The Founders Award

Congratulations to our 2026 Founders Award Winner,

Dr. Julie Foss!

The Founders Award was established in 1986 and first awarded in 1988 in honor of the fourteen original members of the Central States Board of Directors, who with vision and dedication launched Central States in 1968. The award recognizes excellence in the promotion of language learning and international studies, leadership in the language teaching profession, professional dedication and enthusiasm, and strong ties to one or more of the fourteen Central States and to the Central States Conference.

Congratulations to our 2026 Founders Award Winner, Dr. Julie Foss, (MI).

Dr. Julie Foss is a Professor of Modern Foreign Languages at Saginaw Valley State University (MI), teaching French language, French and Francophone cultures, and world language pedagogy. She holds a B.A. in French from Albion College and secondary teaching certification in French from Eastern Michigan University. She earned an M.A. in French from EMU and a Ph.D. in French Language and Literature from Michigan State University.

Encouraged by supportive mentors, Julie began attending the Michigan World Language Association’s conference annually as a student. Attending the conference fueled her desire to do more, leading to presenting, service on various committees, then on the Executive Board as President in 2015. She served as MIWLA’s Public Affairs Liaison from 2017-2025, leading advocacy efforts that included resisting multiple attempts to eliminate the state’s world language graduation requirement, leading Michigan delegations advocating for federal world language legislation at JNCL-NICLS’ Language Advocacy Days, and establishing the Language Advocate Grant to empower other MIWLA members to attend this event. She was privileged to work with other state language professionals to help implement the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy, and to support the program as a member of the Seal Workgroup. She led efforts at SVSU to use the Seal for course placement and to recognize university students’ language skills with the Global Seal of Biliteracy.

Julie has been deeply involved with Central States since 2004, attending, then presenting, then serving. She edited two volumes of the Central States Report before being elected to the Executive Board in 2018. During her term she chaired the Extension Workshop, Leadership, Nominating, and Finance Committees. Julie cherishes the professional growth, friendships, and camaraderie that Central States has made possible. She remains a proud Advisory Council member, and is grateful for the opportunity to continue contributing to an organization that has been instrumental in shaping our profession.

Description of the Founders Award

The Founders Award was established by the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (Central States) in 1986 to honor its founders, including the fourteen original Board Members: Jermaine D. Arendt, Jacqueline Elliott, Percy Fearing, Anthony Gradisnik, Frank Grittner, Gilbert Kettelkamp, Charles Kirk, Wallace Magoon, Barbara Ort, J. Henry Owens, Richard Payne, J. Thomas Shaw, Lorraine Strasheim, and Albert Turner. It was first awarded in 1988.

The award may be conferred annually on an individual or group from within the language teaching profession. Current or retired members of the profession may be nominated for the award.

Nominees for the award should exemplify the following qualifications:

• excellence in the promotion of language learning and international studies

• leadership in the language teaching profession as exemplified by the founders of Central States.

• strong ties with one or more of the fourteen Central States

• professional dedication and enthusiasm

Nominations

Supporting documentation may not exceed 15 single-sided pages and should be submitted to the Awards Committee chairperson by December 15, 2025. The person completing and submitting the nomination must be a current Advisory Council member.

Nominations of a group or organization should include the primary goals of the organization, the relevance of the goals to the profession, a history of the accomplishments of the group or organization, the sphere of influence of the group, the nominator's professional relationship to the group, a resume of the group's director or leader, and support documentation that bears direct relevance to the nomination.

Nominations of an individual should include the candidate's present position and role in the world language profession; the ways in which the candidate meets the specific criteria for the award, including significant contributions to Central States over the years; the capacity in which the nominator has known the candidate; the candidate's current curriculum vitae; and support documentation that bears direct relevance to the nomination.