Monterey Institute News

Spring Commencement Honors 284 Students from 31 Countries

Bergthora Gudbergsdottir evag@miis.edu — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:26:27 +0000

Spring Commencement at the Monterey Institute of International Studies on Saturday, May 18, 2013C

The sounds of joy and good cheer could be heard across downtown Monterey on Saturday May 18 as friends and family of 284 Monterey Institute students hailing from 31 countries gathered to celebrate their achievements at 2013 Spring Commencement. The ceremony took place on the broad lawn in front of Colton Hall, the original capitol building of the state of California.

In her address to the graduates, commencement speaker and former Monterey Institute president Dr. Clara Yu called her appearance “a very emotional homecoming for me.” Yu was president at MIIS from 2006 through 2008, playing a key role in strengthening the school and preparing it to become a graduate school of Middlebury College, where she previously served as a professor of Chinese and vice president for languages. After a warm welcome from a crowd of 1,800 students, faculty, staff, alumni and family members, Yu exhorted the graduates to be generous—with words and things, with their minds and actions, and with themselves.

Look for more coverage of commencement, including features on student speaker Adnan Adel Al-Hammody and Alumni Achievement Award recipients William Godnick, Sylvio Baltodano, and Amaury Cooper, in the week ahead.

Monterey Institute Campus Grows with New CNS Headquarters on Van Buren Street

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:36:48 +0000

The new CNS Building at 499 Van Buren Street on the Monterey Institute campus.

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) formally celebrated the opening of its new headquarters at 499 Van Buren Street in Monterey at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 14. The 10,500 square-foot building was acquired by Middlebury College on behalf of the Monterey Institute from the law firm of Horan, Lloyd, Karachale, Dyer, Schwartz, Law and Cook, and has undergone significant renovations. It occupies the northeast corner of Van Buren and Jefferson Streets, just down the block from the Samson Student Center at the center of the campus.

CNS is the largest nongovernmental organization in the United States devoted exclusively to research and training on nonproliferation issues. Its reputation and operations have grown steadily since 1989 when MIIS professor Dr. William Potter founded CNS with a handful of students. Today CNS has offices in Monterey, Washington D.C. and Vienna, Austria, and had long since outgrown its old offices at 400 Pacific Street. Happy CNS staff members showed guests at the opening around the new headquarters, including spacious offices, a large seminar room, and a dedicated videoconference facility.

MIIS Students Celebrate a Bumper Crop of Fellowships & Scholarships

Bergthora Gudbergsdottir evag@miis.edu — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:34:56 +0000

Students at MIIS earned a bumper crop of scholarships and fellowships this year.

One of the best crops of the spring for Monterey Institute students and their many faculty and staff supporters on campus is the thick envelopes announcing awards for fellowships and scholarships that arrive in the mail this time of year. The yield for 2013 was remarkable!

Three Monterey Institute students will be continuing research in their chosen fields on the highly competitive and prestigious Fulbright scholarships:

* Annie Rouse (MAIEP ’13) will work on hemp-related issues in Canada.

* Sam Fielding (MAIEP ’13) will study Chinese and environmental issues in China.

* Tina Rose Novero (MPA ’11) will be conducting research in the Philippines based on work she started with Team Peru.

MIIS graduate Amanda Sackett (MAIEP ’12) was among thirteen 2013 California Sea Grant Fellows in marine policy and resource management, a very prestigious honor. Amanda will work at the Ocean Protection Council. Each State Fellow receives a stipend of $3,300 per month for up to a year.

Ronald Craft (MANPTS ’13) was awarded a much-sought-after Presidential Management Fellowship, providing two years of employment as part of a highly selective leadership development program for potential government leaders.

Two Monterey Institute students were also awarded Boren Fellowships, providing up to $30,000 to U.S. graduate students to add an important international and language component to their education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. Sarah E. Norris (MANPTS ’14) will be going to Russia and Morgan Tucker (MPA ’14) to Brazil. Two other MIIS students were chosen as alternates: Carmen Paraison (MAIPS ’14) and Kay Park (MANPTS ’13).

Another four MIIS students will receive Critical Language Scholarships from the U.S. State Department, providing fully funded summer language institutes for U.S. university students. Gabriella Abrego (MAIPS ’14) and Heather Frank (MAIEM ’14) will study Chinese in China, Shane Mason (MANPTS ’14) will study Urdu in India, and Jennifer Tribble (MANPTS ’14) will be going to Oman to study Arabic.

