Kicking Off the Semester Together

Dear MIIS Colleagues:

I can’t tell you how exciting it has been to be on the ground here in Monterey for the past two weeks. I want to thank those of you I’ve had the chance to meet with for making time and for helping me better understand the amazing work being done here. Thank you for giving me a warm welcome, and I hope to have the opportunity to meet with many more of you in the coming weeks.

While JDJ is on sabbatical, Provost Michelle McCauley and I are working closely together and coordinating to ensure that we are on campus as much as possible.  When I’m not in Monterey, I am always available for Zoom meetings. Barbara Burke has been kind enough to take over my schedule for the duration, so please feel free to be in touch with her about finding time to meet.

Michelle and I will continue to focus on:

• Revitalizing our in-person programs, including updating our Translation and Interpretation program and restructuring our NPTS degree offerings
• Expanding new online programs

I will also be working on deepening collaboration across our language programs at the College, Language Schools, Schools Abroad, and the Institute. I’m particularly excited to work with Thor Sawin and our TESOL, TFL, and TI faculty on this project, which we’re dubbing Language Cooperation Across Middlebury. I look forward to your input and collaboration on this and other projects this spring.

Finally, I encourage all of you to attend Welcome Week events, especially the opening breakfast and closing reception (details are in Ashley’s email below). Thank you for putting in so much work to warmly welcome students and prepare for a great semester of learning and growing.

I hope to see many of you at the lunch gathering with Michelle at the Holland Center on Tuesday, January 30, from 12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Don’t forget to RSVP here to attend by this Thursday, January 25.

All the best,

Steve Snyder

Interim VPAA