Mel Yoken

Bio

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is so incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Mel B. Yoken in its midst. There is no stronger advocate of or promoter for teaching French language, culture, and literature than this charismatic, accomplished, erudite, and indefatigable Francophile.

Dr. Yoken’s love of all things French coalesced in the City of Fall River, where he was born, lived and attended his first French class at B.M.C. Durfee High School. Over the next few decades, Dr. Yoken perfected his teaching and literary prowess by attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst (BBA), Middlebury College (École française), the University of Cincinnati, (NDEA French Language Institute), Brown University (MAT French), and the Five-College Cooperative Program consisting of University of Massachusetts Amherst, Smith College, Mt. Holyoke College, Amherst College, and Hampshire College, where he earned his Ph.D. in French Language & Literature. He was only the second student to receive this high-ranking degree.

When it was time to put all his knowledge to good use, Dr. Yoken started teaching French at the prestigious Newton High School (1961-64), and then at UMass Amherst (1964-66) while he was pursuing his Ph.D.

When Dr. Yoken perfected his craft, he chose UMass Dartmouth to devote the next 50 years teaching and tutoring students in French grammar, culture and literature, along with the following specialties: French Canadian Studies (Québec Literature), Contemporary French and Québec Poetry, Twentieth-Century French and Québec Novel, Translation (English-French, French-English), Québec Theater of the Twentieth Century, Nineteenth-Century French Poetry, French-Language Manuscripts and Documents.

Ever since his first trip to Montréal, Dr. Yoken has been greatly interested in Franco-Americans who have emigrated from Canada in 1862 and settled in Fall River, New Bedford, Massachusetts, and environs.

From 1985 to 2000, Dr. Yoken interviewed hundreds of these Canadian immigrants, and he wrote extensively about their culture, their customs, and how they were able to retain their past heritage while melding into their newly adopted country.

Dr. Yoken’s dedication to teaching propelled him from the rank of Instructor (1966), to Assistant Professor (1972), Associate Professor (1976), Professor (1981), Chancellor Professor (2000), and finally to the pre-eminent position of Chancellor Professor Emeritus of French Language & Literature (2008).

Not satisfied with sitting back on his laurels, Dr. Yoken offered his academic services by becoming the Faculty Advisor for The French Club and Table française; Foreign Language Academic Alliance Member; French & Canadian Studies Program Representative; President, Vice President, and Director of UMD’s Library and Claire T. Carney Library Associates (since 1992); Archives Advisory Board Member of UMD’s Library (since 1982); Board Member for The Center for Jewish Culture (since 1980); and Director of UMass Dartmouth’s Boivin Center For French Language & Culture for 25 years (1999 – 2024).

Dr. Yoken documented that he has taught approximately 18,000 students in classes during the days, the nights, and the summers throughout his long and successful career. He has taught French courses at Wheaton College (Norton, Massachusetts), summers from 1980-1989 at The University of Montréal, and even gave French lessons to vacationers on holiday cruises! “I truly loved every moment of teaching, and every time I entered a classroom was a happy moment for me,” said the grateful educator, who prided himself on the fact that, “I was always on time to ALL my classes, throughout my 50-year teaching tenure.”

Many of Dr. Yoken’s students have become teachers, ambassadors, French professors and even college presidents. For example, Dr. Richard Gouse, who was one of Dr. Yoken’s students at Newton High School in the early 1960s, has been President of New England Institute of Technology in Warwick, Rhode Island, since 1971, which is one of the longest tenures of any university president in the United States.

Dr. Yoken formally retired, from teaching, in 2006 to spend more time writing, traveling, and pursuing his many other hobbies and avocations, such as baseball, meteorology, collecting postcards and stamps. However, Dr. Yoken is still very much in demand by students and faculty who regularly seek him out for his astute counsel, for written recommendations, and for answers to questions about French grammar, pronunciation, and literature. He retained a university office until late in 2020.

“This delights me, and shows, if I must say so, that I must be doing something right,” intoned the humble professeur.  “I might add that since retirement I have been called upon to teach French classes or give lessons on how to teach French. To wit: I’ve even been asked to teach French, several times, at my alma mater, Durfee High School, in Fall River, MA, which I have gladly done on a volunteer basis.”

