Student Ambassadors
Speaking with a student ambassador is a great way to get a previous student’s perspective on the Language Schools experience.
If you would like to connect with a student ambassador to ask questions, please contact Sheila Schwaneflugel, School of French Assistant Director, at frenchschool@middlebury.edu.
Stéphane Chapman
Hometown: Martinsburg, WV
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 2.5
Current: Retired with an active glass-working studio
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I was completely knocked-out by the preparedness of the college to accommodate older people like me, and of the actual amount of, and intensity of, the work I would be doing. It was challenging to find a balance between academics, food, fun, and sleep ! Middlebury had the resources to make all of this much easier.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
I had previous experience with French culture in Switzerland, and in 2021 I began to explore a way that I could quickly augment my language skills in French. Soon, I viewed several YouTube videos of recent Middlebury French School graduates and listened as they described their own experiences at Middlebury. I was intrigued. The more I learned about Middlebury, the more I wanted to apply to a summer immersion program.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
Simply, I could barely read the sides of the busses in Toulouse when I began at Middlebury. Now I am studying Balzac. Further, when I arrived at Middlebury, I wondered how my very-pronounced southern accent in English was going to influence my spoken French. When the summer session was over, people had stopped asking me “Where are you from ?” My pronunciation had significantly improved.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
If you are ‘over 29,’ you may have concerns about your abilities to manage a rigorous academic life, which will include copious amounts of homework, and life on a college campus. In a nutshell, you will thrive! Mature applicants are welcomed at Middlebury, and will be surrounded by other similar students. Housing is wonderful, the food is excellent, and everyone, from staff, to instructors, to other students, will be helping you. You will not believe the atmosphere of inclusion and support! Bon courage!
Jeanne Engelkemeir
Hometown: West Allis (Milwaukee), WI
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 4
Current: French/English teacher West Allis Central High School
Why did you choose to study at our School of French?
I’ve been in love with French since first studying it in junior high school, a long time ago! Having continued studies throughout high school and college, including a masters degree in Liberal Studies/Concentration in French, I’d always heard amazing things about Middlebury. One of my high school French teachers had attended Middlebury, and it just seemed like a magical place to be. I finished my undergraduate degree in Brattleboro, Vermont at SIT, The School for International Training, and whenever I said I’d gone to Vermont for my bachelor’s degree, people always asked, Oh Middlebury? So it felt like I was meant to come here! And, as French teacher, you are always looking for ways to keep your language skills up!
What surprised you about your experience at the School of French?
How truly wonderful it really was! I’d heard great things about it, but I really didn’t know what to expect when it came right down to it, and I’ve done so many training programs over the years (French teacher scholarships to study for a few weeks in France, in Belgium,etc.), but it absolutely was everything I could have hoped for and more! It exceeded my wildest expectations! That Language Pledge is POWERFUL!
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
I now am more aware of the importance of slowing down and enunciating clearly from both the phonetics class (shout out to Wedsly) and being in the theatre (which is why I did it — to work on pronunciation). I also have more hope to correct fossilized errors, from having been working in French for so long, and as Claire (grammar teacher) told me, I have to trust myself. So more confidence is definitely a gain, as well. I enjoy reading more in French now, and writing — basically everything! All four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening have all become more sure for me!
Describe your typical day at the School of French.
Get up at 6:30 every morning (I felt like I was still at work, but work is a 6:00 am wake up!), head out to breakfast after showering and getting dressed. First class begins at 7:50, right on time, Grammar begins. Then to Phonetics, then to Youth and Politics in France, and finally to Francophone World and African Literature. Lunch, followed by a few hours to study, meet with a tutor (twice a week for half an hour) and attend workshops, including theatre practice, or any number of workshops: current events, cooking, films, embroidery, improv, choral, phonetics, all in French, as well as evening programs featuring different professors and their work — these were AMAZING! The only problem was having SO MUCH to choose from and wanting to do it all to gain and benefit from the seven week experience, while still trying to keep up with homework! So, there were some very late nights! Not wanting to miss anything!
What is one of your favorite memories from your summer at the School of French?
Definitely the theatre workshop! I’ve always loved French and have always loved theatre, so to be able to have these two loves combined — it was heaven! The close knit community formed by all the students in the theatre production was wonderful! And being able to work on pronunciation in French via theatre was super special! I also really loved writing for each issue of La Gazette, the School of French’s weekly language newspaper. I’ve always enjoyed writing, and always loved French, so again, to be able to do those two things — writing and French — together was awesome! And both the theatre directors (Gaëll and Marc) and the communication director/Gazette editor (Connor) were THE BEST! And I can’t forget doing a radio interview with Mai, a program assistant who asked questions about Senegal to Mariama, a master’s student from Senegal, and to me, from when I’d lived, studied and worked in Senegal during undergrad a long time ago! So much fun!
