Two U of A Students Head to Middlebury College's Prestigious Arabic School

Paula Haydar

U of A Students Gretchen Bode (left) and Sean Wiegers (right)

This week, two rising juniors from the U of A, Gretchen Bode and Sean Wiegers, embark on a transformative journey at Middlebury College's renowned Arabic School in Vermont. The prestigious program, known for its total immersion approach, promises to significantly advance their proficiency in the Arabic language and their understanding of Arab culture.

Professors Adnan and Paula Haydar, both with deep ties to the Arabic School, are immensely proud of Bode's and Wiegers' acceptance into the highly competitive program. Adnan Haydar, who taught at Middlebury's Arabic School for several years, and Paula Haydar, a former student of the program, understand first-hand the profound impact this experience will have on their students.

Bode, an Arabic major also studying criminology and sociology with a minor in Spanish, shared her anticipation: "I start Middlebury tomorrow and am very excited and nervous! I am excited to attend Middlebury's language program this summer and hope to gain great fluency in Arabic. Through learning this language, I want to learn more about networking with new people and disciplines in a fast-paced environment."

Wiegers, majoring in Arabic, Middle East studies and honors international business finance, echoed her enthusiasm: "I am very excited for the Middlebury Program and to take an eight-week Arabic-only language pledge. I believe this experience will expand my horizons not only linguistically but personally and professionally. This will be a challenging program, but with dedication and hard work, I hope to make the most out of it."

Middlebury's Arabic School offers a unique and intensive learning environment. Participants, including undergraduates, recent graduates, graduate students and professionals, engage in a total Arabic language immersion, committing to the Language Pledge®—a promise to communicate solely in Arabic. This approach is designed to maximize language acquisition, covering both Modern Standard Arabic and various colloquial dialects such as Moroccan, Egyptian and Levantine. Arabic is one of 13 total-immersion language schools offered at Middlebury.

The program also features an array of cocurricular activities—calligraphy, cooking, cinema, music and Qur'anic studies—each aimed at enhancing students' cultural fluency and vocabulary. Additionally, the school provides daily review classes, one-on-one tutoring sessions, weekly guest lectures and pronunciation workshops, all supported by a distinguished faculty from top universities around the world.

Bode's and Wiegers' participation in this program not only highlights their dedication to mastering Arabic but also underscores the U of A's commitment to fostering global competence and cultural awareness among its students. As they take on this exciting challenge, Bode and Wiegers are set to return with enriched language skills and a deeper understanding of the Arab world, ready to contribute to their academic and professional fields with newfound expertise and confidence.