Student Ambassadors

Arianna Conteras

Hometown: West Covina, CA
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 3, 4, Graduate, Bilingual Assistant
Current: Pasadena City College and Supervisor at Bon Appetit Management Company

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

What surprised me the most were the people. Everybody came from all over the place and we all had at least one thing in common: to learn more about a new language and culture. This common factor is what brought everyone together and I was able to meet and make friends with people I would never had had the opportunity to encounter.

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

I was given a wonderful opportunity to see the Middlebury Language Schools from a different point of view and I decided to pursue it. The Middlebury Italian School opened the doors for me and it completely changed my life. This program helped me figure out what I want to do with my life and I’m excited to be a part of it.

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

By the end of this summer, my Italian improved significantly. I’m a lot more fluid when speaking and reading is becoming more second nature to me in Italian. I’m currently practicing and using my Italian at the Los Angeles Institute of Italian Culture, where I’m attending advanced level Italian. This year I’m applying to Italian graduate programs and I hope to become a professor in Italian and modern languages. 

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

By the end of this summer, my Italian improved significantly. I’m a lot more fluid when speaking and reading is becoming more second nature to me in Italian. I’m currently practicing and using my Italian at the Los Angeles Institute of Italian Culture, where I’m attending advanced level Italian. This year I’m applying to Italian graduate programs and I hope to become a professor in Italian and modern languages. 

Claire Kenny

Hometown: Haddonfield, NJ
Program: 7-week Immersion, Graduate
Level: 3, Graduate
Current: Smith College

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

I was surprised by how warmly encouraging and kind the staff and professors were when helping us navigate this challenging language immersion experience. I was also surprised by the deepness of the friendships I made despite us all speaking something that wasn’t our first language.

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

I wanted to increase my verbal fluency in Italian and immerse myself in the Italian culture to build confidence for someday traveling to Italy. I was also attracted to the idea of learning within a social, collaborative community.

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

My Italian language skills skyrocketed at Middlebury in many respects. I became quicker in my speed of speaking, quicker and sharper with listening comprehension, and broader in my range of vocabulary. I became more calm and confident speaking in a language that was not my first language. I plan to work in diplomacy with the U.S. State Department in Italy as a Foreign Service Officer or Civil Service Officer working with the Italy base. I also may like to become an Italian professor or Linguistics professor. I also am an opera singer and am hoping to perform in many Italian operas, so the program will help me with diction and stylistic techniques specific to Italian opera.

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

La Scuola Italiana is a community full of warm, gregarious, kind, and highly intellectual people that bring you joy every day. You become more fluent in the language through interactions both inside and outside of class—an experience you cannot get an any other American university. It is both intellectually stimulating and socially fulfilling. Middlebury truly makes learning languages a fun, joyful, and deeply fulfilling experience.

Charlotte Maybury

Hometown: Golden, CO
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 1.5
Current: Retired

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

I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I got back into the student frame of mind; also how much Italian I learned and how easily it was to communicate.

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

I have several degrees from Middlebury so it was a return home of sorts. I knew Middlebury’s program was effective and I wanted to learn Italian.

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

My Italian went from extremely basic food-and-music Italian to feeling quite comfortable in a simple conversation situation. I hope to travel in Italy and in the mean time, I’m stepping up my cooking and baking of Italian dishes.

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

I was 58 last summer at school, so not the typical student. It was challenging at times being away from home, dealing with the technology in the classroom, and getting used to being a student again. But it all worked out wonderfully well. Please reach out if you are have questions about going back to school - it was so worth it for me

Brenda Mendez

Hometown: Grant, MI
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 1.5, 3
Current: I’m currently working as a Barista, and I’m planning on making a return to school soon.

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

What surprised me the most was how helpful and supportive the faculty was. They were constantly reminding us that they were there to help, whether that was in person, over email, during a study group, etc. It was clear from the start that they genuinely wanted to see us succeed in the language. I was also surprised by how easy it was to connect with other students, regardless of where we came from or what we were doing outside of the program, we were all there for one thing: to learn a language. 

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

I chose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools after reading other people’s testimonials about how transformative the program had been for them. I even read about Middlebury’s program in a book by Gabriel Wyner, which just made me want to attend the program even more. I’ve always been passionate about languages, and with hopes to travel to Europe, especially Italy, I figured that studying in an immersive environment would be a great way to prepare. The Italian School has definitely changed my life for the better, and I’m hoping to attend the program again in the future. 

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

In my opinion, my language skills improved immensely in the two summers I attended Middlebury. The first year, as a Level 1.5 student, I lacked confidence in speaking, reading, and writing. I found myself hesitating a lot. By the end of the 7 weeks, I could express myself more freely, even if I still made mistakes. Returning as a Level 3 student, I felt more confident speaking, as it became easier to express what I was feeling and thinking. By the end of this second summer, I was much more comfortable reading and writing about any given topic, as it was something that I struggled with. I was even able to make jokes in Italian, something I’m extremely proud of, because being able to express your sense of humor in a third language is difficult. I still make mistakes, especially in front of my professors, but I’ve learned that those mistakes have actually helped me to grow.

