A collection of cherished words from students and peers
“I took several classes with Dr. Lewis Cusato as a French major at OWU. She is an approachable intellectual, enthusiastic mentor, and engaging classroom leader. One of my most memorable experiences with Dr. Lewis Cusato was in an independent study she led for me and two of my peers. She encouraged us to take charge of our own education while providing a wealth of expertise and insight.
The class even culminated in a grant that she supported us in applying for which allowed us to travel to Paris to see some of our study in action. Dr. Lewis Cusato truly has a passion for her work and it is so appreciated by her students!”
—Emma Beale, OWU 2017
“Dr. Lewis Cusato had a certain “je ne sais quoi” that drew me to continue taking her courses at a time when I was questioning whether I should continue with my major in French and Francophone Studies. She always knew what to say to motivate her students towards continuing to learn about the language whenever we doubted our own abilities, and I feel that made all the difference.
A professor is academically intelligent by default; however it takes real skill to teach a class and keep students engaged. I am grateful to have crossed paths with professors like Dr. Lewis Cusato, and I hope future students can say the same thing for years to come.”
—Alexander Sanchez Claudio, OWU 2020
“Professor Mary Anne Lewis Cusato is an energetic and hardworking French professor. Prof Cusato is not just an ordinary professor who gives you a grade and lets the student and professor interaction remain within classroom space.
She opens her office not just to improve the students’ abilities in French but to also connect the student with other opportunities outside class. She assisted me in some of my research grants, and in guiding me with my Graduate university preparation. Professor Cusato has taught me how to better perform within academic and non academic settings.”
—Raissa Kanku, OWU 2019
“Professor Cusato has been my advisor since I began college and has been one of the guiding voices in my life. Professor Cusato has taught me to look at the world in a different way and challenges me to take advantage of every opportunity possible.
One of the opportunities was a travel grant to study the influence of French imperialism and colonialism in modern day France by studying the immigrant communities in Paris and Marseille. This opportunity inspired me to further my knowledge of the francophone world after I graduate.”
—Paris Norman, OWU 2020
“When I think about people who inspire me both personally and professionally, Dr. Lewis Cusato stands out as a role model. As a young educator, I work hard to channel the welcoming, personalized, and inspirational approach that Dr. Lewis Cusato uses with her students.
She inspired me to “go for it” in a variety of situations that have since helped me to grow as a global citizen, from university grants, to an honors thesis, to a Fulbright grant. She helped broaden my world as a French speaker, carefully and knowledgeably inviting my classes to explore the French speaking world beyond France. Her courses will always have an impact on the way that I think and teach.”
—Meaghan Teitelman, OWU 2018
“Dr. Lewis Cusato is one of the most inspiring and passionate professors I have had the opportunity to work with. She masterfully implements multimedia techniques into her coursework such as film, discussion, research, classic literature, artwork, and current events.
Her focus on perspective, “voice”, and credibility were particularly interesting and thought-provoking. She ensures every student is engaged and provides context and insight to each topic addressed in class. Professor Lewis Cusato strives to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each of her students, provides accessible office hours for extra help and advising, and encourages open-minded thinking and discussion. Dr. Lewis Cusato mentored me through research projects, the study abroad process, and has been instrumental in improving my literacy/fluency of the French language.
I am thankful to have gotten the opportunity to work with her during my time at OWU”
— Allyson Wojnoski, OWU 2018
“Before Dr. Lewis Cusato's arrival at OWU, the department lacked a long-awaited focus in postcolonial francophone studies. She quickly established her reputation as a professor with a tenacity and fervor that is rivaled by few others. Dr. Lewis Cusato's passion for her scholarship and the success of her students is evidenced by her dedication to work with students not only outside the classroom but beyond their time as undergraduates.
I timidly began my relationship with Dr. Lewis Cusato when we collaborated on a grant to study cultural production in the French Caribbean. Since then, she has been a welcome source of mentorship and a fierce cheerleader of mine throughout my time in law school and in my professional career. I am beyond grateful for her advice and friendship and always look forward to seeing what great things she's inevitably got planned for the future.”
—Maya Buening, OWU 2014
“Dr. Lewis Cusato was my professor for 7 out of my 8 semesters at OWU. Throughout my college career, I knew I could always rely on her for support and guidance both in the French classroom, and in my academic pursuits outside of the classroom.
She has always been one of the most enthusiastic and motivated professors I've ever had the experience of studying with, and has always put the success and wellbeing of her students first.
As a result of her guidance, I was able to achieve a double major, one of which being French Language and Literature, a feat I wasn't sure I could accomplish.
I was also awarded a grant from the Small Grant Program while conducting an independent study with Dr. Lewis Cusato that afforded me and another classmate the opportunity to take our studies abroad to France. It has been a pleasure to know, work, and learn with Dr. Lewis Cusato, and I know many of her past, present, and future students would gladly agree.”
—Mariama Goodwin, OWU 2017
“Dr. Cusato had an overwhelming impact on my collegiate experience in and out of the classroom. She was a person who always supported her students. Not only was she an exceptional French professor, she, in my eyes, is the perfect example of a passionate educator. This included advocating that my classmates and I connect what we learned in the classroom to the outside world, which led us to apply for a Theory-to-Practice research grant to go to France and study French imperialism in a real-world setting.
