THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412280209
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FRANKLIN LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
WHEN MARYANNA PHILLIPS graduates from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., in May, she is prepared to put one of five prospective plans for the future into action. And any one of the five will do.
Phillips will pursue either a master's degree in French or in teaching a foreign language, teach English abroad in a French-speaking country or teach French at a boarding school, or do missions work in Africa.
``I can see myself doing all of these things,'' Phillips said. ``I am very attracted to Africa.''
As she talked about her experiences over the past few months and her hopes for the future, Phillips exuded self-confidence, enthusiasm and determination.
At 22, she has traveled and seen more of the world than most do in a lifetime and has never visited a country she didn't like.
For a young woman who was born in a small town and lived in the same house until she went away to college, Phillips has broadened her horizons and seems eager for the next chapter in her life to begin.
A French major, who is minoring in geology, Phillips was named recently in ``Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.''
``Mount Holyoke is everything I wanted,'' Phillips said. ``It's a small woman's college, in a different location and it's academically challenging. I live in the international dorm with people from 40 different countries.
``I chose geology because I love the outdoors and the field trips,'' Phillips said. ``On spring break, we had a weeklong project on the rivers and sand dunes in Death Valley, Calif. It's a break I definitely will remember.''
Phillips is the youngest of two daughters of Billy and Toni Phillips of Franklin. Her sister, JoAnna, has taught school in Japan and is now working at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Phillips credits her mother with her love of language.
``My mother is an English teacher at Southampton Academy,'' Phillips said. ``I even had her as a teacher.''
Last year, Phillips lived with a French family and studied at the University of Paris Sorbonne through the Sweet Briar Junior Year Abroad program. She also taught English classes at a Parisian middle school.
``I saw kids excited about learning because I was excited,'' Phillips said. ``While teaching English, it hit me. This is what I really like and can do well. It's an area where I can benefit others.''
In June, Phillips traveled with a tour group through 13 different countries in Europe and Africa. She rode a camel in Morocco and was particularly impressed by the good food savored in Hungary.
``I love people,'' Phillips said. ``When I went to Morocco, I saw people and not `things.' We Americans are very spoiled and get caught up in materialistic aspects of life. Those people were very happy with nothing. Paris' passion is with art and architecture. I can appreciate it, but I want to know people.
``If I go into missions work, I would go with a Christian missions group. I could do manual labor, building churches, participating in Bible studies, and incorporating my love of French, people and Christianity.''
Phillips is certified in whitewater conoeing and kayaking. She is a member of the crew team at Mount Holyoke and, although she did not compete in races, often rode with a crew team at the University of Paris.
Phillips perfected her boating skills at Camp Merrie-Woode, a summer camp in Sapphire, N.C., which she has attended for the past 13 years. In recent years, she has returned to fill the role of counselor.
Jewelry-making has been Phillips' hobby since the 10th grade and she has featured her jewelry, ``Handcrafted by MaryAnna,'' in shows at the Walter Cecil Rawls Museum in Courtland and at college.
These creations are crafted of low-firing clay and plastics. Billy Phillips also displays his daughter's art at his store, Billy Phillips Ltd., in downtown Franklin.
Recently, Phillips was asked to preach the sermon on College Sunday at her home church, High Street United Methodist. And after she returns to Mount Holyoke for the next semester, Phillips plans to teach a clogging class. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
MaryAnna Phillips, who exudes enthusiam, has a collection of
souvenirs from her study abroad, at the Sorbonne in Paris. She also
toured 13 countries in Europe and Africa.
by CNB