Author: Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu

Holland Center Renovation Begins, with Plans to Reopen Student Facility in December

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu Featured, newsroom
Holland Center Renovations

The Holland Center is undergoing a major renovation project this fall; this image shows the initial demo work almost complete.

Work began this week to renovate the Holland Center, located on Van Buren Street on the Monterey Institute campus. The plan is for principal construction to be completed in December and the new student facilities to open before the start of the spring semester in late January.

The Holland Center has long served as a favorite place for Monterey Institute students to convene, whether to work on class projects, host social gatherings or play a game of ping-pong. The building is really a hybrid of three separate buildings or additions, and served as the Institute’s cafeteria before being replaced by the Samson Student Center in 2001.

The renovation is partially donor-funded and incorporates key concepts that the Student Council identified that they would like to see in a refurbished Holland Center. The project will open the space up into one large area divided into flexible sections. There will be a kitchen area where students can heat up meals or store their food in a refrigerator, and tables both inside and out on the large new patio. There will also be space for students to work together in groups, making use of large flat-screen televisions that can be used as display monitors, or just to kick back and enjoy watching a film or sporting event together. And of course, continuing a MIIS tradition, there will be a ping-pong table.

“This is a very exciting project for us,” says Director of Facilities Andrew Hernandez, who is overseeing the renovations, beginning with stripping the building down to the frame and overhauling all wiring and plumbing. There is considerable excitement on campus about this project, and as is characteristic of the Institute’s enterprising community, people have already started to develop their plans to make good use of this happy addition to the MIIS campus.

MIIS Welcomes 373 Students from 35 Countries as Orientation Begins

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu Community, Featured, newsroom
Incoming Class

Members of the incoming class at the Monterey Institute kicked off orientation with the President’s Welcome session held at the historic Golden State Theatre in downtown Monterey.

For 373 individuals hailing from 35 different countries—the incoming fall class at the Monterey Institute—this week marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey that will set them on a path to their chosen career. Members of this year’s class are enrolled in one of the thirteen graduate degree programs offered at the Institute, are native speakers of two dozen languages, and bring with them a wide range of experiences and cultural backgrounds.

One of the highlights of the orientation week is spoken-word performance based on responses the incoming class gave on a questionnaire sent out earlier this summer, along with some excerpts from their statements of purpose. This year the theme of the performance was the important personal connections that students form with each other while at Monterey, and the close-knit community of MIIS alumni they will soon be joining.

So who are these people? Following is a snapshot of some of their responses addressing that very question:

  • “a wanderer, ponderer, dreamer, explorer” 
  • “a basketball mania nerd” 
  • “a Caribbean American” 
  • “raised in the military but quite the hippie” 
  • “I know what it is to be homeless and hungry” 
  • “I am from France. I eat way more cheese than the average person.” 
  • “I am from Shanghai, China. The tremendous change there lets me believe that I should never underestimate my potential”

…and hopefully they all agree with the student who simply replied: “I am ready!”

Celebrating its First Decade, DPMI Program Goes through Renewal, Reinvention

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu DPMI, Featured, newsroom
DPMI Kenya Team

DPMII Kenya underway, with Prof. Beryl Levinger (center left, in blue) leading the group.

At its core a cutting-edge institution, the unique, intensive, development-focused three-week Development Project Management Institute (DPMI) program seems ageless. Nonetheless, as “nae man can tether time or tide” (in the words of Robert Burns), 10 years have passed since its inception, and that is worth celebrating. “A decade of DPMI has produced over 1,000 alumni using their skills everywhere in the world,” remarks founder and fearless leader Professor Beryl Levinger.

This year also marks the change of the official name of the program from Development Project Management Institute to Design, Partnering, Management and Innovation – still DPMI! Levinger shares that the “process of renewal and reinvention means seeing ourselves not only as responders to international development trends, but also shapers of them.”

The DPMI alumni network is vibrant, diverse, and a source of wonderful social capital for past, present, and future program participants, says Levinger, noting also that there is “nothing more rewarding than seeing a DPMI team in action responding to a development challenge by drawing on culturally diverse perspectives, deep social interaction, and a rich toolbox of tools and approaches.” Apart from Monterey and Washington D.C., the program has been offered in Ecuador, Egypt, Rwanda, and beginning this year, in Kenya.

