2016: The Year in Five Stories

As we look forward to the new year, we also celebrate the achievements and major institutional stories of 2016. These stories are not intended to be all-inclusive, but rather to offer a brief glimpse of the Middlebury Institute‘s unique community and character.

The Interpreter

Lefteris Kafatos MACI ‘10 is an interpreter at the U.S. State Department Office of Language Services, an agency founded by Thomas Jefferson to facilitate communications with non-English-speaking governments and people. He shares how a second-generation Greek found himself interpreting for President Obama during his historic visit to Hiroshima, Japan, in May.

“A Remarkable Commitment”: Amy Sands Looks Back on 20 Years at MIIS

Former provost and dean Dr. Amy Sands joined us for an in-depth interview covering her 20-year career at the Institute as she prepares to retire at the end of December.

Listen Humbly and Make a Difference: Spring Commencement 2016

In May, noted Afghan educator Sakena Yacoobi told 270 Middlebury Institute graduates from 31 countries that “every one of us needs to be humble” to have an impact working with communities around the world.

“Unbelievable” Experience at Rio Olympics for Institute Students, Faculty and Alumni

“Being here, being part of history in the making… is simply unbelievable,” says Middlebury Institute alumnus Weihao Zhang MACI ’14, part of large team of alumni, faculty and students interpreting at the Rio Olympics, continuing a tradition that has spanned fifteen Games.

Germs of War

Professor and Director of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Program at CNS, Raymond Zilinskas has spent a career thinking about the most nefarious weapons. He shares his thoughts on the Cold War, Iraq and biological warfare.