Deborah Blaz honored with national award for French teachers

May 04, 2020

Deborah BlazDeborah Blaz, an adjunct faculty member at Trine University who also serves as French teacher at Angola High School, has been named the recipient of the 2020 Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in Teaching Award at the secondary level, presented by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF).

The annual award recognizes one French teacher nationwide at each of four levels — elementary, middle school, secondary and post-secondary.

Applicants are selected by a national committee based on their accomplishments and proven record. Blaz was nominated by a colleague in Mishawaka who had attended many of her workshops at state teachers’ conferences.

“I think this is the best award I’ve received in my career, because it’s from my peers,” Blaz said. “It really put me over the moon.”

The award includes a framed certificate and cash award funded by a bequest from the late Robert Ludwig, a two-term representative for the New York region of the AATF.

The award was scheduled to be presented at the organization’s annual conference in Quebec, Canada, but the event was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions in that region.

The AATF, with nearly 10,000 members, was founded in 1927 and is divided into 70 chapters across the U.S.

Last Updated: 05/04/2020

News Information

Read More

All News
Bridge hand

Trine pair places 15th at national bridge competition

July 30, 2026

Trine University students Isaac Braun, a senior chemical engineering major from Portland, Indiana, and Ryan Sederstrom, a junior electrical engineering major from Cedar Lake, Indiana, placed 15th in the collegiate pairs tournament at the North American Bridge Championships.

2/3
Trine seal

Trine team to work with national experts in AI Institute

July 29, 2026

Trine University has been selected to be part of a national program to help campuses respond to the challenges and opportunities artificial intelligence (AI) presents for courses, curricula and higher education in general.

3/3