DPMI alumni are encouraged to share their stories on the anniversary website found at go.miis.edu/dpmi.

Summer Intensive Language Program Offers 31 Tips for Learning a Language

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu Featured, language_learning, newsroom, SILP
SILP Tips

Summer Intensive Language Program students relaxing after a fun get-together over a game of ping-pong.

As the Monterey Institute’s Summer Intensive Language Program prepares to wrap up for the season on August 8, its faculty and staff have gathered a very useful guide to learning a new language. Over the month of July, they shared one tip per day on Facebook – totaling 31 tips that we have now compiled into a list for anyone interested in acquiring a foreign language:

1. Find your style. Take a learning style survey so you can understand how you learn best.
2. Pop music. Find out who the most popular musicians are in your target language and
listen to their music.
3. Find someone to talk to. Find a key pal or conversation partner so you can practice together.
4. Make Siri your partner. Switch Siri’s or other voice’s language on your smartphone so you can practice with a handy partner.
5. Computer games. Give DuoLingo a try: a “gamified” way to learn languages on a computer or mobile device.
6. Language setting. Add the appropriate international keyboard to your smartphone or tablet so you can type in the language.
7. Take notes. Utilize flash cards or keep a small notebook of words and phrases to practice on the go!
8. Listen before speaking. When first learning a language, attempt to listen as much as possible instead of trying to speak it. The first step in learning a language is “acquiring an ear” for it.
9. Company. Two words: group study!!
10. Learn from failure. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!
11. Shopping lists. Use every day scenarios to practice thinking in your target language. At the grocery store? Think about your shopping list in your language.
12. Digital flashcards. Use Quizlet or another free digital flash card program to make environmentally friendly (and more reliable!) flashcards for practice.
13. Humor. Read cartoons or comics in your target language.
14. Dictionaries. Use free online dictionaries.
15. Podcasts. Waiting in line? Stuck in traffic? Use this time to listen to a podcast in your target language.
16. Take a break. Don’t forget to take a break to give yourself a chance to fully process all the new vocabulary and grammar!
17. Subtitles. Watch movies and videos with subtitles in your target language.
18. Sing in the shower. Practice pronouncing unique sounds in the target language while in the shower, or just let loose and sing!
19. More than words. Don’t stop at just learning the language. Learn about different aspects of the culture, such as food, dance or even a martial art!
20. Your daily life. Make learning vocabulary a part of your everyday routine. Post note cards around your home with words for bed, sofa, computer, refrigerator, etc. Practice pronouncing these words every day.
21. Know the history. When learning a new writing system, such as Chinese characters, knowing the history behind the characters may help you remember how to write them.
22. Culture in your neighborhood. Look for cultural events or centers in your area where you can engage with native speakers of the language you’re learning and immerse yourself.
23. Invent mnemonics. Invent interesting or funny mnemonics to help you memorize new vocabulary or concepts.
24. Game Night! Play games you’re familiar with in the target language, such as Russian Scrabble. Or learn a new game from the country and some phrases unique to it!
25. Lyrics you already know. There are often foreign versions of popular or classic songs. You already know the music and tune, so it’s just simply practicing with the new vocabulary.
26. Speak up! Whether you are in class, with a partner or studying alone, saying key phrases and new words out loud is more helpful than simply reading them on paper.
27. Don’t get stuck on a word. When reading, don’t get hung up on translating word for word. It’s better to learn the overall meaning of the sentences first.
28. Set goals when watching TV programs or videos. For example, hearing the main points of a news story, such as the time, date, place and names of the people involved.
29. Free Apps! Take advantage of the numerous free apps available related to language learning!
30. Set realistic goals. Becoming a master of a new language doesn’t happen overnight and it can be easy to get discouraged.
31. Get help! Enroll in an intensive or immersive language program to activate your language skills!

Thanks in Order as Gifts to the Monterey Institute Double

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu donors, Featured, newsroom
Thank You

Thank you to the generous donors who continue to support the Monterey Institute and our students!

Gifts to the Monterey Institute more than doubled in the fiscal year ending on June 30 as compared to the previous year. Gifts received over the 2013-14 fiscal year totaled $6,510,088, more than twice the $3.1 million received in 2012-13. Participation was up across the board, with total donors increasing 34 percent and alumni donors jumping 50 percent.

