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Jess Combs

Hometown: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alva, Spain

Program: 8-week Immersion

Current: Freelance Translator

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

I was most surprised that I was able to speak with students in higher levels than mine. All levels focused on the same general topics, so even as a level four student I was able to listen to and participate in conversations with level seven students. I was also surprised to not be the only 30 something in the program.

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

The Middlebury Language Schools are well-known and well-respected in the translation industry. I also knew there was no other way to improve so much in such a short period of time.

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

My language skills improved immensely thanks to my studies at Middlebury. When I got back from the program my online Russian teacher was stunned at how well I was able to express myself and pleased that she was able to speak to me much more naturally. I plan on continuing those online classes until I feel confident enough to sign up for the UN translation exam. My goal is to pass the exam by 2021.

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

It’s a lot of work, but it’s also really fun! There are activities available to suit all interests.

Maxwell Goodman

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Program: 8-week immersion  
Level: 3 
Current: Northeastern University 
 

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

I was drawn to Middlebury’s School of Russian for its uncompromising approach. The Language Pledge® turns everyday life into a challenge—demanding that students not only study Russian but live it. That challenge, reinforced by a community of equally committed peers, was exactly what I was searching for.

I was equally motivated by the School’s history. Founded just after WWII, it trained generations of students throughout the Cold War, and that legacy signaled to me that this program has been refined and perfected over decades. 

As a historian, violinist, and someone with Belarusian roots, the choice also felt personal. I was already deeply invested in Russian culture and history, and Middlebury uniquely combined that motivation with the academic structure and immersive intensity I needed to grow.

What surprised you about your experience at the School of Russian?

What surprised me most was the sense of camaraderie. Even advanced students went out of their way to include those in lower levels, pulling us into conversations and making every interaction feel like an opportunity for growth. That spirit extended beyond the classroom—our soccer team, though far from the strongest, became a space to bond in Russian while playing against students from other immersion schools who were also bound by their pledges.

Rather than creating pressure or hierarchy, the program fostered a culture where everyone’s progress mattered, and intensity came with encouragement.

Coming from intensive classical music programs, I thought I understood rigor and focus. But Middlebury felt different: here, intensity came with encouragement. Rather than competition, it was collaboration—an entire community striving toward the same goal. That combination of discipline and solidarity was something I had never experienced before, and it made my progress not only possible but deeply meaningful.

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

When I arrived, I placed into Level 2, but I chose to challenge myself by moving into Level 3. It was one of the most demanding academic steps I’ve taken, yet it became the most transformative. By the end of the summer, I wasn’t just learning Russian—I was casually conversing and even thinking in it. That mental shift marked a real turning point in my language journey.

My skills grew in every area, but especially in speaking and listening. What Middlebury offered was irreplaceable: the chance to practice vocabulary, phonetics, and grammar every waking moment, hearing and using the language across different accents, registers, and contexts.

Like with violin, where full immersion in practice leads to breakthroughs, the Russian School gave me a rare period of life where everything else faded away and I could devote myself entirely to one pursuit. That intensity was sometimes exhausting, but it was precisely what made the progress so rewarding.

Describe your typical day at the School of Russian.

A typical day began around 8:00am with breakfast, where I ate with friends and reviewed vocabulary or declensions to get my mind in gear. From 9:50 to 12:50, classes rotated between reading, conversation, and grammar—each lesson building on the last.

Lunch was both social and academic—I caught up with close friends but also sought out new voices to keep stretching my conversational comfort zone. In the afternoon, we had another grammar session applying the morning’s concepts. After class, I usually headed to the library to work on essays or homework, unless I had a scheduled consultation.

Later in the day, I balanced my musical life with Russian—choir rehearsals or violin practice gave me space to recharge while still staying immersed. Dinner mirrored lunch: conversation, reflection, and more practice, often with friends who became like family. 

Most evenings ended at the “Grille,” where the atmosphere was more relaxed than the library but still productive—a place to study late into the night before returning to the dorms.