5/10: NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous to Speak at MIIS Human Rights Fair

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:50:59 +0000

Benjamin Todd Jealous, president of the NAACP

Benjamin Todd Jealous, president of the National Association of Colored People (NAACP), will deliver the keynote address May 10 for the Monterey Institute’s third annual Human Rights Fair, sponsored by the Amnesty International Club on campus.

Jealous is the 17th president of the NAACP, and upon his appointment at age 35 in 2008, became the youngest person to lead the 104-year-old organization. In recent years he has led successful efforts to build the NAACP's online presence and voter registration capacity, and opened national programs on education, health, and environmental justice. A Rhodes Scholar, he is a graduate of Columbia and Oxford University, the past president of the Rosenberg Foundation, and was the founding director of Amnesty International's U.S. Human Rights Program.

Jealous was invited to speak at the Institute by Professor Jan Black, whose lifelong work on human rights led to her being elected to the board of directors of Amnesty International USA in 2011.

The May 10 event begins at 7:30 p.m., in the Irvine Auditorium at 499 Pierce Street, and is free and open to the public. The keynote address will be followed by a reception with live entertainment.

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:56:03 +0000

Intensive English as a Second Language Program at MIIS Accredited by CEA

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:35:37 +0000

ESL instructor Jennifer Grode with students.

Congratulations are in order for the 40-year old Intensive English as a Second Language Program at the Monterey Institute after it recently received formal accreditation through the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA). “It gives us an objective basis not just to believe, but to know that we have a top-notch program,” says assistant director Katie Dutcher. “Personally, it feels amazing to have played a part in taking this next step in the 40-year history of the program.”

The meticulous accreditation process took close to two years and involved examination of all aspects of the program, from activities and services available to students, to finances and staff qualifications, Katie shares. “Of course, as we went through this process of self-assessment, we identified areas of strengths and weakness and worked to improve the program in significant ways.” The full-time instructors, Jennifer Grode and Adrienne Stacy, led an overhaul of the curriculum and assessment, and Katie says they also worked on improving administrative procedures and documentation.

A review team representing CEA visited in February after all self-assessment documents had been submitted. The review team interviewed numerous people on campus and submitted their own report that was reviewed by the commission at their meeting in April. On May 1, the decision to formally accredit the program was announced. The effects of the strenuous, reflective and developmental process have been very positive according to Katie, who says that, regardless of the accreditation decision, she is prouder than ever to be a part of this team because of the significant improvements they have made in a short period of time.

Longtime Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages professor Kathi Bailey knows the CEA accreditation process well as the former president of the International TESOL Organization: “It has incredibly high standards and a rigorous review program staffed by well-recognized professionals in English language education. For the MIIS Intensive English Program to have been accredited is both a great honor and a testament to the hard work, creativity, and organization of the ESL teachers and administrators.”

MIIS Student Wins Student Innovator Award at Monterey Bay Regional Business Plan Competition

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Jessy Bradish (center), with Celena Aponte and Nate Stephens, co-founders of the student-led Inn(ovation) Inc(ubator) at MIIS.

Monterey Institute student Jessica “Jessy” Bradish (MAIEP/MBA ’13) received the 2013 Student Innovator Award at the Monterey Bay Regional Business Plan Competition last Friday. ”Winning the Student Innovator Award was a wonderful culmination of my joint Masters in International Environmental Policy and Business Administration,” says Jessy.

The award winning business plan is for ShowerPonic Produce, offering organically-grown produce and fish through environmentally friendly aquaponic procedures. Jessy’s award did not surprise the many friends and supporters who have followed her idea since inception as she developed it and presented at MiddCORE@Monterey and the student-led Inn(ovation) Inc(ubator) she co-founded with Celena Aponte (MBA ’13) and Nate Shephens (MPA ’13). “We wanted to send a business idea through a competition as part of the Incubator initiative,” says Jessy, who managed to surprise herself. “I never thought I would win going into this semester, and now I am motivated and funded to move forward with my idea!”

The competition started in February with workshops throughout Monterey County, with final judging coming on Friday, May 3 after finalists presented their business plans at the Monterey Institute. Congressman Sam Farr announced the winners of the competition in the Irvine Auditorium.