So much for acting “retired,” which is not in Dr. Yoken’s nature or vocabulary. As proof of his stamina, Dr. Yoken continued to direct the Boivin Center for French Language & Culture at UMD until 2024. Under his aegis, The Center drew rave reviews, from the university and the community, for its wonderful events and programs.

The Boivin Center was created in 1985, with a $100,000 grant from Fall River urologist Dr. Omer E. Boivin, who wanted to create an institution that would promote the teaching of and the appreciation for French language and culture as well as to act as a catalyst for French studies at the University and regional levels. Dr. Boivin believed that UMass Dartmouth represented the best opportunity to keep the language alive, and to educate area residents about the culture and history of France and Québec.

Growing up in Fall River, Dr. Yoken and his parents were good friends with Dr. Omer Boivin and his wife Laurette. Dr. Yoken became a board member of the Boivin Center in 1985, and continued in that capacity until he was elected as its Director in 1999.

Thanks to Dr. Yoken’s formidable network of friendship with influential luminaries, he was able to reach out and personally invite over 100 outstanding speakers to the University and SouthCoast communities.

When asked who his favorite guest was, Dr. Yoken immediately responded, “One of them was definitely Julia Child, who, in the year 2000, signed over 1,000 of her books, for her adoring fans, during 75 minutes, and she didn’t quit until the last one was completed. She was a trouper par excellence and inimitable on so many levels. We became good friends over the years, and exchanged many letters. She returned to the University on several occasions, and when she received an Honorary Degree, from UMass Dartmouth, I hosted and accompanied her.”

During Dr. Yoken’s 25-year tenure, the Boivin Center awarded some 20 scholarships to worthy students, who have used the money to attend schools such as Middlebury’s Ecole française, University of Montréal, or schools in France. The Center has also given financial assistance to several professors, who have pursued research projects in French literature. Two students graduated from the Center’s International Marketing/French program that Dr. Yoken created.

Dr. Yoken was always quick to give credit to his loyal and talented Advisory Board members, who assisted him in planning and organizing events and conducting business for the non-profit Boivin Center.

The team consisted of Suzette Almeida, Roger Bonin, Robert Boutin, Prof. Michelle Cheyne, Prof. Norman Desmarais, Albert Dumoulin, Michael Eadie, Renée Maalouf, Raymond Patnaude, Alfred Saulniers, Prof. Bridget Teboh, Norman Valiquette, and Cynthia Yoken.

There is no doubt that Dr. Yoken had not only superlatively upheld the Boivin Center’s mission statement, but he had also successfully surpassed any goals that Dr. Boivin could have possibly envisioned. Further proof was given, in 2022, during a five-year mandatory University-wide required board evaluation that passed The Boivin Center with flying colors. The review summed up with, “We applaud the Boivin Center for its excellent work.”

Dr. Yoken truly enjoyed leading the Boivin Center because, “I thrived in this position and loved to keep my hand, heart and soul in matters dealing with French language, literature, and culture.” He considered it “a tremendous honor and privilege to have served for 25 years as Director of such an outstanding University Center.”

Throughout Dr. Yoken’s professional career, during his “free time,” he has published 10 books, as well as numerous essays and articles on French and Québec language and literature for French newspapers and magazines throughout the world, and Québec newspapers and magazines in the province of Québec. He even had his own monthly column for 15 years in Le Journal de Lowell (Lowell, MA) and for 10 years in Le Travailleur (Worcester, MA).

Dr. Yoken has been a prolific Letter to the Editor writer since his college days. These letters have appeared in highly popular, widely circulated newspapers throughout the Unites States, Canada and France, and in several Francophone African countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast. They have ranged in variegated subjects such as climate change, education, importance of foreign language study and import of letter writing itself. Many have been singled out as exemplary in their content and impact.

For the past 55 years, Dr. Yoken has been interviewed by journalists in the US and Canada and has given lectures/speeches to innumerable groups, organizations and conferences locally, and in as far reaching locations as Japan, France, and Israel.

