Meet the trip leaders

2009 France Leaders: Tim Deary and Laura Sennett

LAURA SENNETT: Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., Culture and Politics, African Studies Certificate. While at Georgetown, Laura's studies concentrated on analyzing the role that culture plays in various forms of government and the creation of national identity. She complemented her study of culture and politics with French and African Studies. Laura studied abroad in Dakar, Senegal, during her junior year of college. While in Senegal, Laura taught English at a community center, interned at a women’s rights NGO, and traveled extensively throughout the country. At Georgetown, Laura was a tour guide for visitors on campus and a Senior Editor of The Hoya, the main campus newspaper. During her college years, Laura spent her summers as a camp counselor in the north woods of Wisconsin, and as an intern at Washington Post Newsweek Interactive and ABC News. She has throughout France. Laura has spent this past year living in Hong Kong as a Princeton in Asia fellow teaching English at Shue Yan University and writing for Time Out Hong Kong Magazine. This will be Laura’s second summer with Putney. Last summer she led a Community Service program in Senegal. Laura is fluent in French and proficient in Mandarin and Wolof.

TIM DEARY: Amherst College, B.A. in French and Sociology. While at Amherst, Tim spent a semester in Paris, France studying French language, culture, and literature at Paris III, l’Université Sorbonne Nouvelle. While in France, Tim also worked as an English tutor for French high school students. Upon returning to Amherst, Tim assumed this same role, tutoring his fellow students in French grammar and pronunciation. In addition to his studies, Tim served as the business manager of Amherst’s internationally renowned a cappella group, The Amherst College Zumbyes. In his free time he participated in Amherst Dance and played soccer, basketball, and ultimate frisbee. Tim is the recipient of the Frederick King Turgeon prize for excellence in French at Amherst College. Beginning in September, Tim will continue his teaching career as a teaching assistant in Nice, France. He is fluent in French.