Christiane Magnido

I am a native of Cameroon, and I am passionate about education. I hold a master’s degree in business management from the University of Dschang and a master’s degree in development and peace from the Protestant University of Central Africa. I recently joined Middlebury Schools Abroad as Director of the School in Cameroon. Before Middlebury, I was the Academic Director of SIT Study Abroad in Cameroon for 17 years. In this position, I oversaw the administration of the program, designed the academic program and syllabi for five program courses, taught the research method and ethics course, and a virtual course on women’s rights and resilience in conflict situations. I recruited relevant and experienced professors for lectures and worked with program staff, partner institutions and internship providers for conducive field-based learning for students. I also facilitated students’ learning and experiences in the classroom, during field activities, and in the community. Before SIT, I worked with the Peace Corps for five years as a cross-cultural, language, homestay coordinator, and co-technical trainer for the Small Enterprise Development project. I supported Peace Corps volunteers during pre-service training in learning the target language, adapting to living with Cameroonian homestay families, integrating smoothly into the community, and understanding how small businesses and microfinance institutions worked in Cameroon. With a team of French trainers, I wrote a French manual for trainees and trainers of the Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced levels.