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Do it! Absolutely positively DO IT! Don’t hesitate! It’s going to be the best, or one of the best, experiences of your life!
What are you up to now?
I’m in my final year of teaching French and English at West Allis Central High School, and then I am going to RETIRE!!! And I hope to come back to Middlebury to complete the master’s program!!! I already have three master’s degrees, but so loved being here during the summer to study French purely for the joy and delight, and for me alone (no lessons to prepare, no grading to do), that I decided I definitely want to retire and come back to experience more of the richness and excellence of the professors and enthusiasm of the other students in Middlebury’s master’s program!
Masha Makutonina
Hometown: Odesa, Ukraine
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 4
Current: Middlebury College
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
How immersive the program is! Wherever I went on campus, French followed me: to the dining hall, to my dormitory, even to the library! It was incredible to see the Middlebury campus through a francophone lens.
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
It was recommended to me by a good friend, and I was never disappointed.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
My language skills have improved immensely, especially my communication as I had to speak French all of the time, in different social circumstances, and because of this, my vocabulary expanded at an incredible rate. However, more importantly - my cultural understanding of French has become much better. It gave me an opportunity to live the language and plunge into its culture, which was the reason why I began studying French in the first place - to meet and talk to francophone people!
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
The Language Pledge is the most powerful tool in learning the language and that is why Middlebury is so proud to be owning it. The reason why it was so successful for me is the fact that you have to apply all the knowledge you get during the classes immediately after - in the real world. Your memory is being tested and exercised every day and it is only in this way that you learn another language. Bravo, Middlebury!
Ify Okpali
Hometown: Prince George’s County, MD
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 2,4
Current: University of Pennsylvania, doctoral student in political science and communication
Why did you choose to study at our School of French?
I had studied French in high school, and later at university, alongside Arabic. During my master’s program, I received a Boren Fellowship to study Arabic in Morocco, and I pretty much focused all my efforts on learning Arabic. While studying at a language school in Morocco, I came to meet a handful of students who had studied at Middlebury and said wonderful things about the teaching instruction at the language school. I could see firsthand how the “Language Pledge” they kept raving about had strengthened their skills. I had thought to myself that maybe one day I would give it a go myself.
Fast forward to the first year of my PhD, I realized I had set French aside for nearly four years. Because I study political communication in the West African context, it’s really important to me that I am able to publish and communicate my research to both francaphone and anglaphone audiences. So I knew I needed to sharpen my French, and I knew that Middlebury could help me get there.
What surprised you about your experience at the School of French?
In my first summer, I was amazed at how much dormant French I had stored away, waiting for the chance to be used. By my second summer, I was even more surprised by the progress I had made in listening comprehension, which is the skill I have always found the most difficult in French. I was surprised at how much the phonetics courses helped me not only with speaking, but even more so with the listening comprehension.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
My french improved in so many ways. After my first summer at middlebury, I returned to my university and audited a course in French phonetics and French literature. That is not something I would have been able to do comfortably before the program (in addition to the other courses required of my program).
After my second summer, I now feel a lot more comfortable attending French speaking clubs at my school and in the city of philadelphia. I’m a really big fan of audio books and podcasts, so for me being able to start my first audiobook in French, and to feel empowered that I can finish it is extremely satisfying. Having passed a summer where I honestly lost count of the amount of written exercises and presentations that I had to do, I now feel confident and excited, not anxious, when called on in French class discussions or when I have to submit a French written assignment.
Describe your typical day at the School of French.
Most mornings I woke up at 7:00 a.m. and headed to my first class at 7:50. As someone who isn’t naturally an early riser, I often skipped breakfast. My schedule was intense; four back-to-back classes that finished by noon. Lunch with classmates was always a welcome break. Afterwards, I often took a short nap, since my evenings were filled with homework. Most afternoons I went to tutoring sessions or office hours. Dinner was from 5:30–6:30 p.m., and followed by more studying. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I attended choir practice before returning to my work. My bedtime usually fell between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.
What is one of your favorite memories from your summer at the School of French?
So for me, one of my biggest motivations for improving my French is to conduct interviews in Senegal as part of my dissertation research. At Middlebury, I took an elective called “Young People and Politics in France and Beyond,” taught by a political scientist. It introduced me to a wide range of academic and everyday terminology relevant to my field.
On the day after the language pledge ended, I had scheduled a meeting with my professor to discuss my research ideas with her just to get some thoughts from another scholar in my field. We chatted for about 40 minutes, with me explaining the current direction of my research, posing some questions, and her providing some advice on possible directions and literature that I might consider. That conversation was a milestone moment: I realized that I was capable of doing my interviews.
