Join us in congratulating PhD candidate Zachary Scovel, who has been selected as the first ever recipient of the Molière French Graduate Student Award. Zack was chosen by the French and Francophone Studies program on the basis of his excellent work and progress on the PhD dissertation, as well as outstanding teaching and contributions to departmental culture. The working title of the dissertation is: “De-monstrating the Literary Vampire: Psychic, Social and Political Anxieties of the Undead in Nineteenth Century France.” This award was made possible by a donation from UCD French Department alumnus Zachary Polsky, PhD, who completed a dissertation on Molière under the direction of Professor Georges Van den Abbeele and was awarded the degree in 2002. French and Francophone Studies is very grateful for Dr. Polsky’s generous contribution to the graduate program.