Every day felt packed and purposeful, a rhythm that kept me constantly moving forward!

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the Russian immersion program? 

My advice is to give yourself fully to the program. Middlebury is unique, and its intensity pays off when you commit not only academically but also culturally. Take advantage of the clubs and activities—whether Russian cooking, slang workshops, theater, or (for me) playing Russian folk music. These experiences make the language feel alive beyond the classroom.

I also believe it’s important to remember that life will always throw challenges your way, even in immersion. When that happens, what matters most is the effort—continuing to show up, stay engaged, and do your best to maintain the pledge.

Finally, use office hours and consultations as much as you can. 

The professors here are extraordinarily generous and insightful, and those one-on-one conversations often led to my biggest breakthroughs.

Don’t let confusion linger; Middlebury works best when you lean on the community and keep striving for clarity.

What are you up to now? 

This fall I’ll be returning to Boston as a rising sophomore studying History and International Affairs. As a 2025 Jeffrey Burds Fellow, I will assist Professor Erina Megowan on research into Soviet war journalism and cultural propaganda during World War II. In addition, I will intern with the United Nations Association of Greater Boston, chairing conference committees and writing and editing conference materials. I’ll also be serving as Assistant EVP of Northeastern’s International Relations Council.

Alongside these roles, I will continue advancing my Russian language coursework and hope to expand my studies beyond campus by engaging with Boston’s broader Russian-speaking and cultural community. As a classically trained violinist, I will also continue pursuing my passion for music at the New England Conservatory.

Jakob Lengacher

Hometown: El Cerrito, California

Program: 8-week Immersion

Current: Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies

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

I was surprised at how highly I placed and how quickly I felt comfortable at that level.

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

I chose Middlebury Language Schools because I needed to bring my Russian to a level usable in graduate school.

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

My language skills took a leap I would not have imagined possible. I am now comfortable conversing in Russian, reading news, and discussing higher level topics. I am continuing to use Russian in graduate school in my work and in class, and am finding great joy in my new abilities.

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

The experience will be hard and trying, and while it is important to put yourself first and not get caught up in the whirlwind, you get what you put into it. Requests for help will always be answered, and a good group of friends is important. 

Nikki Lohr

Hometown: New York, New York

Program: 8-week Immersion

Current: Tutor/Substitute, St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s School; Gallery Attendant, Dia: Chelsea

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

I was surprised by the students. In college, you meet students who are there for a thousand different reasons and many who aren’t there just for the classes. But at Middlebury, everyone is really excited about learning. In many ways, this is not surprising considering the pledge. But the extent to which this was true did surprise me. There was a pure, unfiltered love of learning that enveloped the campus during the summer, and it was thrilling.

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

I applied to Middlebury because of the pledge. I thought the pledge would attract serious language learners and create an exciting intellectual environment. Both proved to be true!

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

After Middlebury, I received a Platzman Fellowship from the University of Chicago. The grant allows young scholars and professors to do research in the UChicago Special Collections archives. My topic is on how the CIA used abstract art during the Cold War as a form of anti-Soviet propaganda. Some of the sources in the archives are in Russian and I was able to read them — something I couldn’t do when I visited the archives a year ago. Language progress is often hard to feel since the change is gradual, like any kind of growing. But when you can see your progress like I did in the archives, then the work is more than worth it.

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

I would just emphasize how impressive the professors and TAs are. They are superb educators, and they are the main reason — even more than the language pledge — for all the progress that Middlebury students see in just 8 weeks.

Andrew Postovoit

Hometown: Wiesbaden, Germany

Program: 8-week Immersion

Current: Army Officer

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

I was surprised by how many clubs, guest speakers, and activities after class were available.

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

I wanted to study at Middlebury because of the School of Russian’s outstanding reputation. I had plateaued in Russian and wanted an intense fully immersive experience to break out to the next level.

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

Middlebury really increased my confidence in speaking. I also learned about several very helpful resources and how to use them. I still regularly refer to the sources that I encountered at Middlebury.