World-Renowned Middlebury College

Language Schools Gear Up for Summer Session

“Where else would I be able to talk to a

government agent, a high school teacher, a graduate student, a

professional missionary, and a cow all in the same day in Japanese?”—

Leila Wice, 1996 Middlebury College Language Schools Graduate

Visitors and residents of Middlebury can expect to

overhear a diverse mix of languages this summer: Arabic; Chinese;

French; German; Italian; Japanese; Russian; and Spanish.

Friday, June 12, marks the beginning of the Middlebury

College Language Schools summer sessions, known internationally

for a rigorous approach to the teaching of languages and cultures.

This year, approximately 1,100 students will come

to Middlebury to participate in the Language Schools during the

course of the summer. Over an 83-year history, more than 35,000

students from all walks of life-including more than 11,000 advance

degree holders-have attended one or more of the Schools. Corporate

executives study side-by-side with writers, journalists, doctors,

lawyers, missionaries, government officials and diplomats. Undergraduates

and graduate students from Middlebury College and other institutions

also attend the summer sessions to fulfill language requirements

or complete degrees.

Under the guidance of approximately 200 faculty members

from colleges and universities throughout the world, students

of all ages and numerous nationalities live on campus, totally

immersed in their target language. Students eat, sleep, drink

and shop the language they have come to study, and all agree to

abide by the language pledge-a formal commitment to speak the

language of study and no other for the entire summer session.

Long-time Middlebury resident, Dr. Stephen Freeman,

has been a trailblazer in the field of foreign-language teaching,

and his efforts have been critical in the growth of the Language

Schools since they were founded in 1915. Freeman served as the

Language Schools’ director, dean of the second of the Language

Schools, the French School, and he established the first of Middlebury

College’s Language Schools Abroad in Paris. Dr. Freeman celebrated

his 100th birthday this past May.

Each summer, the College offers three sets of summer

sessions for foreign languages. The nine-week session for Arabic,

Chinese, Japanese and Russian will begin Friday, June 12; the

seven-week session for French, German, Italian and Spanish will

begin on Friday, June 26; and the six-week session for graduate

level French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish will begin

on Monday, June 29.

Programs offered by the Language Schools reflect

Middlebury College’s overall commitment to excellence in language

education and international studies.