This July, MML was able to host a free five-day residential course for Year 12 students studying at state-maintained schools and colleges across the UK. Students were able to explore their interest in languages and linguistics, and to gain insight into what it is like to live and study as a first-year undergraduate student at Cambridge University.

Lectures and seminars took place in the Raised Faculty Building at Sidgwick Site, and students stayed the week at Churchill College. The 23 participating students took academic sessions such as: Introduction to Modern Languages & Linguistics at Cambridge; Learning Language from Scratch (Russian, Italian, Portuguese); Interpreting and Translation seminars (French, German, Spanish); Sample lecture: Nazi Cinema; and private study sessions in the MML Library. One student reflected that, 

The literature workshops were really engaging and have prompted me to explore a couple of authors this summer."

Alongside lectures and academic pursuits, students also went on College tours, had a Formal dinner, went punting on the River Cam, and had a very popular end of week quiz.

Feedback was upbeat. Students responded positively to the question of what the best part of summer school was:

Supervisions and the opportunity to create some really great work to be proud of. It was really nice to meet lots of new people – all the Cambassadors were really friendly and lovely to talk to."

Being with like-minded people and being able to engage with the subject intellectually and without judgement."

We look forward to Summer School next year!