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“Put your pride in your back pocket for 7 weeks. Ask questions early and often. Take naps.” That’s the advice of retired Army veteran Karen Luisi after seven weeks of studying Spanish at Middlebury. Immersion challenged her, surprised her, and helped her connect more deeply with the Spanish-speaking community around her.
Jeanne Engelkemeir, a French and English teacher in West Allis, Wisconsin, attended our 7-week French immersion program to further strengthen her language skills. Jeanne was so impressed with the richness and excellence of the program as well as its faculty and staff that she hopes to return to the School of French to earn her fourth master’s degree.
For Florida native Amalia Mahoney, the complete immersion environment that our program offered was key. After completing an immersion summer at Level 2, the support and reassurance of Italian School faculty and staff gave her the confidence to keep studying and take on the graduate program.
| by Patrick Culver
Incumbent Gold Ancient Mariner, Capt. Patrick Culver retired in 2023. His next adventure? Our 7-week School of Spanish.
As a historian, violinist, and someone with Belarusian roots, Max Goodman’s choice to attend the Kathryn Wasserman Davis School of Russian felt personal. He was already deeply invested in Russian culture and history, and Middlebury uniquely combined that motivation with the academic structure and immersive intensity he needed to grow.
For level-1 Chinese immersion student Mark Roose, our instructors’ personal investment in his success made all the difference. He went from never having studied Chinese, to being able to carry on full conversations by the end of the program.
| by Colby Bittner
Colby Bittner reflects on her 8-week summer as an immersion student at our School of Japanese, concluding: “It wasn’t all fun and games, and it certainly wasn’t easy, but I might dare to say that I have not only grown as a person from my experience at the summer program; I have also gained an appreciation and love for learning languages that will last a lifetime.”
With the consistent support of her classmates and the dedicated faculty and staff of our Portuguese School, Chelsea Maxwell saw her language skills improve every day. She can now confidently hold a conversation or read a book in Portuguese.
For Penn State student Zoe Snell, who returns for her third summer at our 8-week Immersion program in Summer 2025, coming to study at the Chinese School was the best decision [she] ever made, for both personal and academic reasons.
Our incredible bilingual assistants ensured Henry Brooks’ summer at our 8-week School of Russian was both academically and personally triumphant.