Describe your typical day at the Italian School.

My typical day at the Italian School depended on the day of the week. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I would sometimes wake up at 5:45 a.m. to go to the Y with one of the bilinguals, Markus, before making it back to my dorm around 7:15 a.m. to shower, get dressed, and head to Commons to get breakfast. My first class ran from 9 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. (breaks are included), which was then followed by my second class that would start at 11:30 a.m. and go until 12:20 p.m. After class, I would sit outside of Commons to get started on some homework, or I would go to Fels with my friends to study, grab an espresso, or chat with the staff there until lunch at 1:30 p.m.

After lunch, I would sit outside of Commons to study some more before my final class of the day at 3 p.m. Afterward, I would walk to Pangaea, a local coffee shop, and I would sit there and study until dinner or sports. If I wasn’t at Pangaea, I was in Commons on the 3rd floor studying, or I would walk around campus before making my way back to the classroom to study quietly on my own.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, I would play volleyball, and about half way through the program, I started playing soccer as well, which was on Mondays and Thursdays. This was honestly thanks to the persistence from some friends in my class. After sports, I would take a shower (before or after dinner), and then I would spend the rest of my evening studying some more before going to bed. 

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

My advice to someone wanting to attend the Italian School is simple: go for it. It’s genuinely an amazing program with dedicated professors who truly want to see you succeed. You not only receive their support, but you also receive support from the people you meet along the way. They inspire you to want to do better, and they do it in a fun way. We’re all learning, we’re all making mistakes, but I promise you that it’s worth it in the end. 

What are you up to now? 

Right now, I’m continuing my studies with Italian independently, because I don’t want to lose the progress I’ve made this summer. I’m also working to save money to put towards school with the goal of finishing my studies in Italian.

Eve Necaise

Hometown: Pass Christian, MS
Program: 7-week Immersion
Levels: 1, 3
Current : Swarthmore College

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

I walked into the Scuola Italiana expecting a more immersive version of the language classes at my college, but what I found was an entire world apart. The extracurricular activities, the real connections between professors and students, and the general and genuine enthusiasm for the people and the material left me with a sense of wonder and a yearning to return!

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

I chose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools because I like studying language and culture in this manner, and because understanding many languages is a key to success, both personally and socially. I wanted a new direction and perspective on the world, which I received through the learning processes at the Scuola Italiana. 

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

I started in Level 1, so I made it to campus the first day with no Italian, and I don’t say that jokingly. Everything that I know I have acquired thanks to the amazing professors at the Italian School, both in and out of the classroom. I have acquired a level of proficiency at which I am satisfied knowing I could hold a decent conversation, and from the beginning of the summer to the end I could feel a noticeable difference in my security of my abilities, recall speed for grammar and vocabulary, and comfort and flow of conversation.

Describe your typical day at the Italian School.

I would wake up, go to class, go to lunch with my friends in the dining hall, and spend the afternoons either visiting the Italian office, working on homework, playing volleyball or soccer, going to theater, or just hanging out with friends. In the evenings, I’d go to dinner, whatever scheduled fun group thing there is (movie/group study/game night), and then enjoy the late evening to myself to recharge for the next day. I tend to be a tryhard and go to all the events, so keep that in mind. 

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

I would suggest giving your all, but not only focusing on the academic side of things. You learn just as much playing soccer or volleyball, participating in theater, or watching the film screenings with the other school members. The people who found friends, did their best to stick to the Language Pledge, and asked questions in less formal settings were the ones that had the most fun and showed the most marked improvement in my eyes.

What are you up to now?

I am finishing up my majors in English Literature and Dance Studies at Swarthmore College, and looking forward to applying for the Master’s program at the Italian School!

Jessica Phillips

Hometown: Del Mar, California
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 2
Current: I work in the renewable energy industry, buying and selling wind and solar power.

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

The intellectual diversity of all of the other students; there was so much passion and expertise in art, cinema and history of all kinds.

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

My husband has Italian citizenship, so I am studying to take a B1 language test for my citizenship application. (After Middlebury I am ready to take my test.)

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

Before Middlebury, I had almost never spoken Italian. Because at Middlebury you have no option but to speak Italian in order to communicate, I got a lot of practice in, and while I still make mistakes, I can have a conversation. 

Describe your typical day at the Italian School.  

The school day had a great rhythm.  We had 3 hours of classes in the morning (with 2 breaks), a shorter class in the afternoon, and then a long break before dinner.  Twice a week I participated in the theater lab before dinner.  Almost every night there was a cultural activity to participate in, from lectures and films to music and cooking.

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

It is a very fast way to learn a lot of Italian, but sometimes it doesn’t feel fast when you’re in the middle of it! Remember to have patience with yourself and the process, and make friends you love hanging out with, because the more you are socializing out of class the faster your progress will be.

What are you up to now?  

I am back at work and with my kids in normal life.  I now have an Italian tutor I meet with online twice a week, because even though my time at Middlebury is over I am not done learning!