With teaching experience at universities in the U.S. and France, at two colleges, and in a sixth grade, Peter Vantine brings scholarship, as well as experience and accolades in the teaching world, to his new position at Saint Michael's College.
Dr. Vantine was named Assistant Professor of Modern Languages, French, at Saint Michael's College beginning the fall semester 2011. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in French and philosophy, from Amherst College in 1996, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. His master’s degree in French was awarded with distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001. He earned a DEA (Diplôma d’Édudes Approfondies) in literature and aesthetics from the Université de Genéve in 2006, and a doctorate in French from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 2009.
Dr. Vantine’s dissertation is on the 19th Century French authors, the brothers, Edmund and Jules Goncourt. The title (in rough translation) is “Between fantasy and realism: text, context and metatext in the first novels of brothers Goncourt.”
“I was attracted to Saint Michael's College,” Dr. Vantine said, “because I had a wonderful experience myself at a small liberal arts college and a very positive experience teaching at Macalester College as well.”
Dr. Vantine has published two lengthy articles in French scholarly journals, a book review, and translations for The Cambridge Companion to the Philosophy of Montaigne and The Cambridge Companion to Modern France. He has given nine peer-reviewed conference presentations, and two invited talks, one in Paris and one in St. Paul, Minn. He received numerous awards while a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, to support his studies and to recognize his excellence in teaching.
Dr. Vantine was visiting assistant professor in French and Italian, at Indiana University 2009-2011; visiting assistant professor in French and Francophone Studies at Macalester College, 2008-2009, adjunct faculty in modern and classical languages at the University of St. Thomas, 2007-2008; and teaching assistant, reader/grader, and associate lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from 2001-2005. He also taught sixth grade English at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va., 1997-2000; and was a lecturer in English at the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France, 1996-97.
“I am pleased with Saint Michael’s strong focus on teaching—I have invested a lot of time and effort into my teaching and am very glad that Saint Michael's College recognizes and values that,” Dr. Vantine said. This fall he will be teaching first semester French and a new fourth semester French course on language and literature with a focus on cinema. He will also be teaching a 19th Century French literature course.
“I hope to inspire in students an interest in and love of French language and literature, and in culture generally,” Dr. Vantine said. “In beginning students, I hope to initiate something that leads to a broader perspective on the world, perhaps trips to Montreal, Paris or Senegal.”
Dr. Vantine and his wife Caroline reside in South Burlington with their children, Hugo, age 6, and Leola, age 2. When there’s time, he enjoys cycling and hiking.