Press Releases

MONTEREY, Calif. - April 22, 2006 - Dr. Clara Yu was inaugurated as the 12th president of the Monterey Institute of International Studies this afternoon. The inauguration ceremony was the first of its kind for the 50-year-old Institute, a reflection of its recent affiliation with Middlebury College in Vermont, an east coast leader in international education for undergraduates, founded in 1800.

Invited guests, faculty, students, and dignitaries from both coasts attended the inauguration ceremony outside historic Colton Hall in Monterey. Featured speakers included Ronald D. Liebowitz, president of Middlebury College, and Felix G. Rohatyn, former United States Ambassador to France, whose keynote speech named knowledge as our first line of defense from terror, hatred, and fanatic fundamentalism. Rohatyn also stressed the urgent need to change the negative perception of the U.S. overseas, and the value of offering students the opportunity to learn and grow in a truly international environment.

In her inaugural address, President Yu spoke of growing political, social and religious polarization and hostility, and the need to solve the root causes of violent conflicts. "We need to work with international organizations and governments to stop nuclear, biological, and chemical proliferation of weapons of mass annihilation," said Yu. "We need to engage in long-term and global thinking." Yu cited the Institute's mission of increasing global understanding and achieving peace, and its history of teaching students how to think across borders. "We are living in momentous, pivotal age, where single individuals can make global differences," she concluded.

Dr. Yu is Middlebury College's former vice president of languages and was director of the Middlebury Language Schools. She succeeds Steven J. Baker, who retired after leading the Institute since May 2003. Born in Taiwan, Dr. Yu first came to the United States as scholar of comparative literature. She is internationally known as a leader in the use of technology in higher education, and founder of the National Institute for Technology and Liberal Education.

In addition to a new president, the Monterey Institute has gained a new, world-class board of trustees as a result of becoming an affiliate of Middlebury. The partnership brings together two leaders in the field of international education with complementary curricular strengths and a long-standing commitment towards developing informed, global citizens.

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The Monterey Institute of International Studies, an affiliate of Middlebury College, is made up of four graduate schools-International Policy Studies, Translation and Interpretation, Language and Educational Linguistics, and the Fisher School of International Business-unified by a commitment to language and cross-cultural communication. Students and faculty actively engage in addressing and shaping major business and international issues, such as nonproliferation, global trade, and environmental concerns. Graduates pursue meaningful careers in government, international business, education, and nonprofit organizations in more than 100 countries. Established in 1955, the Monterey Institute is located in the heart of historic Monterey, surrounded by the adobes and artifacts of early California. For more information visit www.miis.edu or call (831)-647-4100.