Dr. Yoken has also derived great satisfaction from being a radio co-host/commentator with the late, great Jean Caya Bancroft on WALE, in Fall River, and WBSM, in New Bedford. Dr. Yoken co-hosted and hosted approximately 450 radio programs, from 1971 to 2005. Dr. Yoken’s passion for radio first began when he started and hosted a highly acclaimed radio show entitled “Teen Party” during three years at B.M.C. Durfee High School on WALE in Fall River, from 1953-1956.

During the three decades of the 70s, 80s and 90s, Dr. Yoken revived his high school and college acting talents with vivid and impressionable portrayals of Corneille, Moliere and especially Victor Hugo. He transformed himself into these aforementioned French literary giants, and amazed colleagues, friends and the public, in general, with his one man shows in French and in English.

Yoken’s acting technique was minutely crafted, and won the approbation of all those who viewed his appearances on the stage. Marthe Whalen, president of the Francophone Association of Fall River, Massachusetts at the time,  once proclaimed that Yoken was superbly gifted and brilliant as an actor, and a man with superlative, natural and unique acting ability who did this through sheer determination and hard work. Others shared the same point of view. 

Dr. Yoken’s professional memberships include: Northeast Modern Language Association (NEMLA), Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA), American Council Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Middle Atlantic and New England Council for Canadian Studies (MANECCS), International Council for Canadian Studies (ICCS), The French Library in Boston, Iris Murdoch International Society, Richelieu International, Association of Literary Scholars and Critics, The Durfee Alumni Association, Conseil International d’Etudes Francophones (CIEF), La Société Historique Franco-Américaine, Société des Professeurs Français et Francophones en Amérique, Association Internationale des Critiques Littéraires, and Ligue des Présidents.

Dr. Yoken is a Life Member in the following professional organizations: American Association Teachers of French (AATF), Modern Language Association (MLA), Middlebury College Amicale, Association for Canadian Studies in the United States (ACSUS), New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT), and Amis de Paul-Louis Courier.

He is an Honorary Life Member of the Academy of American Poets, Claire T. Carney Library Associates at UMass Dartmouth, Friends of the Fall River Public Library, Friends of the New Bedford Public Library, and a Life & Legion Member of UMass Amherst Alumni Association.

Dr. Yoken gives back to the community through his leadership roles in the following organizations: Nobel Prize in Literature, Nominating Committee (1970-2016); Brown University, Alumni Area Representative (1970-2016); Friends of Fall River Public Library, Former President (1972-1980); Friends of New Bedford Public Library, Former President (1980-1985); Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA), Former Director (1980-1992); UMass Dartmouth Azorean Restoration Committee (1980-2010); Northeast Modern Language Association, Chair – French Literature (1988-1992); Association Francophone de Fall River, Vice-President (1990-97); American Field Service (AFS), Former President, Organizational Liaison and Vice President (1990-2003); Sister-City Committee of Fairhaven, MA and Japan (l990-2010); The Modern Language Journal, consultant/proofreader (l992 to present); Manuscript Society, Vice-President (1993-97); New Bedford High School, Accreditation Committee Member (1994); AATF, consultant for Québec-related material (1994 to present); The Mellon Press, consultant/proofreader (l997 to present); The College of New Jersey, Faculty reader/consultant, AP French Exam (l997-2010); New Bedford Whaling Museum, French reader for Melville’s “Moby Dick” marathon (1998 to present); The College of New Jersey, directed seminars on the AP exam in French (2000-2010); Tifereth Israel Congregation, New Bedford, MA, Director – Sunday Morning Seminars (2013 to present); and Tifereth Israel Congregation, New Bedford, MA, Holocaust Committee (1980 to present); and Co-chair of his 1956 High School Reunion.

Dr. Yoken and his very capable and accomplished wife, Cindy, administer the following annual philanthropies: Mel and Cindy Yoken Richelieu Scholarships (2007 to present); Mel and Cindy Yoken Endowments at École française at Middlebury College (2004 to present); and Mel and Cindy Yoken MaFLA (Massachusetts Foreign Language Association) Scholarship (2010 to present). They also organized and directed The Mel and Cindy Yoken Annual Lecture Series at Brown University (2001 to 2018).

