Meet Spanish Graduate Student: Michael Shippie
Michael Shippie shares about the personal, professional, and academic growth he experienced in our graduate program at the School of Spanish.
Hometown: Boston, MA
Program: Spanish Graduate Program, Summers in Vermont and Buenos Aires
Current: World Languages Teacher, Xaverian Brothers High School, Westwood MA
What first made you interested in pursuing a Master’s in Spanish at Middlebury?
Being quarantined at home during the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging experience for all of us. We of course found ways to connect with friends and families in creative ways (read: many a Zoom gathering), but the experience of isolation during this time stirred up within me a desire for new opportunities, challenges, and adventures. As the world learned more about containing the spread of infection and communities began to open up again, I knew it was the perfect time to pursue a new opportunity. With the encouragement of friends and colleagues who had studied with Middlebury Language Schools in the past, I decided that progressing in my language skills would be my next adventure. In June 2021, I began the M.A. program in the School of Spanish at Middlebury Language Schools.
I had heard and read about the celebrated reputation of Middlebury’s pedagogical approach to languages, and I knew I was in the best place possible to grow in my communicative competence in Spanish.
I had previously received a B.A. in Hispanic Studies from Boston College, and continuing my language studies at Middlebury proved to be an excellent decision as a next step in my professional formation.
What will you do following graduation? / What are your future plans?
For the past few years, I have been a world languages teacher of both middle and high school. One of the best aspects of the Middlebury Language Schools is that it is entirely possible to study and pursue a graduate degree while continuing to work at the same time. Indeed, I have been fortunate to study alongside a great number of fellow educators, who like me, were working towards their M.A. or D.M.L. degrees at Middlebury. I received my M.A. in Spanish in August 2024, and I look forward to returning to the classroom to apply all of what I have learned over the past few years to my work as a teacher.Socrates wrote that education “is the kindling of a flame.”
My hope is that, with the skills, tools, and knowledge I have acquired as a graduate student at Middlebury, I can help to kindle within my students a passion and desire to know more of the world around them through the study of new languages.
How did Middlebury impact your career/career path?
One of the first sensations I had upon arriving to Middlebury for my first summer was that I seemed to have almost all the Spanish-speaking world at my fingertips.
The School of Spanish not only attracts students from across the nation but also passionate and dedicated educators from around the globe. I was able to study with and take classes from professors from Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Peru, and many parts of the United States. Moreover, participating in the many co-curricular activities offered allowed me to get to know even more of the Spanish-speaking world, all from the peaceful comfort of Middlebury’s campus in Vermont. Not all graduate schools can boast such an international contingency of learners and educators – but I would argue that therein lies one of Middlebury’s greatest benefits.
How have the Middlebury Spanish MA program and your time in Buenos Aires shaped your career?
While it is a pleasure to study in the peaceful and idyllic setting of Middlebury, Vermont, especially during the summertime, the School of Spanish also offers graduate students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a Spanish-speaking country. I elected to complete my final summer of the M.A. program studying with Middlebury professors on the campus of the Universidad Católica Argentina, in Buenos Aires.
It was incredibly rewarding to immerse myself in a Spanish-speaking country about which I knew relatively little beforehand. Having the entire city of Buenos Aires at my fingertips, I was able to embrace Argentinian culture in incredibly meaningful and memorable ways. From exploring the city’s most famous historic sites, to indulging in some of Argentina’s rich cuisine (such as choripán or medialunas or fugazzeta), to taking in a tango show or experiencing Argentina’s exciting victory over Colombia in 2024’s Copa América from the Avenida 9 de Julio, experiencing culture became just as important as my coursework.
We even had the opportunity to travel during the weekends. Some friends went as far as Ushuaia or Calafate in the south of Argentina to enjoy a bit of the Antarctic; others to Mendoza to experience the wine culture; I chose to travel to Iguazú in the northern province of Misiones to visit the famed Waterfalls of Iguazú, a wonder of the world that has long been on my bucket list.
Studying with Middlebury’s School of Spanish in Buenos Aires made for some unforgettable adventures and enriching friendships with professors and classmates.
How much did your Spanish improve at Middlebury?
One of Middlebury Language School’s most distinctive features is the Language Pledge®. At first daunting and challenging, it becomes for many the tool that permits students to make their immersion experience all the more profound. Using Spanish not only in the classroom but also at meals, while studying with friends, while exploring Middlebury’s surroundings and enjoying time with the Middlebury Language Schools community allowed me to maximize my use of Spanish both inside and outside of the classroom. More so, being able to build relationships with professors and educators from across the Spanish-speaking world through classes, co-curricular activities, and free time, provided me access and exposure to a wide variety of dialects of Spanish.
The commitment to the Language Pledge® is real, and the dedication of others helped to encourage me to stay committed to using and growing in my Spanish communicative skills.
What advice would you give someone who is considering attending one of our MA programs?
Take the leap! Middlebury’s storied history combined with its renowned academic experience make for an incredible experience for anyone interested in learning and progressing in another language.
I first began uncommitted, unsure if I would do more than one summer. However, the rigor and quality of the academic experience, the richness of cultural opportunities provided throughout the summer, and the meaningful community of scholars and friends all focused on a common goal help to create an incredibly exciting, nourishing, and stimulating learning experience. I am grateful for the past several summers as a M.A. student in the Spanish School, as Middlebury allowed me to grow academically, professionally and personally.
Apply to the 7-week immersion program or our graduate programs including our NEW MAT with Teaching Licensure program at the School of Spanish today!