Meet 8-week Arabic School Immersion Student: Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart, a graduate student in geography at Hunter College, shares about his transformational summer at our Arabic School.
Hometown: Brockton, MA
Program: 8-week Immersion
Current: Graduate Student in Geography, Hunter College, the City University of New York
My summer at Middlebury’s Arabic School was nothing short of transformative. I forged meaningful connections, significantly advanced my Arabic skills, and progressed from a rudimentary understanding of the language to an intermediate level, which prepared me for further study in Morocco, from where I am currently writing.
This summer provided a rigorous intellectual challenge that has imparted a valuable lesson I will carry with me: embracing challenges is one of the most rewarding experiences we can pursue. As I move forward in my career, I intend to continue pushing myself to engage with new ideas, acquire diverse skills, and confront challenges with confidence.
Take a peek into Michael’s summer at the Arabic School on the Bennington College campus!
The language proficiency I developed at Middlebury is integral to my work in conflict transformation.
As a master’s student in Geography, I am particularly focused on the impacts of climate change and its effects on quality of life and well-being. My decision to study Arabic stems from this focus. I am currently researching how the new high-speed rail in Morocco (Al-Boraq) has influenced the quality of life for communities along its corridor.
The language skills I acquired will facilitate fieldwork in Morocco, enabling me to engage directly with local stakeholders and gain firsthand insights.
I am hopeful that my research will illuminate the effects of significant green infrastructure projects and provide a case study for assessing potential impacts of similar initiatives in other regions of the Global South. Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our era, and addressing both the phenomenon itself and the social and political issues it exacerbates is of paramount importance.
I aspire to continue my work in the Middle East and North Africa, exploring how geography and human mobility influence quality of life. My summer at Middlebury has equipped and empowered me for this journey, for which I am profoundly grateful.
Contact: Michael.Stewart78@MyHunter.CUNY.edu
More information about our Conflict Transformation Fellowship can be found here.
Applications for the Arabic School’s 8-week Immersion and Graduate Programs open on November 1. Gather your materials to apply today!