As someone who has done two summers, I often found myself comparing both experiences, and one thing that I found especially heartwarming was noting how much more command of the language that I had acquired. For example, after my first summer, once the language pledge ended, I felt relieved to return to English. After my second, I continued speaking French with classmates even though it was no longer mandated. That shift marked tangible progress for me; something which once felt daunting and taxing now felt more comfortable and energizing.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Really take the opportunity to immerse yourself seriously, and trust that if you keep to the language pledge you WILL 100% make noticeable progress. While the language courses are incredible, it’s also good to know that so much valuable practice happens outside of the classroom as well, in the everyday conversations, informal interactions, and moments of fun.
So don’t forget that part of learning is having fun, and amuse-toi bien!
What are you up to now?
Back at my university, working on my dissertation proposal. I plan to conduct fieldwork in Senegal next year and, in the meantime, I’m auditing a French course to continue building my skills.
Jaz Robbins
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 1.5
Current: Performer, psychologist, nutritionist, author
Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?
Bonjour! I chose the Middlebury summer immersion program, because I was struggling to make significant progress in my home-study efforts. I knew this program would nudge me out of my comfort zone and force me to acquire the language skills that I had been seeking.
What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?
Though I had studied French in high school (and ultimately lost my conversational skills), I was surprised at how much language comprehension I had retained. I was excited by how much I was able to understand when others spoke, and when I read my textbooks.
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
I went from being able to count to 10, to being able to confidently read dates and numbers well above one hundred. I went from stumbling through simple sentences to being able to read paragraphs with a decent French accent (it still needs some work).
Describe your typical day at the School of French.
My typical day included two morning classes, a break for lunch, and an afternoon class. Depending on the day of the week, I would either attend an atelier or tutoring. Before and after dinner I studied, spent time with my suite-mates, and/or explored campus.
What is one of your favorite memories from your summer at the School of French?
Honestly, it’s so hard to pick a single favorite memory. Every day was filled with so much laughter. I mean—I had some of the best, hardest, deepest, longest laughs of my life this summer. I laughed with classmates, I laughed with instructors, I laughed with program administrators, and I laughed with master’s students. There were constant funny moments, usually stemming from my looney-tune efforts to express myself en français.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Welcome the challenge, embrace the discomfort, and trust the process.
What are you up to now?
I am building a new nonprofit that will facilitate arts-focused programming for youth and adults as a tool for healing trauma.
Mingyi Xiao
Hometown: Beijing, China
Program: 7-week Immersion
Level: 4
Current: UCSB Comparative Literature
Why did you choose to study at our School of French?
I heard about the Middlebury Language Schools through my program. As a Ph.D. student in Comparative Literature, we have access to funding for learning foreign languages. Several professors recommended Middlebury as an excellent place to improve language skills, and I also heard from other students in my program that they had a wonderful experience here — even though it felt a bit intimidating at first!
What surprised you about your experience at the School of French?
I was surprised by how diverse the French School community is! Students came from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. I was truly grateful for the opportunity to talk with many of them and to learn from their perspectives. I was also surprised by how many wonderful friends I made during my time there. Even now, we still stay in touch and share life updates through our WhatsApp group!
Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.
Before Middlebury, I had taken some online French courses, but they were quite unsystematic. Studying at Middlebury gave me the opportunity to learn French grammar and phonetics in a much more structured way. The professors were incredibly professional and helpful. Their enthusiasm ignited my love for the language, and I felt very motivated to speak and improve my French every day.
Describe your typical day at the School of French.
I usually got up at 6:30 a.m. and had four classes in the morning, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. After lunch, I would go back to the dorm for a nap (!). In the afternoon, I often went to the library to work on assignments. Sometimes, I participated in football training, and other times I attended choir rehearsals in the evening. I was never bored—there was always something to do, whether it was an activity, an event, or a party.
What is one of your favorite memories from your summer at the School of French?
Definitely my experience in the choir! We spent so much time preparing for the concert. Even though we weren’t many and not exactly professional, after the performance, when we walked out of the chapel, so many friends—students, professors, and directors—were waiting outside, applauding us. For several days afterward, people kept coming up to me and saying “félicitations” (congratulations). It was truly heartwarming.
What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of French?
Stay open and try new things! Of course, you’ll improve your language skills—everyone says that, and it’s true. But something else I heard from many people is that the Language School gives them the chance to try new experiences they wouldn’t normally have in their daily lives. For me, that was football. I had never played before, and I probably won’t continue playing in the future, but during my time at the Language School, I really enjoyed being part of Les Bleus.
What are you up to now?
I’m currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Comparative Literature. Knowing French has helped me engage more deeply with French texts and prepare for my classes in French literature. I’m also planning a research trip to Africa this summer, and my French will be especially helpful in Francophone countries.