All For Love

From the moment she took her first French class as a 13-year-old, Clara Krug was hooked on the language often called the ‘language of love.’ For the past 35 years, Krug has guided thousands of Georgia Southern University students through the intricacies of the French language and their personal journeys into the French culture. Sadly, when next semester begins, the Department of Foreign Languages will be missing the University’s longest-serving professor.

Krug, who joined the faculty in 1978, retired in May and said goodbye to a college that has witnessed astonishing growth and changes during her tenure. When Krug first arrived on campus there was no football team, no cell phones, no email, no personal computers, no Internet and the Foreign Languages Department was part of the School of Arts and Sciences. The professor said technology included “a rotary dial telephone, an electric typewriter, a mimeograph machine, reel-to-reel or audio cassette tapes and players, chalkboards and an overhead projector.”

During her years of service, the highly-regarded scholar taught all levels of French courses—from elementary to upper division levels—and found she most enjoyed teaching elementary French. “It is interesting when you teach a first semester classroom. Students begin with little, if any, knowledge of French. At the end of the semester, they realize the progress they have made and how much more proficient they are in the language,” Krug said.

Originally from Dundalk, Maryland, in eastern Baltimore County, Krug graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree in French. She earned both her master’s and doctorate degrees in French literature from Michigan State University. Krug joined Georgia Southern from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and is proud of what she was able to achieve. “I wanted to work for a university where you can teach a variety of courses and you pretty much have to do that here,” said Krug who also headed classes in existentialism, theatre of existentialism and literature of Africa and the Caribbean.

Department of Foreign Languages Chair Eric Kartchner worked with the respected professor for six years and praised her devotion to helping others learn and appreciate the French language and Francophone culture and history. “Through her service with the World Languages Collaborative,” Kartchner said, “she has promoted foreign language learning throughout southeast Georgia, and through her leadership with National French Week, she has taken French language and culture beyond the classroom, into the community. She has also been a strong advocate for shared service and governance, and she has demonstrated her commitment with her actions. Her most important legacy, however, will be in the heart and mind of each of the hundreds of Georgia Southern students whom she has inspired in the classroom for 35 years.”

Gerrick Hicks, who graduated in May with a triple major in French, German and Spanish (see Foreign Territory) said his classes with Krug, one of his favorite professors, were challenging, “but I can say that I learned a lot of French and became more interested in the culture because of her. She was a huge mentor who helped me with many things when she didn’t have to.”

Aside from teaching, Krug said her proudest achievements are reflected in the honors and awards that she received during her career. They include an Excellence in Service Award from Georgia Southern, the Professor of the Year Award from the Foreign Language Association of Georgia, the Governor of Georgia’s Award for Contributions to the Humanities and many others.

Throughout her decades of service, Krug taught thousands of students and said while they haven’t changed that much over the years, their lifestyle certainly has. “I always had intelligent students. I always had first-generation university students in my classes and I always taught students who had jobs,” she said. “However, in recent years, it seems that they have less and less ‘down time.’ They are constantly ‘connected’ to some type of social media.”

An amateur poker player and Baltimore Orioles fan, Krug says she will have more time to travel, watch foreign films and attend more musical performances by students and faculty in her retirement. Krug also admits she will miss having a daily impact on young people’s lives. Georgia Southern will certainly miss her, too—and that’s the honest truth in any language. – Sandra Bennett