This summer, 133 Indiana high school students boarded planes bound for Spain, Austria, and France, committing to several weeks away from home. They left behind their smartphones, their families, and most importantly, the English language. They also joined a group of Hoosiers stretching back more than half a century: The Indiana University Honors Program for Foreign Language (IUHPFL). IUHPFL offers a summer study abroad experience that goes beyond traditional language learning. It’s a total immersion journey that not only strengthens linguistic skills but fosters personal growth, cultural understanding, and a lifelong love for global exploration. Just ask 1967 St. Brieuc, France program participant John Duvall.
“It was a very valuable experience in terms of enlarging my world and giving me a sense of how other people thought about the United States… It changed my life in fundamental ways.”
John Duvall, IUHPFL 1967
Founded in 1962, the program has taken over 8,600 students studying Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese to eight different countries since its inception. Along the way, students have been guided by qualified instructors who are with them every step of the way. Two of those souls brave enough to take dozens of teenagers to a foreign country during their summer breaks shared their stories.
During the school year, Michael Heitz teaches French at Madison High School in Madison, Indiana, but after hearing about the program from a colleague and recommending a student, in 2016 he decided to join himself as an instructor. He now spends his summer teaching IUHPFL students about French culture in Saumur, France, and writing a blog for parents to follow their students’ activities while abroad. He is not shy about sharing why he is so dedicated to giving up his summers for the program. “IUHPFL is the most important work I’ve ever done. I leave a lasting impact on these students… This is the legacy I’m leaving.”
Lara Vanin, a Brazilian student, is pursuing her doctoral degree in Spanish and Portuguese at IU. When she first started applying for her master’s and a colleague told her about the program, she was enamored by the opportunity to teach students a language she loved abroad. Between dissertation research and instructing courses during the semester, she teaches IUHPFL students literature, culture, dance, and art in Ciudad Real, Spain. What drives her to take on extra work during the summer is amazing personal and linguistic growth she sees every year from program participants. “These students become giants!”
A cornerstone of IUHPFL is the commitment to speak only the host-country’s language at all times during the four- to five-week-long programs. Students commit to this total immersion experience wholeheartedly, even when their initial language skills might not be the best starting off. This year, Heitz recalls the youngest student he’d ever instructed at 15. During the pre-trip placement test that all potential participants take as a part of the application process, she scored the lowest of any of the successful applicants. But that did not stop her from succeeding in France. “She was so eager to learn and took every opportunity to immerse herself in the language and culture.” That immersion paid off: on the post-trip language comprehension test she achieved the highest score!
Importantly, IUHPFL itself fosters a supportive environment, encouraging patience among students as they each absorb the language at their own pace. Students are encouraged to assist one another, promoting camaraderie and a collective effort to become more proficient in the language, but there is also built-in support guided by the instructors. Throughout the week, students gather to discuss the achievements and challenges they’ve run into – the support and success groups allow the students to reflect on their experiences intermittently and receive advice and support from their peers. “There’s tears,” Vanin admits, “but so much strength, and it’s made easier by the community they create with each other.”
Another fundamental aspect of the program is academic instruction – weekday classes cover a diverse range of subjects, including Culture, Grammar, Literature, Communication, and Linguistics. However, learning doesn’t stop within the classroom. Afternoons are filled with activities such as theatre, dance, choir, and sports, all meticulously designed to enhance students’ understanding of their host country’s cultural nuances.
Community engagement activities are a vital component of the program experience. In this regard, students interact with local residents in various settings, including schools, retirement communities, and animal rescue centers. As Heitz attests, “These activities and interactions are about more than the language. They empower students to be active participants in the culture they’re surrounded by – they’re not just learning but taking part in something meaningful.”
The host family experience is a pivotal aspect of IUHPFL, offering students a window into daily life in their host country. Host families play a significant role in making the experience memorable and enriching. Heitz recounts a group of students and their host families who went above and beyond to support a friend observing Ramadan during their time abroad – every evening, they gathered for dinner, ensuring their friend could break their fast together in a meaningful way. Even years after they return, students look back on their host families fondly. Clifford Lee, 2001 San Luis Potosi, Mexico, regrets not keeping in touch and urges current students to maintain that connection. “One of the best things about the program is the friendliness of the host families… it was wonderful, the relationship I was able to make with them.”
Instructor Lara Vanin adds her perspective, noting that IUHPFL has evolved to become more dynamic and diverse over the years. Over the last 8 years, the percentage of participating students who identify as a race/ethnicity other than white has increased steadily, from less than 10% in 2015 to nearly 35% of Summer 2023 participants. The presence of LGBTQ+ students in the program has also seen substantial growth. She emphasizes the program’s transformative power. The challenges faced, such as homesickness, are met with collective strength, fostering resilience and character development. Through IUHPFL, Vanin’s experience doesn’t exist in a vacuum: “Mentoring for the foreign language program has taught me skills that I bring back to my classrooms at IU. I’ve learned to be more dynamic, more creative with my college students, and I get to watch my own progress as an instructor with these experiences under my belt.”
It’s not just instructors who notice the difference. As a parent of a program participant Heather Reilly shared “It may sound cliché; but I didn’t recognize my daughter when she came home. This confident clone, who could barely speak English, was more mature, and more self-directed than the shy introvert we left crying in the security line at O’Hare.”
That confidence lasts beyond their high school experience, impacting their college and beyond. Ciudad Real 2014 participant Noah Roberts shared how the program shaped him and ultimately led him to his current career. “IUHPFL and my subsequent study abroad through Indiana University have afforded me the opportunity to work in an international career where my language and travel skills are of utmost importance every day. I’m now working in international business development for a leading manufacturer right here in Indiana.”
IUHPFL stands as an exceptional program that leaves a profound impact on its participants, broadening horizons, and forging lasting connections. “Indiana’s kids are incredible lucky to have access to IUHPFL and every time we are asked about it by other parents we enthusiastically recommend it.” Says Ariel de la Fuente, parent of a student who went to Brest, France. No one understands the importance and impact as clearly as the new Director, Megan Solon. Herself an IUHPFL alumna as both student and instructor, she intimately understands the program’s transformative potential.
“Although I have traveled, studied, and worked abroad in various places and capacities since, I have not had another experience like IUHPFL. I think this program is an amazing and unique opportunity for Indiana high schoolers—one that can change lives, open doors, broaden perspectives,” She looks forward to the new challenges and opportunities of her role, and to what the program can become. Under her leadership, IUHPFL is poised to continue its mission of inspiration, education, and opportunity for Indiana’s high school students, ensuring a bright future for the program.
You can support IUHPFL through direct donations.
Indiana high school students who are interested in applying for summer 2024 can register their interest in IUHPFL now through November 15. View program eligibility requirements.
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