It was not difficult for Diana Pollin to transition from a university career of teaching English to future business managers (in Southern France) to translating seminal works on architecture, guidebooks, menus for starred restaurants and more recently the autobiography of the pioneer heart surgeon Professor Cabrol. Also writing fiction. For many years, with one foot in America and the other in the Old Continent, in France, she has enjoyed going from one culture and one language to the other.
Born and educated in New York, she graduated from New York University, specializing in French and English literatures and also in History. Her American MA the following year was from Middlebury College in French. Then she made the jump across the Atlantic. Settling first in the Paris region, she completed her education by obtaining first a « Licence » (BA) in English from the Sorbonne and then a Masters from the same university. In later years, a doctoral degree was added from the University of Lille. She started a teaching career in the French University of Aix-Marseille and was immensely gratified when students replaced the Gallic shrug about the English language with a sunny Provencal smile. The message was getting across – communicating with the English speaking world was possible and made easier through technics she developed involving video sequences and, later, the Internet.
However, the call to write and translate was strong and other topics of interest entered her life at a certain moment – an opportunity to work with an association whose purpose was to research Marseille’s role in World War II and the city’s being the last port of exit for hundreds of the best minds and talents of Europe fleeing the nazis in 1940. Many of those luminaries (like Marc Chagall) entered the United States and contributed to the artistic and cultural dazzle of post-War America. Combining her love for History and Art, Diana working with her architect-photographer-artist husband, has written two books, one in French and the other in English, about that period in Franco-American History. Both books may be viewed at diana-c.com or villaairbel1940.fr. Their work on the Air Bel project, rewarded by the authorities in Marseille in 2013, also gave rise to lecture tours and expositions in America and in France.
In addition to teaching and writing about History, Diana is a passionate writer and has tried her hand at advertising/translating for a starred restaurant in Marseille. She has also written fiction, in English visible at the site diana-c.com listed above and will soon publish a novel in French. It is her hope that networking activity will attract other invitations and proposals to lecture on Art and History. Another hope is to link with professionals working in the artistic and literary fields.
Living half a year in the south of France, near the sea and the other half in Florida has given her the chance to indulge in her favorite sport, swimming. Cooking is another favored activity. And, of course, there is reading! She is a member of several cultural associations based in Marseille.
International Alumni Association Member Diana Pollin, MA can be found on the Association Directory where she is looking forward to networking with you.
