Students Gain Real-World Experience through Spring Practicum Courses
The Middlebury Institute’s experiential learning program offers students the opportunity to work with organizations in the U.S. and around the world.
Through semester-long practica, students take on internships, jobs, and consultancies that allow them to apply skills and knowledge gained through their prior coursework in a professional setting. These experiential learning courses serve as stepping-stones to their future careers.
International Professional Service Semester (IPSS)
The International Professional Service Semester (IPSS) is an experience designed for students in the IPD, IEP, NPTS, and MPA programs.
This semester, IPSS fellows are working in cities including Monterey, New York, Washington D.C., and Anchorage in the United States. Internationally, students are working in Switzerland, Cambodia, Nicaragua, Liberia, the United Kingdom, Madagascar, Ghana, and Togo.
The following section highlights students currently participating in Middlebury Institute’s Professional Service Semester.
| Name | Organization | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Grace Hansen | Coastal Flood Resilience Project | Washington, DC |
| Tomas Lynch | Persephone Biosciences | San Diego, CA |
| Dillon Green | Business for Social Responsibility | San Francisco, CA |
| Diane Sikkens | Environmental Defense Fund | San Francisco, CA |
| Julie Stasiuk | ECOM Agroindustrial Corp | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Megan O’Leary | Blue Sky Maritime Coalition | Houston, TX |
| Mia Fahad | National Park Service (NPS) Marine Debris Program | Fort Collins, CO |
| Annie Howley | Fallaron Strategies | San Francisco, CA |
| Larissa Sison | California Department of Food and Agriculture | Sacramento, CA |
| Richard Vasquez Jr. | Fashion Revolution and Women Forward International | London, England |
| Elisabeth von Halem | Doselva |
Granada, Nicaragua |
| Bridget Mulkerin | Valley Verde | San Jose, CA |
| Alice McGown | FracTracker Alliance | Johnstown, PA |
| Sophie Anolick | Foreign Policy for America | Washington, DC |
| Moira Pieri | WWF, Forests, Sustainable Natural Rubber | Washington, DC |
| Tessa Varvares | National Parks Service Oil Spill Cleanup Project | Washington, DC |
| Alexis Wilkman | African Wildlife Foundation | Washington, DC |
| Elise Birkett | National Wildlife Federation’s Climate and Resilience Education Taskforce (CRETF) | New York, NY |
| Alexandra Cleveland | Root Change | Washington, DC |
| Alexandra Eisinger | Conservation International | Washington, DC |
| Howard Vogt | Finless Foods | Emeryville, CA |
| Olivia Cable-Barber | Fair Carbon Project, Gallifrey Foundation | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Tabitha Birdwell | California Delta Stewardship Council/Program - California Sea Grant Fellow | Sacramento, CA |
| Laura Sanchez | National Parks Service (NPS) Oceans and Coastal Programs Arctic Project |
Anchorage, AK |
| Emily Stokes | Conservation International Ocean Science Team | Washington, DC |
| Heather Cook | Marine Conservation Cambodia |
Koh Seh, Cambodia |
| Nick Rahaim | Sustainable Seas Technology | Middle Haddam, CT |
| Akira Nishiyama | Real Good Fish | Monterey, CA |
| Louise Shurvinton Bradley | Oceana | Monterey, CA |
| Michael Boice | Due Diligence Associate, CryptoCurrency | San Francisco, CA |
| Ernesto Aguirre | UN Office of Counter-Terrorism | New York, NY |
| Alexandra Patton | UN Office of Disarmament Affairs Conventional Arms Branch | New York, NY |
| Cynthia Tiendrebeogo | UNFPA | Lomé, Togo |
| Katherine Treat | Appleseed Impact and UNICEF New York | Watsonville, CA and New York, NY |
| Karyos Tus | USAID | Washington, DC |
| Ruth Krabacher | Healing & Reconciliation Institute | Monterey, CA |
| Jessica Adam | Appleseed Impact | Watsonville, CA |
| Alexis Roberts | GlobalSF | San Francisco, CA |
| Steve Vetarbo | UNICEF Ghana and Conflict Dynamics International | Accra, Ghana and Cambridge, MA |
| Lameese Madi | UNICEF Madagascar | Antananarivo, Madagascar |
| Ellen King | International Development Group | Washington, DC |
| Mona Rezvani | Office of Public Affairs - Baha’is of the US | Washington, DC |
| Alexa Cardello | Growing Home, Inc. | Chicago, IL |
| Daron McDonnaugh | Catholic Relief Services | Monrovia, Liberia |
| Ari Korreshi | City Manager, City of Rochester |
Rochester, MI |
International Education Management (IEM) Practicum
The International Education Management Program provides students with practical experience in the field of international education including study abroad, education technology, international exchange management, and international student and scholar services.
The following section highlights students currently participating in the International Education Management program.
| Name | Placement | Location of Org . |
| Elizabeth MaKenzie Stallo | Champlain College | Champlain, VT |
| Gabrielle O’Conner | Oakton Community College | Chicago, IL |
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Practicum Capstone
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Teaching Foreign Language (TFL) students are combining reflective practice and professional development in preparation for careers in language education.
The below list highlights the immersive professional learning experiences of TESOL and TFL students this spring.
| Name | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Kira La Rheir-Arias | Monterey Adult School | Monterey, CA |
| Sharon Situ | Monterey Adult School | Monterey, CA |
| Donha Derrick | MIIS English for Academic Professional Purposes | Monterey, CA |
| Zoya Erdevig | MIIS English for Academic Professional Purposes | Monterey, CA |
| Mujun Hu | MIIS Language Studies-Chinese | Monterey, CA |
| Burcu Chatham | Riverside Literacy Programs | Monterey, CA |
| Lauren Wilmore | Polytechnic School | Pasadena, CA |
| Katie Klein | San Lorenzo Valley High School | Felton, CA |
Congratulations to these students on their contributions to their industries and fields of study this semester.
Middlebury Institute practicum courses reflect our focus on providing applied learning opportunities that help students enter their desired career field.
For More Information
Carolyn Meyer, PhD
Director of Immersive Professional Learning
cmeyer@miis.edu
831-647-6417