World Languages Department, Community Commemorate Dr. Hope L. Christiansen

On Tuesday, June 4, Dr. Hope L. Christiansen of the World Languages, Literatures & Cultures Department passed away.   

During her time at the U of A, Christiansen scripted a rich, incredible career in every aspect possible. She joined the WLLC Department on Aug. 20, 1990, after completing her Ph.D. in French at the University of Kansas. Thus, she was with WLLC for 33 years, nine months and 15 days. Christiansen was tenured and promoted to associate professor on Aug. 19, 1996. She taught both undergraduates and graduates — approximately 20 unique courses. 

As a teacher, she received many awards, including the Golden Tusk Award, the Fulbright Master Teacher Award, Fulbright College Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award and, recently, membership in the Teaching Academy. She directed 20 different honors theses, overseeing her final honors thesis just this spring, and wrote two textbooks relevant to French language teaching. 

Christiansen's research output was robust: she published 37 articles and book chapters, 89 book reviews, five bibliographies and 35 conference papers. Two of her articles were accepted this spring for future publication.

In terms of professional and academic service, she served as the review editor in literary history and criticism for The French Review and oversaw 960 reviews in eight years. She was also trained and certified as a tester for Test d'Evaluation Française and reviewed both research manuscripts and tenure dossiers on the national level. She was incredibly active on campus; she was heavily involved in summer study abroad, directing programs in such places as Perpignan, France; a member of Faculty Senate and Campus Council for many years, but also engaged in the All-University Academic Integrity Board, Honorary Degrees, Advisory Council for TFSC (Teaching and Faculty Support Center) and Sturgis Scholarship Selections.  

Within Fulbright College, she was most recently elected this spring to continue her committee service, having been part of as many committees available in the college up to and including College Cabinet. Within WLLC, she served on every committee offered multiple times, including the promotion and tenure committee.

Linda Jones, chair of the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures, remarked on Christiansen's impact on the department and the U of A:

Kathy Comfort, professor of French and vice chair of the department, reminisced on Christiansen's strength and warm personality:

"Hope was an amazing teacher-scholar in the truest sense of the word. She cared deeply about language teaching and learning and exposing students to new cultures and ways of thinking. She was an amazing scholar even as she battled cancer—her final article will be published in the next few weeks. But above all, she impacted the lives of students, faculty and staff in the simplest of ways; she always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. The 6th floor of Kimpel Hall, where she had her office, was a lively place, full of love and laughter (not two things you normally associate with Kimpel Hall!). Her door was always open, and she had a constant stream of students and faculty wanting advice or simply wanting to spend time with her. Her passing is a huge loss for the French section, WLLC and the UA community." 

Nancy Arenberg, associate professor of French, shared her thoughts on Christiansen's mentorship and friendship:

"Over the last 28 years, it has been an honor and a privilege to not only have been Hope's colleague in WLLC but one of her close friends. In the French section, she will be remembered as a guiding light who played a pivotal role in shaping the lives of our undergraduate and graduate students. For over 30 years, she tirelessly devoted herself to mentoring our students and supporting their academic endeavors and aspirations, both inside and outside of the classroom environment. She shared in our students' accomplishments and bolstered the sagging spirits of those who faltered or suffered setbacks. But most of all, Hope was a kind, nurturing person who radiated warmth and exuded sensitivity. Although we will greatly miss her, her memory will never fade from our minds. Hope will live on in our hearts and memories as a beacon of grace, integrity and humanity." 

Maria Comsa, teaching assistant professor of French, remarked on Christiansen's impact on her colleagues:   

"Hope was the most amazing mentor, colleague and friend one could have. Always kind, always generous and cheerful, she brought out the best in people. She will be dearly missed." 

Annie Doucet, assistant professor of French, shared how Christiansen impacted her upon joining the French section:  

"Hope was a generous mentor to me as a junior faculty member, guiding me through advising and committee duties, offering to proofread articles, even giving me her course documents when I taught a new class. Maybe most importantly to me, she regularly checked in on me during the pandemic when I was brand new to the university and to Arkansas. What I keep thinking about the most, however, is the lives she touched as an educator. She was so beloved by her students; she made them feel special and intelligent, valued and validated. I can only hope to be a fraction of the educator and scholar she was." 

Grace Abbick, a recent graduate of the French M.A. program, noted how close she had grown to Christiansen over the years — from Christiansen's encouragement to apply to the graduate program, sharing stories in her office, seeking guidance from her when she needed it most and how she seemed to "have the answers for everything." She also noted that while Christiansen supported her students, they did the same in return for her:

"[Hope's] daughter texted me a couple of days ago and told me that the students in the French Department who reached out to her helped her a lot through everything... Even while battling a rare cancer, she still wanted to know about her students. She was a superhero.  There are few people who are dedicated not only to the learning of their students, but also their well-being... I was lucky to have a mentor like her... any form of advice, her pearls of wisdom she sent out to the French graduate students, her laugh, everything about her, will live on with her friends, her family, her children, her colleagues and her students. People like her come around once in a blue moon, and I cannot tell you how proud and grateful I am that I am one of her students." 

Christiansen leaves behind her beloved husband, Bob; her son, Noah; and her daughter, Rosie. The family asks that in lieu of flowers or food, donations be made to the UAMS Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute to fulfill Christiansen's wishes to fund research on astrocytoma in the spinal cords of adults. This cancer is extremely rare and thus has not received much-needed financial support to research it more fully.