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The University of North Georgia (ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ) is holding Summer Language Institutes (SLI) in Chinese, Korean and Russian. Institutes provide training in both language and culture.

These carefully tailored seven-week sessions allow participants to earn eight academic credit hours to fulfill the 1001-1002 foreign language courses required for most bachelor's degrees at ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ. For the Chinese SLI, some of the students were here from other universities for half of the May 31-July 18 program on Project Global Officer (GO) scholarships.

Rose Armstrong, a dual-enrolled student at ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ's Cumming Campus who is a rising senior at Denmark High School, heard about SLI while on campus for her dual enrollment courses. The Russian SLI was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

"We are learning a lot really quickly. And we can't exactly pick up everything perfectly," Armstrong said. "But we're picking up more than we would have if we were just learning from a regular class — in a much shorter period of time."

Colin Kowalczyk, a rising sophomore cadet from Cumming, Georgia, said the Russian SLI is helping him build skills that will be beneficial in his Army career.

"It's definitely drinking from a fire hose, but just take it piecemeal and it'll be fine," Kowalczyk said. "It's very intensive, but once you get in a rhythm, it comes naturally."

Gabriel Moore, a junior cadet from Thomson, Georgia, is pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals. He is a member of the Georgia Army National Guard as a Georgia Military Service Scholarship recipient. Moore completed the Chinese SLI in summer 2024 and is part of the Korean SLI this year. 

Moore appreciates the chance to learn both the culture and the language at SLI. After studying at Fu Hsing Kang College, National Defense University in Taipei, Taiwan, in the spring, Moore is embracing the chance to dive deep on another language at SLI.

"If you put the work in and do what your professor tells you, you'll pass and you'll learn the language very well," Moore said.

Anna McClure, a junior from Ellijay, Georgia, pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals, spent her first two years as a student at ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ's Blue Ridge Campus. This fall, she will be studying at the Dahlonega Campus, so the Chinese SLI helped her begin that transition. With SLI being a residential program, McClure was glad to be part of a collaborative learning environment.

"It's amazing how we're able to work together and help each other out," McClure said.

Adria Swiney, a May graduate with a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Russian language and literature, is serving as a teaching assistant for the Russian SLI after working as a tutor for Russian in the Language Lab during the spring. The Toccoa, Georgia, resident is grateful for having a front-row seat to students' progress.

"While it is a challenge, they don't quite see it yet, but we can see as faculty and staff how they've gone from no Russian to a pretty novice proficiency in just a few short weeks," Swiney said. "They're mentally drained, but once they come out at the end of these seven weeks, they're going to be really impressed with the fact that they can hold a conversation."

Vincent Furtado, a senior from Anaheim, California, pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals, is serving as a teaching assistant for the Chinese SLI.

Furtado brings the experience of having studied in Taiwan twice, once through Project GO and another time through a military academy exchange. He appreciates the way SLI brings the language to life for students.

"It's really awesome watching everyone grow. Language is an art, and everybody has their own way of expressing themselves using that art," Furtado said. "Being able to watch students go from just barely learning how to pick up the brush to drawing whole Picassos is awesome."

Noah Miatudila, a rising sophomore Army ROTC cadet at Princeton University, has enjoyed how close-knit the Chinese SLI has become.

"I'm really grateful to be here. I was lucky to be accepted to this program," Miatudila said. "There's nothing like it."