Throughout the 1980s, Dr. Yoken, with the able assistance of his wife, organized and directed two outstanding, popular, and highly successful programs: The French Summer Institute and The Fun with French Program. The former, modeled after Middlebury’s prestigious École française, had students immersed en français the first three weeks at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and the second three weeks at the University of Montréal.

The Fun with French Program, centered in New Bedford, Massachusetts, focused on introducing la belle et douce langue française to youngsters of the region. The students and teachers, under the aegis of The Yokens, were selected from Dr. Yoken’s university classes.

Over the decades, Dr. Yoken befriended many of the most important French contemporary writers including Pierre de Boisdeffre, Jacques Borel, Alain Bousquet, Daniel Boulanger, Germaine Brée, Pierre Daninos, Florence Delay, Michel Déon, Maurice Druon, Jean Fougère, Maurice Goudeket, Roger Grenier, Frédérique Hébrard, Philippe Jaccottet, André Maman, Albert Memmi, Anka Muhlstein, Claude Ollier, Henri Peyre, Henri Queffélec, Pierre Salinger, Maurice Toesca, Louis Velle and Margaret Yourcenar.

He has also befriended prominent French personalities such as Valéry Freland, Maxime LeForestier, Marcel Marceau, Jacques Pépin, and Annie Royer.  Not to be forgotten are such luminaries as Samuel Bak, Nelson Brooks, Pierre Buyoya, Julia Child and Pierre Thiam.

Thanks to researching and writing his three volumes of Québec literature, Dr. Yoken has been able to meet, interview and befriend the most important Québec writers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Because Dr. Yoken has been such a tireless pillar of the academic and civic fabric within our local community and an exemplary ambassador for Francophones nationwide, he has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and honors, as follows:

  • Distinguished Service Award, City of Fall River, MA, Jaycees, 1976
  • Mayoral Citation for outstanding cultural achievements, City of Fall River, MA, 1980
  • Research Fellowships in Québec Studies, Québec Government, 1980-81
  • Bourses (Scholarships) for study and research in Québec, Québec Government, 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1988
  • Excellence in Teaching French Award, Delegation in Boston, 1984 and 1986
  • Golden Poet Award from the Boston Globe, 1985
  • Bourses d’Etudes, University of Montréal, 1985
  • Special Citation from Governor Michael Dukakis for “Outstanding Contribution to the Franco-American Community of Southeastern Massachusetts,” 1985
  • Research Grants, SMU, 1985 and 1989
  • SMU Alumni (Research) Grants, 1984, 1985, and 1990
  • Faculty Research Grant, 1986 and 1987
  • Certificate of Recognition, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1986
  • Richelieu Club of Fall River Annual Student Scholarship in honor of Dr. Yoken,1988
  • Robert Ludwig National Distinguished Leadership Award in Foreign Languages, NYSAFLT, 1990
  • “Mel Yoken Day” in New Bedford, MA, by the authority of Mayor John Bullard, Sept. 14, 1990
  • International Canadian Studies Award of Excellence, 1990
  • Distinguished Service Award, Massachusetts Foreign Language Association, 1992
  • Honored as former President, Friends of the New Bedford Public Library, October 1993
  • Médaille de Vermeil du Rayonnement de la Langue française, Académie française, Paris, 1993
  • Teacher of the Year, UMass Dartmouth, 1995
  • Ellis Island Medal of Honor, 1996
  • Outstanding Community Service Award, Fall River Chamber of Commerce, 1997
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, B.M.C. Durfee High School, Fall River, MA, 1998
  • Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching, Fall River Herald News, l998
  • Elected into the Academy of American Poets, 1999, Honorary Life Member, 2006
  • Officier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, Government of France, 2001
  • Honorary Life Member, Fall River Public Library, August 2003
  • Distinguished Real Hero Educator Award, American Red Cross, 2004
  • Honorary Charter Member, Pi Delta Phi, 2008
  • Distinguished Alumnus of Durfee High School, National Honor Society Induction, 2008
  • Chancellor Professor Emeritus of French Language & Literature, UMass Dartmouth, 2008
  • Honorary Life Member, Claire T. Carney Library Associates, UMass Dartmouth, 2010
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2013
  • French Legion of Honor, 2018
  • Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018
  • Host: Academy of American Poets, 2019
  • Member of the Board of Directors, Durfee High School Alumni Association, 2019
  • Celebration in honor of 25 years volunteering as the Director of the Boivin Center for French Language & Culture at UMass Dartmouth, 2023
  • Recipient of the Franco-American of The Year Award for his constant support and steadfast dedication to that community from the Association Francophone de Fall River, 2024

Out of the plethora of awards listed above, two stand out as major life-altering achievements.

