MLC Stories

A gathering of department members, both past and present, was held recently to observe the ending of the program and reminisce about the professors who taught German at the Institute since J.T.L. Preston in 1839.

Virginia Military Institute hosted the spring 2026 Workshop of the Chinese Language Teachers Association of Virginia (CLTA-VA) April 11.

Col. Jeff Kendrick, director of the Office of Global Education at Virginia Military Institute, announced the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is currently accepting applications

Caleb Chandler ’27 embraced the challenge of studying Arabic at VMI, a decision inspired by his father’s military service and fueled by his own drive to excel. From wrestling recruit to class historian and Project GO scholar, he’s grown into a leader whose passion for language, culture, and service.

Col. Kathleen Bulger-Barnett, professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, was recently initiated into the Order of José Martí, one of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society’s highest honors.

Last week, the Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honor Society hosted Global Festivities, an event celebrating the cultural diversity of New Year traditions around the world.

A group of VMI cadets recently journeyed to the China Folk House Retreat in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where they immersed themselves in traditional Chinese culture.

Nearly two dozen traveled to Spain this summer for a study abroad program, with varying majors and minors represented, from economics and business, modern languages, history, computer science, engineering, and more. The five-week program allowed cadets to take classes at the Universidad de Alcalá.

Dr. Sabrina Laroussi, associate professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, discusses books about the world of Latin American drug trafficking called “narconovelas” on the public radio program, “With Good Reason.”

A group of high school students and Virginia Military Institute cadets had the opportunity to learn Arabic over the summer, thanks to a $141 thousand grant called funded by the National Security Agency (NSA) to the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures at VMI.

Maj. Jason Schroepfer, assistant professor in the Dept. of Modern Languages and Cultures and director of the National Security Agency funded Arabic STARTALK program credits much of his success in his linguistic field work to jebena, a coffee drink traditionally enjoyed in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Aswan.