For the fourth year in a row, the Institute met the “Multiply the Good” challenge, raising more than $1 million in gifts of $5,000 or more and thereby triggering a $500,000 match from an anonymous donor. Year-end results also benefitted also from an alumni-focused challenge in June, which generated 541 gifts totaling more than $125,000.

“To have giving to the Institute double year over year is gratifying and humbling,” commented MIIS President Sunder Ramaswamy. “The loyal support that MIIS has earned over the years continues to grow, and these contributions will help to make a top-quality international graduate education accessible for the next generation of students.”

To learn more about the wide range of gift opportunities at the Monterey Institute, please visit our Giving page.

Fulbright Scholars from 17 Countries Refine English and Academic Skills at MIIS

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu ESL, Featured, Fellowships, Fulbright, International Student, newsroom
Fulbright Scholars

Fulbright students from around the world gathered for a welcome reception at the Monterey Institute in late July, 2014.

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and for many of the Fulbright scholars attending the pre-academic program at the Monterey Institute, the time they spend here is their first introduction to the United States. It has become a cherished summer tradition for MIIS to host the Fulbright English for Graduate Studies program here on campus, providing academic courses as well cultural experiences.

The students attend English language courses with Monterey Institute faculty, attend lectures by various faculty and community members touching upon different aspects of life in the U.S., and attend “Graduate Student Life Skills” workshops focusing on real-life issues such as health and safety, banking, computer skills, getting along with roommates and more.

Cultural activities include hiking at Garland Ranch, visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, traveling to San Francisco, participating in dinners at the homes of Monterey County community members, and attending a Monterey Institute community traditional Iftar dinner to celebrate the breaking of the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Among volunteer activities the students participate in are giving cultural presentations at the Boys & Girls Club, and helping with United Way‘s “Stuff the Bus” event this Saturday to provide school supplies to children in need.

“One of the things I really value about this program is that it helps the participants build a strong support network,” says Katie Dutcher, assistant director of Intensive English Programs. The students come from countries as far away from each other as Nicaragua and Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Albania, and after their experience in Monterey they depart to universities all over the U.S., returning home upon completion of their studies. “During this first month, all of these diverse and amazing people get to meet and form a team, and I love the way they support and encourage each other throughout their studies.”

One of the scholars said at the welcome reception that he believed there was a very negative impression of the U.S. in his home country, but after his time in Monterey he would tell everyone how wonderful the people are. No need to ask for a second chance at that first impression!

Anonymous Donor Pledges $1.8 Million to Support Center for the Blue Economy

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu CBE, donors, Environment, Featured, Fellowships, IEP, newsroom

Trent Hodges.jpg

Student Trent Hodges’ summer 2014 fellowship working on ““surfonomics” with Save the Waves in Mexico was funded by generous supporters of the Center for the Blue Economy, and included the opportunity to participate in a “paddle out” ceremony.

The Monterey Institute has received a $1.8 million challenge gift that aims to both support and inspire the continued growth and expansion of the Institute’s ocean and coastal economics research and education center, the Center for the Blue Economy.

The gift has three components: a $600,000 outright gift in the first year (beginning July 1, 2014), and challenge matching gifts of $600,000 in each of the following two years, with the goal of generating at least $3 million for the center’s operations over the next three years.

“This generous challenge gift will help to ensure the continued vitality and growth of the Center for the Blue Economy over the next several years,” commented MIIS President Sunder Ramaswamy. “It should serve to inspire other individuals, foundations, and grant-makers to meet this donor’s challenge and raise additional major support, including endowed funds, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Center. I look forward to working with potential supporters worldwide who care about the future of our oceans.”

CBE Director Jason Scorse, a MIIS professor who also chairs the school’s Master of Arts in International Environmental Policy program, said “this new gift and the challenge it kicks off will allow the CBE to build upon the strong momentum generated over the past two years. It will allow us to expand our economic databases and analyses into new and important policy areas where economic data is lacking. We will also launch our new Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics this year, expand our international efforts beyond Asia and Europe, and be able to provide significantly more financial support to students enrolling in the ocean and coastal resource management concentration in our International Environmental Policy program.”

“The CBE is uniquely positioned to make the economic case for ocean conservation and to better inform decision makers with important economic information long absent from policy dialogue,” added Scorse. “We hope to play a key role in helping to shape policies on ocean and coastal issues in the years ahead.”

