The word “access” may have different meanings in transportation and the world of language.
But the underlying ethos is clear—ensuring that everyone can get what they need.
A new fellowship with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) exemplifies this synergy, bringing together Middlebury Institute students and faculty with nonprofit professionals to advance language inclusion and community engagement.
Each semester, student fellows from the Middlebury Institute will work on projects with professionals from the local transportation agency.
“While I am motivated by my classroom-based education as a master’s candidate, it is programs like the TAMC fellowship that truly inspire me. They give me the opportunity to leverage my skills in the real world and afford me the privilege to give back to, learn from, and collaborate with like-minded Monterey community members,” said Joey Hebl, who is studying international policy and development.
He worked alongside Kareem Tinto, a Fulbright scholar from Trinidad and Tobago who is completing his master’s in Spanish translation. Both took Professor Gabriel Guillén’s popular course, Spanish in the Community, which brings together students learning Spanish with adults learning English. Guillén is faculty lead for the fellowship and worked with them on the project.
“We can do nothing in this world without communication.”
Spanish translation student Kareem Tinto shares the experience of taking his skills out of the classroom to the community.
For the first project, the fellows created a booklet with a bilingual curriculum that highlights the Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Art project in East Salinas. With the goal of making public streets safer and engaging for kids, teachers, and local residents, the transportation agency had local artists paint bright sidewalk murals.
“This opportunity enables me to pursue my unwavering commitment to language access—starting at the community level,” said Tinto. “It aligns with the values instilled in me by my family: Charity begins at home and ends abroad. That philosophy guides me as I navigate life and the connections I build along the way.”
Tinto and Hebl drew on their expertise in language, community service, curriculum development, and technology to produce a Spanish-English resource that engages students and residents with inquiry-based activities, maps, artist and mural details, reflection questions, and QR codes linking to a story maps site for deeper exploration.
“The Transportation Agency for Monterey County takes a ‘people first’ approach to programming and projects,” said Ariana Green, principal transportation planner at TAMC. “The MIIS fellowship helps the Transportation Agency gain valuable insights, especially with individuals who historically have not participated in public processes due to a language barrier or distrust of government agencies. MIIS students also add their own creativity and unique perspectives to enhance Transportation Agency projects.”
Spanish is critical for promoting equitable access in Monterey County, says Guillén.
“Whenever I talk about our exchange program connecting our Spanish students with English learners in Salinas with local organizations doing impactful work, their eyes light up, questions arise, and the need becomes evident,” said Guillén, who leads the Team Tandem initiative as well.
The fellowship was born out of a conversation at a CoLab convening. CoLab’s mission is to deepen and enrich the connections between the Institute and the local community. Carolyn Meyer, director of experiential learning, and Professor Netta Avineri brought together community partners, including environmental policy alum Christina Watson MAIEP ’98, who is currently the director of planning at TAMC. That conversation, which included Professor Guillén, evolved into a multiyear initiative led by Arianna Green and Guillén.
“Working with Joey and Kareem as fellows is a gift,” said Guillén. “They are mission driven, empathetic, critical, and hardworking, and their skills complement each other beautifully. Our weekly meetings are vibrant and naturally shift between Spanish and English. The same can be said of our collaboration with Ariana Green and Aaron Hernandez from TAMC, who are deeply attuned to both our work and the concerns of the community. We are truly inspired by how they are spearheading the sidewalk art project.”
The fellows are currently working on a supplemental website for the sidewalk art project.
Master of Arts in International Policy and Development
Master of Arts in Translation; Translation and Interpretation; Conference Interpretation
Fellowships
| by Mark C. Anderson
This fall, students studying Spanish at the Institute teamed up with community members learning English to create a local bilingual job-seeker’s guide.
| by George Henson
Kareem Tinto, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, aspires to be a professor and translator.
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In a small town in the mountains of Colombia students explored sustainable coffee-growing practices, biodiversity, and rural revitalization.
