Alisyn Gruener
Office
Student Services Building
Tel
(831) 647-6583
Email
agruener@middlebury.edu

Alisyn Gruener is a passionate advocate for student engagement and inclusion in international and higher education. She has diverse experience working with students and colleagues across intercultural and linguistic boundaries, managing communication and recruiting strategies, and developing engagement using digital solutions. She has devoted her career to providing direct one-on-one and community advising to international and domestic students pursuing international exchange, academic degree, and language programs. 

A native of Corvallis, Oregon, Gruener previously worked at an Oregon-based disability rights organization whose mission is to increase disability inclusion in international education programming. She has held multiple positions within language, marketing, admissions and student services departments at the Institute. In her current role of Assistant Dean of Student Life and Engagement, she provides visionary leadership to promote a robust and active student life designed to engage and support current and incoming students. This leadership occurs through the partnership, supervision, development, management and evaluation of student engagement programs including support of student clubs; advisement of Student Council; management of health and wellness as well as leadership development programming; administration of budgets; highly collaborative relationships with colleagues across campus and within the larger Monterey Peninsula community; and other student success initiatives. 

As an adjunct professor, Alisyn offers leadership, mentorship, and guidance for students during the culminating course of the International Education Management program.

Areas of Interest

I am particularly motivated by student success. As a graduate of the Institute myself, I understand the unique challenges that our students experience when trying to balance academic, professional, and personal interests simultaneously over the course of a relatively short timeframe. I am interested in models of experiential and adult learning theory, issues of access and diversity inclusion, and risk management in international and higher education. Additionally, organizational development and communication are continuing areas of professional development for me.

Programs

Academic Degrees

  • MA in International Education Management, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
  • BA in International Studies: International Relations, Diplomacy and Law & Spanish, Robert D. Clark Honors College, University of Oregon

Alisyn Gruener has been teaching at the Institute since 2016.