the learning outcomes and professional development goals for these immersive experiences. Each fellowship is custom-designed, allowing graduate students to apply discipline-specific skills, gain interdisciplinary project team experience, and receive one-on-one mentoring while contributing to the social impact mission of the organization.