In order to help teachers negotiate the changing contexts of foreign language education, the National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) at Iowa State University began offering summer institutes in 1994. The authors were surprised at the intense interest in the institutes focused on technology. Since then the NFLRC has offered 36 residential, professional development institutes to more than 680 teachers from all 50 states. In this article, the authors share what they have come to understand over the past 14 years about creating effective professional development opportunities, and discuss primary issues that the NFLRC considers when planning professional development institutes, including: (1) Focus is relevant to the needs of both the profession and the individual teachers who will attend; (2) Leaders are experts on the topic who fine-tune the content to meet the needs of the particular group of participants; (3) Leaders create a collaborative environment that empowers participants; (4) Leaders clarify that they too are growing and learning together with the participants; (5) Leaders recognize participants' potential for leadership and develop it; (6) Accommodations are comfortable, materials are available, and the pace is respectful of participants and leaders; (7) Professional development does not end at the end of the event; and (8) Professional development initiative is evaluated. (Contains 4 footnotes.)