Dr. Stowell Goding, who was Dr. Yoken’s mentor and French professor at UMass Amherst, stated that, “I was so proud to learn that my student received the prodigious Médaille de Vermeil du Rayonnement de la Langue française, in 1993 in front of the 40 members of the Académie française. This award is more important than the Nobel Prize.” To that, Dr. Yoken replied, “During my lifetime, if I had only received just this one award, I would be happy. This prize is indelibly imprinted in my mind.”

Again, in May 2018, Dr. Yoken’s was most profoundly honored, thanks to a decree issued by French President, Emmanuel Macron, to receive the French Legion of Honor. Dr. Yoken was one of only three Americans to achieve this amazing status, that year. Created by Napoleon in 1802, this award is, by far, the most prestigious rendered by France to persons of exceptional merit.

Dr. Yoken is listed in approximately 20 Who’s Who volumes as well as other national and international directories, including Receuil Biographique de la Francophonie. Dr. Yoken takes great pride in being cited by author George Seldes in his book The Great Thoughts (published by Ballantine, Inc. 1985. p. 464), “These are thoughts, quotations and ideas that have determined the intellectual history of the world.”

Another major – and unique – honor is when writers model their novelistic characters after Dr. Yoken. The most recent was the celebrated French writer, Frédérique Hébrard, who named one of her primary characters, Mel Yoken. In her award-winning novel, Les Châtaigniers du desert, Hébrard transformed Dr. Yoken into a professor of theology at Harvard University.

In addition to his five decades of teaching, being Director of the Boivin Center for 25 years, enjoying membership in prestigious professional organizations, and assuming leadership roles in academic and community groups, Dr. Yoken makes time to nurture both the Yoken Archives at the John Hay Library of his alma mater, Brown University and his Archives at the UMass Dartmouth Claire T. Carney Library.

Dr. Yoken’s letter-writing endeavor started in 1961, while he was studying for his Master’s Degree in French at Brown University. After reading the play Knock, student Yoken decided to send his comments to the play’s French author, Jules Romains. The playwright responded and the two men began a correspondence that blossomed into a friendship. While the general population would be reticent to directly contact dignitaries and luminaries, Dr. Yoken has continued these correspondences over the years, which has afforded him the opportunity to meet and become friends with many of the great luminaries of the second half of the 20th century and the first two decades of the 21st century.

Dr. Yoken’s unique motivation served him well in his graduate studies. If he didn’t understand a line in a poem or the meaning in a piece of literature in a novel or play, he would contact the author for further clarification. Dr. Yoken would include the responses in his research projects, which would garner him high grades.

It is truly fortunate for posterity that Dr. Yoken saved all of his correspondences, and other invaluable documents for scholars and researchers everywhere to read.

In 1999, Dr. Yoken started bringing to Brown University his 40-year collection of 20th century pieces of correspondence and literary works by American, British, French and Québécois authors, artists, famous writers, politicians, scientists, educators, military, religious leaders and public figures.

Next, Dr. Yoken enhanced the historical, literary and political interest of his collection by donating numerous letters written by significant figures of the 18th and 19th century. Notes, typescripts, manuscripts, artifacts, photographs and personal papers complement the archive, as well as the many inscriptions, annotations, autographed posters, which all now respectfully reside at the John Hay.

In 2004, the Mel B. Yoken Collection officially opened on the third floor, in the John Hay Library at Brown University. The room had three high walls of shelves overflowing with signed books and 1500 labeled blue binders containing over 300,000 letters from Dr. Yoken’s personal correspondences.

When the room reached its capacity, all invaluable letters and documents were moved to the stacks, where they are safely housed. Over subsequent years, Dr. Yoken continues to furnish his Collection with more of his precious papers. (The Yoken Collection has grown to 400,000 letters.)

