Graduate Student Ambassadors

Vanessa Kiefer

Hometown: Byron, Michigan
Program: Graduate Program

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was really shocked at how fast I was able to learn and re-learn on campus. Before I joined the program, I hadn’t had much opportunity to use my Japanese for quite a while. So, unfortunately, I had forgotten a lot and gotten to where I was no longer used to just naturally speaking. I was honestly a little bit afraid of being able to function in class and on campus because of it!

Once I got on campus, I was met with a very supportive and understanding community of students and staff who worked together to make sure no one felt left behind. I graduated from a big university before this, so I really didn’t expect such a tight community. Once I left campus, I nearly forgot that I had fallen a bit behind in my language skills before arriving. I really felt like I was back to my peak with the language and I am so grateful for that.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

Middlebury has been sort of a thing of legend for me since I first started learning languages at the university level. I had always heard that the language education here is top class. At first, I was debating between the immersion and graduate program because I realized how much I was forgetting. I’ve studied several languages in the past and for most of them I don’t think I remember enough to even be able to introduce myself to someone. I studied Japanese for about 6 years since starting college and I thought it would be a shame to forget a language I had really invested into like that. When I did more research on the graduate program, I saw that it was pretty short and that the cost was very attainable for me and that the financial aid prospects were pretty good, not to mention the teaching experience being a major plus. I figured I had nothing to lose and just went for it!

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

I had gotten very rusty with my language skills before this. While I retained a good amount of them, I really wasn’t confident in conversation at the time of enrolling. Well, getting on campus was the ultimate escape from my comfort zone! Even after the first week I felt like I had totally turned myself around and was on my way to not only regaining my skills, but improving upon where I was when I was at my best. I went from struggling through describing my daily routine to walking through a lesson plan about environmental issues just by the end of the summer. It was surreal!

Off campus I try to surround myself with the language as much as I can even outside of class. I try to learn new grammar and words from sources written in Japanese instead of English. I listen to podcasts and YouTube videos in Japanese while I clean. When I studied Western Armenian, my professor gave me advice to try and narrate my day in my target language as much as I can, so I’ve carried that over to my Japanese learning as well. I try to truly think in Japanese as I go through my day. My opportunities for conversation outside of class are few and far between, so I really do my best to make the most of technology I have at hand.

Is there anything else that you would like to let a student know about your experience? For example, what is something that no one told you or you didn’t expect?

As someone who graduated with a STEM major, I feel like I came into this program from a different background than a good number of my peers. Don’t feel like you have to be a Japanese major or fully fluent to succeed and get the most out of this program! I came in really rusty in terms of my skills and having very little experience in Japan. I had some catching up to do, but I never was made to feel like I would be left behind or that I couldn’t succeed here.

The teaching staff and student community are so supportive. Even if you doubt yourself, they will come together to help you when you need it! In this program, you WILL be busy but you will also have an incredible amount of fun along the way. Just be ready to do your best and go with the flow! The program has been very rewarding for me and I very highly recommend giving it a try.

Sydney Michael 

Hometown: Evansville, WI
Program: Master of Arts in Japanese Language and Culture
Current: International Exchange Coordinator, Yamaguchi Prefectural University

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was really surprised by the diversity of students in the program! There were people from all over the U.S. and around the world, each bringing their own unique experiences. It was incredible to interact with fellow students from so many different walks of life and to see how we were all connected by our shared interest in Japanese language and culture.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was a participant on the JET Program in Japan, and it was always my dream to go to graduate school afterward to earn an advanced degree. As I finished my fifth and final year on JET, I looked into many different graduate programs in Japan and the U.S., including in-person, hybrid, and online options. I was drawn to Middlebury not only because of the caliber of its language programs but also because it offered a great balance of intensive summer sessions with online courses during the academic year, which made it possible to continue working while pursuing my degree.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

I had already passed the N1 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) before starting, so I would consider myself an advanced learner. However, the graduate program’s content courses pushed me much further. Taking classes in Japanese on subjects like grammar pedagogy and anthropology was challenging but very rewarding. I now feel more confident navigating dissertations and academic reports in Japanese. The online class I am currently taking focuses entirely on Academic Japanese, which has been extremely valuable.

What makes the School of Japanese a unique environment to learn the language?

