The New Cultural Studies Department

Join WICE in welcoming Nancy Jochimek, the new Cultural Studies Department Director, as she takes this department in the exciting direction of learning experiences with a social twist to them.   Nancy brings to WICE a rich history of working with groups and organizations that use art and cultural events as a fantastic way to bridge the gap between the international and local communities.  

Nancy Jochimek
Cultural Studies Department Director
photo by Ruben Jochimek

As a lawyer turned creative communications manager, Nancy’s extensive experience managing creative talent to produce various projects led her to cofound an organization that promotes art and culture to international communities by way of events that offer both an educational and social experience.  Her organization worked with creative talent and cultural institutions such as the world renowned designer Ron Arad, Bat Sheva Dance troupe, and the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design.

Through these events, it was a rewarding experience for Nancy to watch the expat community grow more connected to their new home as they learned about its surrounding art and culture.  She could see the expats’ disconnect dissipating and their sense of belonging developing, which is a huge achievement when taking on a new life in a foreign country.  Now Nancy wants to bring these same kinds of educational and social experiences to WICE through the current seminars and eventually through musical and artistic performances and gallery exhibitions with educational content in English.

Here’s what Nancy says about some of WICE’s new Cultural Studies instructors:

photo by Nancy Jochimek

“We are very lucky to have on staff with us this Fall Maggie Cardelus,  a professional contemporary artist who has exhibited around the world - Madrid, Paris, Moscow, Rome, Milan, and New York.  Maggie has also worked as a Professor of Combined Media at Accademie di Belle Arti, in Italy.  Her work is photo-based and she takes inspiration from her family life.  Maggie will be teaching various courses concerning contemporary art, offering members a lively discussion that will cover current issues involving family, feminism and multimedia.  

“I love how Maggie's seminars will lead members to look at contemporary art on a deeper level and way beyond the aesthetics of the work.  Members will leave her seminars asking themselves how their personal experiences and challenges can influence their own work - regardless of one's profession - as it has for so many accomplished artists. 

photo by Nancy Jochimek

“We are also fortunate to have on staff Kris Joanne who has a Ph.D in French Literature from the University of Iowa and she has taught Sciences Po, EnsAD (les Arts-Déco) and SKEMA Business School.  Her most recent publication is an essay on Irish author Fitz-James O’Brien and the Dred Scott decision published in the anthology, Seeing the Unseen (The Onslaught Press).  Kris illuminates the lives of well-known French and American authors through anecdotes that she shares during her seminars creating space for lively discussions and a lot of laughs.  

I think Kris's ability to bring together the cross cultural differences between France and America by way of great literature, will further the connectedness members may be seeking.  Learning about Hemingway's early Paris experiences is fascinating given the fact that these experiences are still alive for many internationals.”

In addition, the Cultural Studies Department is excited to announce these highly anticipated courses:

• For the sweet tooth in you: a seminar (Chocolate) on the history of Paris’ Chocolatiers – with a tasting of some of the best chocolates Paris has to offer! 

• For film lovers: a seminar on cinema (Paris When It Flickers) that will discuss how and why Paris is so often the backdrop for American films.   

photo by Nancy Jochimek

Spaces are limited! Register now and receive a special promotional rate on the enrollment fees for the Cultural Studies Department courses: 

• The Place of Impressionism in Art History 

• Exchanges and Influences Between French and American Diplomats, Intellectuals, and Militaries

• Photo-Based Contemporary Art

• When Art Betrays Heart: Contemporary Artists Confronting Family in Their Work

• Hemingway and the French Literary Tradition

• Paris When It Flickers - Part 1

• Paris When It Flickers - Part 2

• Edgar Allan Poe: France's New and Improved Version

• Chocolate: A Discovery of the History, Creation, and Delights of Chocolate

• Time in Contemporary Art

• Saint Sulpice and Notre Dame: Cathedrals Intertwining with Literature, Culture, and the Occult

*** Don't forget to check out the Cultural Studies Department WICE Lite talks:  short evening talks by the experts in various fields.