Jessy is graduating this month and will use the $1,000 prize money and the multiple local business connections she has made through this process to add a spring to her career launch.

Professor Kathi Bailey Honored with 2013 Leslie Eliason Excellence in Teaching Award

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:54:08 +0000

Leslie Eliason Excellence in Teaching Award winner Kathi Bailey.

“Forever” is the answer we receive when we ask how long professor Kathi Bailey has graced the Monterey Institute with her intelligence, warmth, and undying passion for the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program. Since 1981 Kathi has shown exceptional dedication to her students, who many years later talk about the care packages she sent when they were off on their Peace Corps assignments, or how she still, years after graduation, “traipses around” in the heads of her former students when they are editing, writing grants or creating assessment tasks. Her many students as well as her colleagues at MIIS were happy to learn today that Kathi is the recipient of the 2013 Leslie Eliason Excellence in Teaching Award.

In her announcement, Provost Amy Sands wrote that “Professor Bailey has a record of excellence in teaching and an ongoing, inspiring commitment to providing our students the highest quality education possible. She has worked with countless students to ensure their success in both their academic and career objectives, and dedicated herself to building a strong community of excellence at MIIS.”

Professor Bailey embodies much of what Professor Eliason also dedicated her teaching efforts towards according to Provost Sands and the selection committee. “Leslie Eliason was a strong woman, dynamic and passionate about her chosen profession of teaching. She pursued her responsibilities as a teacher and mentor with great warmth and care for her students and colleagues, reflecting her intelligence, integrity, good humor, and commitment to quality in all of her endeavors.”

“Similarly,” says provost Sands, “Professor Bailey has dedicated her career at MIIS to building a world class TESOL/TFL program that delivers the highest quality education and prepares our students for their future careers in this field.” In addition to her impressive record in teaching, Kathi Bailey is also recognized widely “as a professional and expert in her field, working with colleagues at MIIS and in various organizations to enhance the programs and career opportunities in this area.”

Congratulations to Professor Kathi Bailey, who will also be the December 2013 commencement speaker.

The Committee also selected Professor Julie Johnson as the recipient of the Honorable Mention Award. Professor Johnson will receive a Certificate for Outstanding and Dedicated Teaching as well as a small cash award as way of recognizing her efforts.

Recent MIIS Graduate Turns Internship into Leadership Position Promoting Permaculture in Malawi

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:36:15 +0000

Catherine Carlton (MAIEP ’12; right) and friends in Malawi.

Catherine Carlton (MAIEP ’12) studied modern history at Stanford University. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she served in the Peace Corps in Zambia for two years working in the public health sector as an HIV volunteer. “I thought I might go on to a career in public health, but while in Africa I discovered that it all boils down to how we treat the environment,” she says in a Skype conversation from a renovated barn in Malawi that serves as the headquarters of the Kusamala Institute of Agriculture and Ecology.

Catherine is the director of communications and programs for this non-profit organization, which focuses on inspiring behavior change and training farmers in Malawi, a country with extreme levels of deforestation and sustained issues of malnutrition. She says her undergraduate studies and Peace Corps experience came together perfectly at the International Environmental Policy program at the Monterey Institute. “I was drawn to the field, and agriculture specifically, because it joins two issues that I am passionate about, human development and protecting the environment.”

Searching for an internship that would give her hands-on farming experience, Catherine traveled to Malawi to work with Kusamala after graduating from MIIS in the spring of 2012. “Permaculture is a type of agriculture that tries to mimic natural ecosystems,” she says and explains that permaculture is really a way of thinking that involves ethical consideration, diversification of crops and eco-building. Before long, Catherine had risen to a position of leadership designing and implementing a successful program that involves hiring and training locals to build mini-demonstrations around their homes.

“The IEP coursework gave me a strong background and understanding of environmental issues,” Catherine says of her MIIS education, adding that it was very valuable to be able to add coursework in development such as the Development Project Management Institute and a grant-writing class with Professor Alfredo Ortiz. “I find myself using practical references to those classes regularly.” A California native, Catherine hopes to return to the Bay Area when her two-year contract is up at the end of the year to apply her skills and knowledge to sustainable agricultural issues back home.

Catherine also recently co-authored an article about permaculture in Malawi that was published by The Guardian.