From the outside, many people think it is the immersive environment, and while that is true, it’s not the whole picture. I live and work in Japan, surrounded by Japanese every day, yet I still chose Middlebury. What makes it unique is the concentrated group of motivated learners, experienced educators, and, in the case of graduate students, aspiring teachers of Japanese. Having the MA and the newly created MAT programs on campus alongside the summer language schools is a huge benefit. We interacted daily with students at different levels, applying the theory we learned in class to real-life situations that same day. For the language learners, it also meant having the chance to ask questions and get advice from peers outside of their instructors.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Japanese?

Be ready for the vigor of the courses, but don’t be intimidated by them! The Middlebury Language Schools are known for their incredible programming, and I think people tend to assume they have to be elite students to get in, but that’s not the case. What connects students is not their starting level of Japanese, but their motivation to immerse themselves in the language and do their best to improve. After all, there is even a Level 1 program for complete beginners! If you are interested in an intensive program like this, I definitely recommend looking into Middlebury.

Describe your typical day at Middlebury.

I like to get a decent amount of sleep, so I usually woke up around 7 AM, got ready, and headed across the street for breakfast at Proctor Dining Hall. Since my classes were in the morning, I went straight from breakfast to class and then back to Proctor for lunch. My afternoons were more flexible. I often studied at the Davis Family Library, where I especially liked the desks on the first floor, or joined other School of Japanese students in the Hepburn Lounge. On days with club activities, I participated in those. I had always wanted to learn shogi, and Middlebury finally gave me the chance! I even bought my own set as soon as I got back home. After afternoons of studying or club activities, I would return to Proctor for dinner. Evenings were a mix of relaxing in the dorms and joining events, such as the movie nights at the Axinn Center. I usually wrapped up the day by heading to bed around 10 PM.

Akiyo Osumi

Hometown: Nara, Japan
Program: Master of Arts in Japanese Language and Culture
Current: Teacher, Washington Japanese Heritage Center; Freelance English-Japanese translator

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was surprised that I could learn so much in such a short period of time. All the professors were so supportive, professional and very friendly. They really wanted us to know the material and helped us to learn. The program is also well-designed and the school provides such a stimulating environment that I could really stretch myself intellectually.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I started teaching Japanese three years ago, and I started researching graduate programs at around that time. I knew that Middlebury was a top-tier institution for language education, but while I was attending a Japanese language teacher conference last year, I learned that Middlebury also had a graduate school with a program specializing in Japanese language education. I’m older than many of my peers and so the fact that I could complete my MA degree within one and a half years was very attractive. Also, I can enjoy both worlds by living on campus and meeting my peers during the summer while continuing to teach at a local school from September to early June because the Fall and Spring semesters are held online.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

Having been born and raised in Japan, my first language is Japanese but during the summer semester I was surrounded by students who were enrolled in language immersion programs. I spent a great amount of time conversing with them and I had to constantly think of how to effectively deliver my speech so that the listener would understand and this was a great practicum for me, as a student of Japanese pedagogy.  

What makes the School of Japanese a unique environment to learn the language?

The graduate programs are designed so that you have plenty of opportunities to share your ideas and thoughts with your peers in Japanese. The pledge to speak only the target language is not only on the paper that you sign but it’s everywhere beyond the classroom, from the dorm to the cafeteria.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Japanese?

The Middlebury graduate program is very rigorous, so be prepared to work hard but it will be a rewarding experience. Ask questions when you are not sure because all professors are very supportive and they are there for you to succeed. They go above and beyond so that you, as a student, will learn, grow, and enjoy every aspect of it. The teachers of the language program also plan interesting events and activities every week so take advantage of them and enjoy yourself.

Describe your typical day at Middlebury.

All of my classes during the summer semester were in the morning so I had breakfast at the dining hall (and I should add that, as a vegan, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Middlebury cafeteria includes a lot of really good vegan options!) and then I went to class. In the afternoon, I usually worked for a few hours on translation work (I have a translation business), played pickleball and/or swam a few laps in the swimming pool. In the late afternoon and also after the dinner, I studied in my room. The whole environment is designed for you to really relax and enjoy learning. During the weekend, there are various fun events to attend such as movie nights, summer festival, karaoke, etc.