Students Share “Amazing” Experiences from CBE Summer Fellowships

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu Alumni, Faculty, Featured, newsroom
Kelsey Richardson

Student Kelsey Richardson on her fellowship at the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi.

An internationally recognized hub of ocean research and advocacy, Monterey Bay is also known for one of the nation’s most spectacular marine protected areas, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This fertile environment is an inspiration to all students at the Monterey Institute, but perhaps most pertinent to those who are enrolled in the International Environmental Policy program’s Ocean and Coastal Resource Management concentration.

Building on their studies in Monterey, students are eligible for fully funded summer fellowships with top marine organizations through the Institute’s Center for the Blue Economy. This summer, ten students are working on projects directly related to their career goals ranging from fishery policies to surfonomics to global marine litter issues. Some have traveled as far as Denmark, Kenya or Micronesia, while others have picked assignments closer by. We checked in with several of the fellows for a mid-summer report.

Working with the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Ocean Research team in San Francisco has been “amazing,” says Jessica Ann Morten (MAIEP ’15). She is working with the team on several ongoing fisheries policy projects but taking the lead on putting together a research paper on EDF’s global fishery management strategy.

Her classmate Trent Hodges (MAIEP ’15) has been working with the Save the Waves Coalition in Baja, Mexico, collaborating with community members, surfers and conservationists to envision and plan for a “future with healthy waves and a robust local economy.” Part of his work is to build capacity and develop a surfonomics research plan to capture the economic value of surfing. A highlight of his time in Baja was participating in the dedication of the Bahia Todos Santos Surfing Reserve with a paddle out of international and local surfers.

Also in Mexico is Sara Pfeifer (MAIEP ’15) who is working with Nature Conservancy on a cost-benefit analysis for development on the Costa Maya coast of Quintana Roo. Her fieldwork included a month-long journey along the coastline of southeastern Mexico.

Not too far away is Jordan Sanchez who is working with EcoViva in El Salvador. You can follow his work with local fishing cooperatives on his blog.

Another talented blogger is Matt Nichols (MAIEP ’14) who started the summer in Norway learning about the Norwegian Model for natural resource management and policy but has now moved across the Skagerak strait to Denmark where he will start his internship with Maersk Drilling.

Mairi Miller (MAIEP ’15) has spent the summer working on the Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone where she has been helping bolster efforts to combat illegal fishing through community engagement. Also in Africa is Kelsey Richardson who is working on issues related to global marine litter for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). She says it is “a bit ironic to be here on a CBE fellowship and totally landlocked in Nairobi, but the nature of the work is exactly what brought me to MIIS, and I am continually challenged and learning more with every day.”

For more information about the CBE Fellowships and a complete listing of fellows, visit the CBE website.

Alumna Satomi Kobayashi: Around the World and Back Again

Anne-Marie Steiger asteiger@miis.edu Alumni, careers, Featured, language_teaching, newsroom, TFL
Alumna Satomi Kobayashi

Satomi Kobayashi (MATFL ’97).

Growing up in Japan, alumna Satomi Kobayashi (MATFL ’97) always dreamt of traveling the world and volunteering for the good of others. Her practical side led her to the field of language teaching and the Monterey Institute. It turned out to be the perfect environment for both interests.

“While I was still a student at MIIS, I got an offer too hard to resist,” she shares, adding that the offer was for a teaching position at a local private high school that included covering her tuition. While teaching at the high school, she joined Operation Crossroads of Africa and spent her summer setting up youth groups in one of the most impoverished areas of Malawi. She was hooked. The following year, Satomi was off to Nepal to work in the Bhutanese refugee camps. In 2001, she took a sabbatical from teaching and worked for a year as a volunteer for two non-profit organizations in Tanzania.

At that point Satomi was at a crossroads in her life, and her career. “I wanted a family and I also had to think about a steady income,” she says of her decision to return to teaching and to Monterey. “It was not an easy decision, but I realized that most of the people working in the field were either single or not living in the same country or area as their family.” Satomi currently works for the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in the test management division.

“I am very happy with the choices that I made,” she remarks and adds that working at DLI is a little like MIIS in that she gets “to learn about other cultures through differences in customs, food, or from anecdotes and life stories.” Her hope is to retire early and use her income to continue her volunteer work, to fulfill her wishes to “do something good for the community, country, or the world!” She values greatly the balance she has with her family life and job at DLI and says that none of that would have been possible without MIIS.