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March 12, 2019 鈥�  of the  has spent more than two decades as a champion for Quebec literature and culture. The last two years have proven that her colleagues have noticed.

Over a stretch of just over 18 months in 2017 and 2018, Santoro received five major honors: The 2018 American Council on Quebec Studies鈥� Prix du Qu茅bec, the 2018  Certificate of Merit, the 2017 Grand Prix de la Francophonie, the , and the Quebec government鈥檚 鈥淢茅daille hommage 50e.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a humbling experience to be given an award for doing what you love,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 immensely gratifying when you get recognition for that, but ultimately you know that you鈥檙e only as good as you are because you鈥檙e part of a community.鈥�

A FIGHT FOR FUNDING

Santoro is a leading voice in the Quebec and Canadian studies academic community, having served two terms as co-editor for the International Journal of Canadian Studies. But she began another notable chapter in an already distinguished career over the last several years, assuming major leadership roles when funding for regional studies was under threat.

As president of the  (AIEQ) from 2015-2018, she fought back against attempted funding cuts from the Quebec government.

鈥淚鈥檝e been part of teams that worked hard to justify our discipline,鈥� Santoro said. 鈥淲e used social media, wrote several letters to Montreal newspapers protesting the budget cuts 鈥� It鈥檚 not a huge budget, but it鈥檚 seed money that helps create programming worldwide that can teach people about Quebec.鈥�

Santoro鈥檚 advocacy in preventing cuts to the arts funding budget earned her the attention and gratitude of colleagues in the Quebec studies field.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an environment that has been sometimes downright depressing, but coming out the other side with my professional associations having survived is something I鈥檓 really proud of,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t means younger scholars than me are going to get the benefits that I had. You pay it forward.鈥�

Santoro is only the 13th ever scholar to win the Prix du Qu茅bec, awarded every two years by the American Council for Quebec Studies. She was one of three annual recipients of the 2018 ICCS Certificate of Merit and one of 50 to win the one-time 鈥淢茅daille hommage 50e.鈥�

SHOWCASING QUEBEC鈥橲 TALENT

Santoro鈥檚 interest in preserving these programs stems in part from her original draw to Quebec studies.

It took until midway through college for Santoro to realize she preferred languages to sciences. She changed her major to French, and a transfer year at Montreal鈥檚 McGill University exposed her to Quebec鈥檚 arts and literature. The experience would stick with her.

鈥淲hen I got back from Montreal, I just wanted to take classes that allowed me to read Quebec literature,鈥� Santoro said. 鈥淭hen in graduate school, I got to know a professor who had done work on Quebec women writers, and we designed a reading course around Quebec women novelists. It changed my life 鈥� I felt like I was reading books that spoke directly to me.鈥�

This academic path has colored Santoro鈥檚 priorities as a scholar and teacher. Throughout her career, she has sought to bring Quebecois writers, performers, and artists to Georgetown鈥檚 campus to inspire students.

鈥淣ovelists, poets, artists can tour the world on funding from the Quebec government, through the International Association for Quebec Studies,鈥� Santoro said. 鈥淚鈥檝e brought 22 visitors to Georgetown, in part due to that kind of funding. It鈥檚 an immeasurable enrichment, and it helps show Quebec鈥檚 talent to the world.鈥�

Santoro also organized graduate student conferences in conjunction with the Quebec government and other partners in both 2016 and 2018. The conferences were designed to help young academics get valuable feedback and mentorship on their research.

鈥淎ll of this is about keeping the energy going 鈥� helping the younger generation get the experience, credentials, and mentorship they need to become future scholars in the field,鈥� Santoro said.

A GEORGETOWN MILESTONE

Santoro鈥檚 many professional honors came at an unrelated milestone in her career: In 2017, she celebrated 20 years at Georgetown University.

She arrived at Georgetown鈥檚 Department of French and Francophone Studies in 1996 after completing her Ph.D. at Princeton University. She has served in a number of important positions beyond her role as an associate professor, including as a thesis advisor, a core faculty member in the , and an active participant in the .

鈥淚鈥檓 blessed to work at an institution where I can pursue my passions and be supported in my efforts to share what I do with others,鈥� Santoro said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be anything without Georgetown, and I wouldn鈥檛 be recognized without the colleagues who were with me along the way.鈥�

Santoro is proud of her recent honors, but remains certain that they don鈥檛 represent a career plateau. She鈥檚 writing on Quebec filmmakers, many of whom have been extremely successful in Hollywood in recent years. She鈥檚 running the aforementioned graduate conferences to foster the next generation of Quebec studies scholarship. And, of course, she鈥檚 teaching classes on Quebec literature and cinema 鈥� the same kinds of classes that changed her life when she was a student.

鈥淥nce you鈥檝e got that fire, you never want to let it go. You just want to share it, to show everyone how exciting it is,鈥� Santoro said.