Middlebury Institute graduates discuss where they are working today, how the Institute helped them get there, and what advice they’d give to current and future MIIS students.
My name is Daniel (Danny) McCarthy, and I graduated with an MA in TESOL with a specialization in language program administration from the Middlebury Institute in 2015. Prior to coming to Monterey, I earned my undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon.
I am now based in Durham, North Carolina, where I am a lecturing fellow in the Management Communication Center at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. In my role, I teach core management and leadership communication courses to MBA students. One of the most exciting projects I’m currently working on is a curriculum update, which I am coleading. We are redesigning the structure of our two core courses based on a needs analysis we conducted. I am drawing on the core principles I learned in the TESOL program at the Institute to inform this redesign.
Beyond teaching, I wear two additional hats: I serve as the program lead for summer programming and one-on-one student support, both of which focus on supporting international students. Each year, I design and implement a two-week intensive program to help incoming international students transition into their MBA coursework. I also work closely with students one-on-one over their two years at Fuqua.
The balance of practical courses and theoretical underpinnings at the Institute gave me a strong foundation that hiring managers appreciated. I still lean on courses like Curriculum Design and Principles and Practices, as well as my language program administration coursework, to inform what I do.
The balance of practical courses and theoretical underpinnings at the Institute gave me a strong foundation that hiring managers appreciated. I still lean on courses like Curriculum Design and Principles and Practices, as well as my language program administration coursework, to inform what I do.
My journey to this role started in 2017 when I applied to and was hired to work for English for International Students (EIS), a support program for English as an Additional Language (EAL) graduate students at Duke. The Middlebury degree, along with relevant coursework, made me a competitive candidate. EIS provided me with invaluable experience in teaching, curriculum design, and placement exam creation, all of which helped me grow as an educator.
During summer breaks, I was hired by Duke’s Fuqua School of Business to work in their summer program for international students—a program I now lead! This connection first led to a full-time position, and when a lecturing fellow opportunity opened in 2021, I jumped at the chance to expand my role, teaching core courses while continuing to support international students. I love the balance my job provides between being both an educator and a leader.
The TESOL coursework at the Institute played a crucial role in shaping my career. The balance between practical application and theoretical knowledge set me apart in the job market, and I continue to rely on the skills I developed in curriculum design, language program administration, and pedagogy.
My best advice for current students:
The Middlebury Institute provided me with an incredible foundation, and I’m grateful for the connections, knowledge, and opportunities it has afforded me.
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