Our very own Florentina Dedu-Constantin is receiving her Doctor of Philosophy in French studies this spring after many years of hard work as a graduate student and pre-doctoral instuctor. For her efforts Florentina has been nominated for the Distinguished Dissertation Award given by the Graduate School. Florentina successfully defended her dissertation, “The Good Distance: Proust and Sociability” this May. The Distinguished Dissertation Award represents an original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline. Both methodological and substantive quality will be judged. Nominated dissertations will be evaluated on the degree of innovation and insight shown by the author, the scope and importance of the work, and the effectiveness of the writing. Florentina has also been honored by being chosen as a gonfaloniere for the graduate school at commencement. Learn more about the gonfalonieres at this year's graduation and read Florentina’s profile here!