Janna White

Director, Five College Center for World Languages: Age 39

Janna White

In explaining the importance of her organization, Janna White noted that the Five Colleges are known for language study, but while students are interested in a diverse array of languages, not all of them draw enough interest to be offered in the classroom.

“But they still wanted to make as many languages available as possible,” she said, which is why the Five College Center for World Languages was founded more than three decades ago.

“We complement rather than compete with the languages available on campus, and students can take as many languages as possible while they’re here,” she said — about 60 in all, among the highest number offered anywhere in the country.

White directs all aspects of programming for this element of the Five College Consortium, enabling 300 students per year to study these less commonly taught languages for college credit.

It was an intriguing opportunity for White when she took the job in 2018, as she has always had a love of language. As sole proprietor of Janna R. White Content and Editing from 2011 to 2018, she offered communications products and project-management services, including editing 28 books, 21 articles, and hundreds of reports, white papers, and webpages.

“I worked with a variety of different organizations and individuals, but I really specialized in academic work — academic presses and scholars and faculty. I was really enjoying that work, and I wanted to expand on the ways in which I was partnering with academic institutions. That’s how I wound up at Five Colleges.”

From 2016 to 2018, she served as Academic Programs coordinator before her current job opened up.

“Our particular focus on less commonly taught languages is really important,” she noted. “The reason why we say ‘less commonly taught’ and not ‘less common’ is that many have millions, if not billions, of speakers, like Cantonese, Hindi, and Urdu. But it’s not common for college students to have opportunities to study those languages. So we’re really broadening access and opportunity for students.”

Active in her community, White served two terms on the Northampton Community Preservation Committee and joined the Northampton Planning Board in 2018. Elected vice chair in 2022, she will become chair this year.

“Anyone who has volunteered in the community knows it can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding,” she said. “It’s been one of the great learning experiences of my personal and professional life. I take that responsibility very seriously.”

—Joseph Bednar