Graduate Student Ambassadors
If you would like to connect with a master’s student ambassador to ask questions, please contact Sheila Schwaneflugel, School of French Assistant Director, at sschwaneflugel@middlebury.edu.
Kaila Allison
Hometown: Greenwich, Connecticut
Program: Master’s Year Abroad
Current: Program Coordinator, IES Abroad Paris
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I was surprised to find so many other language nerds like me! In my hometown, I was one of five people in my French class, but at Middlebury I found a community of people that were as inspired by the French language as I was.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I was looking to improve my language skills quickly and efficiently, and be totally immersed to prepare for a life abroad. French has always been my passion, and I felt that Middlebury was necessary for me to build the confidence I needed and fine-tune my French.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
My language skills improved so much. In speaking, my phonetics class helped me vastly reduce my American accent to the point where French people can’t tell I’m American! I also learned how to sharpen my writing skills in French to be prepared to write dissertations in my French university classes according to their strict methodology. I use French in my career as a program coordinator in a study abroad program, and have a bilingual, bicultural family now. My husband is French and our newborn is French-American!
Lauren Clawson
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Program: Master’s Summer option
Current: French Teacher, Lindbergh High School
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
During my four summers with Middlebury Language Schools, I felt the most like myself that I ever have. French language and francophone cultures have been my passions since I was a kid, and getting to fully immerse myself in that world while surrounded by other people who share the same level of interest and passion brought me such a feeling of belonging and purpose.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I taught French abroad with the TAPIF program and met someone in France who had nothing but amazing things to say about her 7-week summer in Middlebury. Because Middlebury partners with TAPIF, I was able to attend informational sessions to learn more and was hooked with the concept of the language pledge. My French improved drastically because of the pledge, and staying in French allowed me to explore other aspects of myself and my identity.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
I became confident and comfortable expressing myself in French at Middlebury and I reached a level of proficiency and fluency that changed French from a language I was learning to a part of who I am. I use French every day in my job as a French teacher, I am supporting a bilingual family in growing their French proficiency so they can be there for both parts of their son’s identity, I connect with friends in French regularly… French is truly a part of my every day life and my experience at Middlebury Language Schools made that possible.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
I have come to believe that with any experience, you get out of it what you put into it. I was all in at Middlebury, taking advantage of connecting with the amazing people, participating in the incredible range of activities, and seriously committing myself to my studies and growth. As a result, I feel I truly benefited from all this experience has to offer, and it is an experience that absolutely changed my life for the better. I am so excited to share that with any prospective Middlebury Language Schools students!
Bill Hamlett
Hometown: Kent, Connecticut
Program: Master’s Summer option
Current: French Teacher, Kent School
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
The surprising mix of rigor and fun, real-life, grounded learning, and the pleasure of getting lost in the beauty and complexity of French language and literature.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
Initially, to deepen my knowledge of French and enrich my expression. I continued for the pleasure of it!
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
Middlebury strengthened my foundations and expanded my cultural knowledge. However, it was experience in France and translating that honed it. Middlebury put me at an enormous advantage in my personal life as a French speaker and professionally as a teacher and translator.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
This is a difficult program, both emotionally and intellectually. But in the end, embracing the unique challenge that Middlebury provides is transformative. The first prerequisite is courage; the second is persistence and patience.
Immaculee Niwemugeni
Hometown: Dover, New Hampshire
Program: Master’s Summer option
Current: French Teacher, Portsmouth High School
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I was surprised by the dedication of the students, faculty, and staff.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I chose the Middlebury Language Schools because I liked how welcoming the staff are. They make you feel like you belong at Middlebury.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
I use the french language everyday in my teaching.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Being able to speak another language from a francophone country in complete immersion for 6 weeks is amazing. The Middlebury Language Schools has very well qualified teachers and is a great place for future connections.
Mark O’Neil
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Program: Master’s Summer option
Current: French Teacher, Denver Public Schools
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I was very impressed by the caliber of professors and the seriousness with which all participants approached the program. Both of these attributes led to a surprising increase in my language skills in all domains. Being in an immersive environment is paramount to language learning and a key to the program at Middlebury.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
It is truly a world-renowned program of study. With professors traveling from all over the francophone world to share with us their expertise, Middlebury Language Schools truly offer a once-in a-lifetime opportunity.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
The fluidity of my language production has increased immeasurably. The reading and writing have allowed me to augment my vocabulary that I then use when speaking. There are few environments where you can do that all in one setting. As a French teacher, I am able to use my experiences learning new vocabulary and speech techniques that I am able to share with my students. The proximity to learning is so close that I rarely forget what it is like to learn new bits of language, and my students appreciate that understanding.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Besides the academic aspects, the events and activities truly help to form unique bonds with classmates and professors alike. If you’re in need of networking and/or expanding your horizons as far as friends with similar interests, Middlebury should not be passed up!
Erin Smith
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Program: Master’s Summer option
Current: ESOL Instructor, English Language Institute of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I was surprised by the sense of community among students, professors, and staff. Even though I arrived not knowing anyone, I quickly felt I had lots of support and encouragement. I was nervous about living with people I had never met because I’m a fairly introverted person. I was also worried that the environment would be very competitive and that my spoken French wouldn’t be as good as that of the other students. However, these worries proved to be totally unnecessary. I was amazed by how supportive everyone was and by how much everyone wanted each other to succeed. It was an incredible experience.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
Being able to speak French with ease has been a dream of mine since I took my first French class in high school. I majored in French as an undergraduate, but after graduating I didn’t have many opportunities to speak it. I lost some of my fluency and a lot of confidence, and I was disappointed in myself for letting go of something that had meant so much to me for so long. When I heard about the Middlebury Language Pledge®, I knew that I wanted to study there because an immersive environment was exactly what I needed to achieve the level of spoken French that I wanted.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
My spoken French improved immensely at Middlebury. I had felt pretty comfortable writing in, reading, and listening to French before going to Middlebury, but I didn’t have much confidence in my speaking abilities. Middlebury helped me let go of my fear of making mistakes, which was what I needed to develop my fluency. It also gave me more opportunities to have non-academic conversations, something I didn’t have much experience with before since I had never spent more than a month at a time in a French-speaking country. Now, I use French at work when prospective students from Francophone countries have questions about the English Language Institute of the University of Tennessee. I also use it to help current students feel more comfortable and more at home in Knoxville. In the future I would like to get a Ph.D. in French Studies.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Middlebury helped me achieve my life-long dream of being comfortable speaking another language. It also allowed me to develop a passion for French and European history, understand cultural issues that I had always had questions about, and meet fantastic people that I will always stay in contact with.
Camden Villaire
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Program: Master’s Year Abroad
Current: Middlebury College French Master’s
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
The community was just as important as the academics. I met so many wonderful friends there, but the professors and other faculty members were supportive as well.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I wanted an intensive language program with the option to study abroad for a year in France.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
I am currently living in Paris, France. I use the language everyday with other students and during interactions I have in the real world.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Even if you are unsure about applying to Middlebury, you should do it! Even if you just want to try one summer, it is worth it. I am so glad I decided to to this program. My language skills have improved and I have met so many wonderful people.