Photo: Middlebury College. Retrieved from: www.middlebury.edu
Middlebury is one of the top colleges in the country, offering 44 majors in different fields of study, including literature, foreign languages, the arts and humanities, and social and natural sciences. Its distinguished roster of graduates includes US senators and prominent political figures as well as artists and writers. The college offers two four-course semesters, and one winter term in January. Middlebury has over thirty varsity teams, the Middlebury Panthers, and these teams compete in the Division III NESCAC conference.
The undergraduate population is around 3,000, which indicates the selective nature of the freshman admission process. It is considered one of the little Ivy League colleges, or “little Ivies”, a moniker given to colleges that are on par with big universities belonging to the Ivy League. Middlebury is renowned for its programs in modern languages, including undergraduate and graduate courses. Languages taught in this college include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. In addition to these, there are also great programs in writing and English literature. Middlebury is the home of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, which is among the most distinguished writers’ conferences in the USA.
Middlebury College has several counterparts in 16 countries. Graduates of Middlebury can also opt to attend the Monterey Institute of International Studies for further degrees in international environmental policy, international business, language teaching and interpretation, language translation and international relations.
School History
Middlebury College was founded in 1800, making it one of the most enduring liberal arts colleges in the country. Middlebury is historically significant as the college that granted a bachelor’s degree to an African-American, Alexander Twilight, in 1823. In honor of this man, Middlebury named its first college building after him.
Like many colleges established in the 1800s, Middlebury used to be all-male, but women joined the institution when the college turned coeducational in 1883. The institution had its first female graduate in 1886, May Belle Chellis. Another noteworthy mention is Mary Annette Anderson, valedictorian of the class of 1899 and the first African American woman to join the prestigious honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.
What started as an extension of the Addison County Grammar School, which was founded in 1797, is now one of the premier colleges in the country. Middlebury is the first college in Vermont. Originally, the college was affiliated with the Congregationalist religious group, but is now non-sectarian. Gamaliel Painter was the college’s benefactor in its early years, and he continues to be remembered during graduation ceremonies in Middlebury as each graduate is awarded a replica of his cane.
Campus Life
The aspects of student life away from their classrooms revolve around The Commons, which are living quarters made up of several residence halls in the campus. The atmosphere in these living communities is both intellectually stimulating and endearing. A student is welcomed via an integration program of freshmen students. Students signed into a particular first year seminar are designated in the same community or Commons. What results is a community of diverse individuals with various skills and talents to contribute to the group. Commons events include hosted meals, becoming a popular venue for students that wish to mingle with others and discuss various subjects over a hearty feast.
Financial Aid
The college accepts students regardless of their ability to pay the tuition fee for the duration of their stay in the college. This need-blind policy guarantees that the students best-equipped with the mental and physical capabilities for the academic challenges at Middlebury can enroll whether they are able to afford attendance, or not.
Middlebury’s financial aid process aims to meet 100 percent of the student’s financial need. Assessment is done by the Student Financial Services Office, after which the student is awarded a package that will help them complete their studies without thinking about the fees. On average, the grant award can be more than $30,000. Student loans are offered to graduate students and are computed on the basis of family income.
Rankings
2017 College Rankings
