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Portraits of Our Community: Leigh Hansen, Class of 2004

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LFC Alumni, Leigh Hansen, throughout the years.

This week, as part of our series, "Oui" are the Lycée: Portraits of our Community, we had the pleasure of speaking with Leigh Hansen, an LFC alumna from the class of 2004. An American born in Kuwait, Leigh joined the Lycée as a 4th grader when it opened its doors in 1995.

Tell us more about yourself:

I started my education quite early in the French system. I was enrolled in preschool at what was then the Chicago International School (CIS). I was the first class of (I think) 4th graders to grace the old halls of the first official LFC building on Lake Shore Drive. I got to experience all the growing the Lycée went through to become its full-fledged self at its current Ravenswood campus.

Why was the Lycée the right fit for you?

I didn’t know it at the time, but my parents were onto something special! I was exposed to many cultures and different languages from such a young age, so that really spurred me to become the adventurous person I am today. I’ve lived prolonged periods in France, Vietnam and many places around the United States (New York, New Orleans and Maine, to name a few) mostly because I always felt confident that I could manage to sort out any cultural or linguistic quirk a new place could thrust at me.

An image of Leigh Hansen sculpting as a child.

Tell us something about you that will surprise many of our readers:

I ended up studying French Literature at the University of Chicago after all my travels, pursuing a PhD for a few years before opening my restaurant, The Press Room, right here in Chicago with my husband Jeff (where we serve a lot of French wine!).

* Note: If you are interested in being featured in the "Oui" are the Lycée: Portraits of our Community series, please contact communications@lyceechicago.org.