Welcome New Associate Director, Rogers Walker

As of June 1, 2015, we have welcomed a new Associate Director to Intensive English Programs at the Middlebury Institute! We are thrilled to introduce you to Mr. Rogers Walker. Rogers received a bachelor’s degree in English from George Washington University and a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Teachers College, Columbia University. He has lived and taught English in many places, including New York City, Montreal, Philadelphia, Charleston, SC, Greensboro, NC, and China. In addition to teaching English, he has worked in marketing and business development, and he has served as a school director for an intensive English program. Rogers is passionate about language learning and education. His particular academic interests are in academic writing, communicative grammar instruction, and discourse analysis. In his free time he enjoys working on photography projects, traveling, practicing yoga, drinking coffee, and taking online classes.

We are happy to report that former Associate Director, Katie Dutcher, has chosen to continue with us in a part time capacity as our Summer Programs Manager. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Katie for the tremendous contribution she has made to our Intensive English Programs over the past five years! She will be missed.

Please enjoy this welcome message from Rogers:

Rogers Walker

Rogers Walker, M.A. Applied Linguistics

I am thrilled to be a part of the Middlebury community and the ESL program in Kinnoull House. Since coming to Monterey in June, I have been struck by the hospitality of the MIIS community and the deep sense of collegiality in the ESL program. It always puts a smile on my face to hear teachers chatting outside my office to brainstorm innovative approaches to lessons. I am always eager to pitch in and help teachers with their lessons. I share their passion and excitement about finding new ways to engage students because I am, and always will be, a teacher at heart.

photo

Rogers with a group of Chinese teachers in Shenyang during a teacher training program

I have worked in English language education in various capacities for many years. I have taught all skills and levels in intensive English programs throughout the US. Some of the places that I have taught include Kaplan International in New York City and Philadelphia, Temple University, and the College of Charleston. I most recently served as the program director for a private intensive English program in Greensboro, North Carolina. I have also worked in program development to help improve the curriculum of programs and to establish institutional partnerships with colleges, universities, and other educational organizations.

I grew up in South Carolina, but I caught the travel bug as a kid when my grandmother took me to New York the first time when I was 10. I have been fortunate enough to have travelled and lived in many exciting places since leaving South Carolina at 18 to study English literature at the George Washington University in DC. I later studied abroad in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and subsequently pursued my master’s degree in Applied Linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University. I also spent some time in Montreal, Canada studying French at McGill University. Montreal and French Canadian culture will always have a special place in my heart.

While at MIIS, I look forward to continuing to grow and develop as an educator. I am a firm believer in “learning organizations” where all members are committed to improving their talents to bring innovation to their students and colleagues. With that in mind, I am eager to collaborate with the stellar faculty in the ESL program to continue to refine our already excellent curriculum and to continue to promote innovative approaches to teaching. I am committed to ensuring strong integration with the MIIS community and working with students to help them enroll in MIIS programs that fit their goals. I am also focused on maintaining strong relationships with our partner institutions such as California State University Monterey Bay, Monterey Peninsula College, and Cabrillo College, as well as our own institution of the Middlebury Institute. I will continue to develop these partnerships and seek other committed partners to provide the best opportunities for our students once they leave Kinnoull House.

Please join me in welcoming Rogers to our Intensive English Programs team!

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sites DOT MIISThe Middlebury Institute site network.