— ABOUT —
When Lincoln opened in 1997, it entered a crowded language-school market with one clear aim: to be the most trusted training organization in the country.
— Setting a Standard
After Albania’s pyramid-scheme crisis, trust had been deeply broken. Having seen friends lose significant resources by those who over-promised and way under-delivered, Robb Provost and his wife resolved that Lincoln would be different.
As Christians and as Americans, they believed they were accountable both to God and to the high standard people expected. If students (especially parents) entrusted Lincoln with their hard-earned money, Lincoln had to deliver real results. From the beginning, their commitment was simple: never over-promise and strive to over-deliver.
— From the Beginning
Lincoln began with a seed grant from an international organization that shared our vision of modeling a different approach to learning. Many of our first students were public school directors and teachers who received scholarships so they could experience our approach firsthand.
We promised our grantors that we would become self-sustaining within six months. By God’s grace, we were.
— Focusing on What Matters
We opened in 1997 with 430 students, far more than expected. Growth continued steadily, and by 2002 we expanded into a second center—located in the former residence of Albania’s dictator, Enver Hoxha—where we remain today.
In our first 28 years, we personally signed 100,000+ earned course-completion certificates. Each certificate represents genuine achievement.
According to available research, Lincoln has become the largest private, independent language center in Southern Europe—an outcome far beyond what we envisioned when we began. We did not pursue numbers; we pursued excellence, one student at a time.
Years ago, a visiting filmmaker captured our mission in a memorable single line:
“The training you need, from the people you trust.”
It still says it best.
