Speaking with a student ambassador is a great way to get a previous student’s perspective on the Language Schools experience.

If you would like to connect with a student ambassador to ask questions, please contact Holly Stark, School of Spanish Graduate Assistant Director, at spanishgraduate@middlebury.edu.

Duncas is happy and wearing a bowtie with his time in the Spanish School.

Duncan Insuik

Hometown: Windor, Connecticut
Program: Master’s Summer Option
Current: Middle School Spanish Teacher, Kingswood Oxford School (West Hartford, CT)

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I never expected to meet such amazing people, both faculty and students. I knew that Middlebury was an amazing place to improve your language skills, but I never foresaw the lifelong friendships I would create in this experience. It really drove home for me the power that language has to bring together people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I had a number of my own teachers throughout high school and college mention the Middlebury program and the amazing experiences they had in mastering their language. Their anecdotes were a huge factor in choosing Middlebury Language Schools.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

I was always good at Spanish, but I never felt as though I was fluent. After leaving Middlebury, I firmly identify as bilingual because my experiences in the Language Schools forced me to navigate the language in a social way that I don’t always experience as a Spanish teacher. Especially as a teacher of younger levels, I don’t often get the chance to have full conversations in Spanish and Middlebury gave me the opportunity to learn how much fun it is to speak Spanish in a social setting.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Spanish?

I cannot reinforce enough the impact of the people I met throughout the program. Take advantage of the access to such incredibly talented professors from around the world. Work hard to make connections with your classmates and have fun with the language!

Javier is holding up his hand and thinking about Spanish.

Javier Makepeace

Hometown: Bend, Oregon
Program: Master’s Summer Option
Current: World Language Teacher, Cascades Academy, Bend, Oregon

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

The amount that everyone came together. Grad students, 7 week students, teachers, and Middlebury employees alike bonded really quickly thanks to a robust, all-day programming schedule organized by the school. Depending on the day, I could be playing nine in the shadows of the Green Mountains at Middlebury’s historic Ralph Myhre Golf Course, attending a conference with a Spanish journalist reporting on the war in Ukraine, riding bikes around town on the TAM, or grabbing a pint at Dos Hermanos. Everything was always done in our target language thanks to a like minded and highly motivated student body.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I’ve always been curious and for years had wanted to continue my language studies. I’d known of Middlebury since undergrad due to its strong reputation and even driven through a couple of times and marveled at the beauty of summer in central Vermont. When I began my application, people in admissions immediately reached out and helped me over the finish line. The whole process felt like it was meant to be.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

As someone who was raised in a bilingual family and had lived in Spain for a decade before coming to Middlebury, I wasn’t sure how to continue my journey with the language. The level of literary analysis and the attention to grammatical details in the graduate classes at Middlebury were able to reinvigorate my curiosity and make me feel like a 101 student again.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Spanish?

Do it! Don’t even think! For those of us who love languages and the power they have to connect people, Middlebury is the greatest gift you could ever give yourself.

Spanish student Rana Mousa

Rana Mousa

Hometown: Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, Palestine
Program: Master’s Summer Option
Current: Freelance translator (Arabic-English-Spanish)

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

The wonderful atmosphere in the campus between students, teachers and staff. All interact together as a big family. Also, the very high profiles of the teachers. It´s a privilege to have highly qualified teachers from different countries in the same place.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

Middlebury is a world known school for languages. I’ve studied various foreign languages so I thought it would be the place for me. Friends recommended it, and now I recommend it to others.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

The daily interaction between students and teachers and the use of language in Middlebury helped me to improve my language skills as there is always space for discussions in class and for writing. At a certain point, it´s not only about grammar and vocabulary but also about the way you speak, the expressions you use and the different terminology used in Latin-American and Spain. I use Spanish everyday in my life.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Spanish?

Studying in Middlebury is a unique experience, very enriching and special.

Spanish student Sofia Papa

Sofia Papa

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Program: Master’s Abroad Option

Current: Middlebury College Spanish Master’s in Madrid, Spain

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

The friendships and relationships I formed with classmates and professors as well as all the cultural co-curricular activities!

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was eager to step out of my comfort zone by participating in the Language Pledge and improving my language skills.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

All around my written and verbal abilities have drastically improved by the constant practice and feedback, it has truly been the challenge I was searching for to take my Spanish skills to the next level. Currently, I am completing the Master’s program in Madrid, Spain and am excited to continue pursuing my passion! 

Spanish student Mark Viser

Mark Viser

Hometown: Clinton, North Carolina

Program: Master’s Summer Option

Current: Spanish teacher, Christchurch School

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was surprised (and delighted!) by the level of enthusiasm most everyone had for the Language Pledge. It was nice being able to nerd out with so many like-minded people.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

Middlebury is the gold standard for language learning, and I wanted the best experience.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

It broke my brain in the best possible way. Each morning, my first thoughts were in Spanish. Each time I would see or hear English, my first instinct was to ignore or shy away. English felt very much off limits, and it took a few days to shake this feeling after leaving campus in August. 

Patrick

Patrick Sjoberg

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Program: Master’s Abroad Option

Current: Spanish teacher, Lakeside School

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I learned a lot from my professors but I also learned an incredible amount from the other students in the program, and I still keep in touch with them. It was really nice being part of a group of people with the same goal of improving their Spanish. I also think that being a part of the program has only increased my desire to continue my learning, and Middlebury gave me a lot of tools and resources to continue this endeavor.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I chose to study at Middlebury because of its reputation as a language school, the immersion aspect, and the ability to also study in Spain while pursuing my masters degree.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.  

The immersion part of the program forced me to continue to learn about Spanish in all aspects of my life. I currently teach Spanish at a school in Seattle. In my personal life I use it with my friends, and I also enjoy listening to podcasts, reading, and watching tv in Spanish. Doing these things not only helps me continue to learn, but also allows me to bring real-world Spanish into the classroom.

Is there anything else that you would like to let a student know about your experience? 

The summer semesters are challenging because they are intense in terms of your daily time commitment. The year in Spain had a better pace for me personally as I got to involve myself in other extracurriculars because I had more time to do so. 

Describe a typical day at Middlebury.

At Middlebury, the days are very full - there are a ton of different activities to do outside of attending classes and studying. I attended class from 8-3, with a break for lunch and a break between morning classes. After class there were all sorts of opportunities for socializing and participating in activities like sports, choir, theatre, etc. A lot of the evening events were required for classes as well, so be prepared for full days.

What other language learning opportunities have you had?  How would you compare this experience to Middlebury?

First of all, the professors at Middlebury are incredibly talented and engaging. I have lived abroad a few different times and while I’ve always pushed myself to maintain immersion and live with native Spanish speakers, I feel like Middlebury really encouraged me to push myself outside of my comfort zone even more. While living in Spain I took up a new sport and I met a lot of people through my roommates.