This grant, and Dr. Cusato’s passion for francophone studies, inspired me to pursue a career in immigration law, a venture where I am now able to, as Dr. Cusato always encouraged, apply what I learned in her classroom to my everyday life. I may not always remember when to use the imparfait over passé composé, but I will always remember the values of being a responsible global citizen that Dr. Cusato ingrained in me and all her students.”
—Allie Eynon, OWU 2019
“My favorite professor is Mary Anne Lewis. She has been my go-to professor for everything. I trust her with all my decisions and I feel comfortable talking to her about good or bad news. She has been nothing but supportive and when we talk with each other, I truly feel that she wants nothing but the best for me.”
—Alanna Henderson, OWU 2018
“My favorite teacher is Madame Mary Anne Lewis; she has been my French teacher for the past three years and she is the sweetest teacher I have ever known. She has such a passion for what she teaches that the topic becomes so much more exciting.”
—Montana Knapp, OWU 2016
"I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Mary Anne Lewis Cusato for the past five years. As program director for French and Francophone Studies, Mary Anne is an enthusiastic, encouraging, and empathetic leader. Her drive, vision, and dedication to the program and to the students at Ohio Wesleyan continue to be a source of inspiration.
Mary Anne's work with alumni and career connections has brought innovative changes to the French curriculum at Ohio Wesleyan, providing multiple opportunities for students to realize the benefits of language study for their future endeavors.
Moreover, as Co-Director of The Global Scholars Program, Mary Anne has helped to attract some of the best and brightest students to the French program at OWU, ensuring its continued success. I consider myself extremely fortunate to call Mary Anne my mentor, supervisor, and friend."
—Dr. Ashley Powers, Visiting Assistant Professor and Instructor of French, 2016-2021
“Coming to Ohio Wesleyan, I had to take foreign language classes as a degree requirement. I had taken Spanish in high school and did well, but I knew I wanted to try something different. So I signed up for French. The third course I took was with Dr. Lewis Cusato. I knew immediately that I had gotten to the next level of the language. The coursework had gotten more challenging but exactly in the right way. Dr. Lewis Cusato's facility and experience with the language and especially as an instructor quickly became evident. We moved from learning vocabulary and grammar to truly using the language; conversations in class were held in French, we began writing longer and more linguistically intricate papers and reports. We also had project assignments that involved presentations for the class in French, as well as reviewing the presentations given by other students, also in French.
My comprehension, pronunciation, writing, recall, and general conversational ability improved vastly and so my love of the language continued (and still does) to grow. I enjoyed learning from Madame very much, and it was always evident how much that meant to her as a teacher and mentor.
She also was an unofficial advisor of mine, and her insight was indispensable to me. I wish I could have had more foresight to be able to take all of her advice, as I see now that she knew better for me than I ever could have known at the time. I was also very lucky to be a part of the team of students that Dr. Lewis Cusato organized to translate piece descriptions for an art show of beautiful wearable art created by francophone artists from around the world.
I was also extremely honoured to have Prof. Lewis Cusato to bring me to a conference connecting on French, education, and cultural identity in Québec. To be a panel presenter in a conference like that was something I had never done before; it was a really special moment I shall not forget.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Lewis Cusato is one of the most approachable, caring, thoughtful, exciting, kind, helpful, stimulating, guiding, funny, intellectually challenging, supportive, thoughtful, genuine, friendly, and all around pleasant professors (and persons) at OWU. I truly believe she has a life-changing impact on her students, and I would recommend her to any student considering taking a French course at OWU. They will not regret it.”
—Chevy Kelly, OWU 2021
Dr. Lewis Cusato was also named in the 2016 and 2017 "Thank a Professor" campaigns sponsored by Ohio Wesleyan University. One parent, grateful for Dr. Cusato’s influence on her child's development during her formative university years, wrote the following:
"In addition to her exceptional teaching skills, Dr. Lewis recently took time to have an important conversation with my daughter, Hannah, to inspire and encourage her when she needed it the most.
Thank you! You made a difference."
“The Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers was established and endowed in 1963 by the late William H. and Frances Shankland Ryan of Sacramento, California, to identify, encourage, and honor Ohio Wesleyan faculty members with high potential as teachers.
The recipient is chosen by the Faculty Personnel Committee upon recommendation by the faculty, staff, students, and alumni…
The winner of the 2020 Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award is Dr. Mary Anne Lewis Cusato – Associate Professor of Modern Foreign Languages.
Since joining Ohio Wesleyan in 2013, Mary Anne Lewis Cusato has been a model for creating transformative learning experiences for students. She has supervised more than 50 signature projects for students; has traveled with students to New York, France, and the French Caribbean for OWU Connection experiences; and has worked extensively to integrate The OWU Connection into the French curriculum.
Dr. Cusato’ s teaching, advising, scholarship, collaboration with colleagues, innovative focus on transformative learning experiences, and her positive energy have been a great asset to OWU students, the French Program, and the entire university.”
—Provost Karlyn Crowley, May 2021