In 2012, the John Hay Library Associates digitalized all of Dr. Yoken’s documents and placed them on their website, for all to access.

Dr. Yoken’s vast and impressive autographed book collection currently resides at the Archives in the Claire T. Carney Library at UMass Dartmouth.

It is no surprise that Dr. Yoken has a deep respect, appreciation of and love for books. In addition to his own 15,000 volume French library, Dr. Yoken was extremely fortunate to inherit and be the beneficiary of the French libraries of such luminaries as Professors Herman Green, Joseph Vinci, Nelson Brooks, James Powers and Franco-American poet Dr. Adelard Demers, who have all been his good friends. In literary circles, Dr. Yoken is considered a legend, and remains a friend and confident to some of the most important writers, professors and scholars of his lifetime.

Many of Dr. Yoken’s former students keep in touch with him. “This is one of the many great rewards of teaching,” exclaimed the grateful professeur. As a matter fact, Dr. Yoken shared a poignant story of how, at a Book Fair in New Bedford, an exhibiter was telling his wife Cindy that a certain Dr. Yoken was “a wonderful educator who changed his life and inspired him to go into teaching.” Cindy told the man to turn around and much to his surprise he came face-to-face with his former teacher. The protégé was filled with such emotion that he practically levitated Dr. Yoken off the ground as he hugged him.

Dr. Yoken retains correspondences with innumerable former students and is tenacious about keeping in touch with many of his classmates from Durfee High School in Fall River. After 65 years, he still treasures their friendships. As a matter of fact, Dr. Yoken has been – and still is – Co-chair of his year’s class reunion.

Dr. Yoken has kept a diary every day for over 70 years. Some of you reading this bio may even be immortalized in his extensive journals. Dr. Yoken has recently penned and published a 10th book – his second volume of memoirs, A History of Letters: Memorable Quotes From a Moribund Art, consisting of quotes taken directly from the letters he has received.

Be forewarned! After spending even a few minutes speaking with Dr. Yoken, you will come away having learned something new; be it the exact dictionary word for which you’ve been searching, or the proper pronunciation of whatever you just said in French, or a piece of history you never knew existed. This man of many talents, this walking encyclopedia, this l’ambassadeur francophone extraordinaire will impress and charm you and you will walk away feeling so incredibly fortunate for having just been in the presence of greatness.

When he isn’t reading his voluminous amount of e-mails and letters, answering important documents, tending to French students everywhere, planning and hosting numerous programs and activities, or administering to one of his many membership organizations, Dr. Yoken enjoys listening to music by Joe Dassin, David D’Or, Sarah Brightman and Barbara Streisand, watching “Jeopardy,” and spending time with his beloved family.

Dr. Yoken, a consummate traveler, has been to many countries all over the world. One of his many memorable vacations taken with his wife Cindy include, “An unforgettable peregrination which took us through four countries: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria.” He has also visited Martinique, Cuba, India, Ireland, and Scotland.

Admittedly, Dr. Yoken feels most at home in France, his second country which he affectionately calls chez moi because he has visited la belle et douce France over 155 times, including his most recent visit in 2024.

Stateside, Dr. Yoken makes his annual pilgrimage to Middlebury College’s École française, where he first attended in 1959. “It made such a positive impression on me that I have returned every summer to relive that incredible experience and to absorb the all-encompassing French ambience. When I’m there, I am in seventh heaven. Middlebury has inspired me in my career more than words can express. It has become part of my âme (soul) and it has made an indelible mark on my heart.

Dr. Yoken’s other favorite cities are Montréal, Toronto, and NYC. Locations still on his travelling “bucket list” are Iceland, Guadeloupe, the Pacific (Tahiti), and the Francophone African countries such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Togo, and Dahomey.

Above all else, Dr. Yoken treasures his wife, Cindy, his three sons, Andrew, David, and Jonathan, his daughters-in-law Dara and Jody, and his six grandsons, Ryder, Jonah, Tommy, Mason, Eli and Weston.

Dr. Yoken truly lives every day according to the Latin words CARPE DIEM, which summarizes his philosophy and daily life and living.

Written by Rona Trachtenberg, September 2024