SASLI Alumni

Impact Statements

“I had my first introduction to spoken Tibetan language classes at SASLI, and it was a wonderful experience! The class was small and well organized and totally immersive. I met great friends that summer and we all went on to really flourish thanks to that intensive and supportive language training. Also studying by the lake and cycling around beautiful Madison in summer are happy memories now!”

– Sarah R. ’07, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga

“Studying Hindi at the intermediate level with SASLI made a huge difference in my language skill, especially after previously only doing online study. After SASLI, I moved to south India to lead a research project in which I work with migrant laborers–many of whom come from the north and speak Hindi. Both professionally and personally, the ability to use Hindi has benefitted me immensely during my time in India.”

– Anna C. ’22, Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Fellow with St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore

“SASLI kickstarted my Bengali and Eastern South Asian language learning journey. I progressed quickly in fluency at the very beginning of my postgraduate degree so that I could get started with research right away. As a South Asian language-obsessed person who learned Hindi and Sanskrit before coming to SASLI, I enjoyed being surrounded by other teachers and students of so many other South Asian languages at once.”

– Christopher D. ’12, Lecturer in Hindi, The Australian National University (ANU)

“Participating in Intermediate Sanskrit at SASLI prepared me to begin the advanced level in my first semester of my master’s program. As I plan to begin studying a second language, getting ahead at SASLI was a crucial step in my graduate school journey. Madison is an idyllic place for students to spend the summer studying, especially those who love nature! Getting to balance my academic work with time hiking, swimming, and camping was very special.”

– Anna G. ’22, Master of Theological Studies Candidate

“WISLI was transformative in two different decades of my life. Studying Hindi first prepared me linguistically for field research and for living and working with people living in or tracing their roots to India. Next, studying Malagasy prepared me for pursuing new professional connections and creating opportunities in Madagascar. Whether you are enjoying Madison’s many summer attractions or connecting online, I strongly recommend studying at WISLI.”

– Basil C. ’11, Doctoral Writing Specialist, Abilene Christian University

“The opportunity to study some of the less commonly taught languages of South and Southeast Asian Buddhist communities has been doubtlessly crucial for my ongoing research, publications, teaching, and, of course, the pleasure taken from cultivating the skills to meaningfully interact with colleagues, friends, mentors, interlocutors, research partners, and everyday people in this important and dynamic region of the world. Not only were my experiences with SASLI and SEASSI intellectually and pedagogically challenging as I spent three different summers engaged in the intensive study of Sinhala and Thai, the connections I made with the community of language learners from around the world, my instructors, peers, and other folks drawn together by a shared interest in area studies have continued to be one of the most enriching and sustaining parts of my graduate and early professional career experience.”

– Tyler A. L. ’14, ’15, PhD Candidate and Graduate Instructor, Department of History, UW-Madison