The Institute was founded in 1955 as the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies by Gaspard Weiss, in collaboration with his wife, Louise Weiss, and cofounders Frank Elton and Sybil Fearnley. Weiss and his foreign language colleagues envisioned a graduate school that would promote international understanding through the study of language and culture. While the Institute’s name and programs have evolved, its core identity as an innovator and leader in international professional education has remained constant.

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies educates professionals to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world.