Featured

Alumnus Peter Evans: Applying Lessons from MIIS in High-Stakes Policy Debates

Bergthora Gudbergsdottir evag@miis.edu Alumni, CNS, Featured, IPS, newsroom, Nonproliferation
peter_evans

“MIIS Match” Peter Evans and Fumio Evans Miyoshi, with their daughter, “a trilingual third-culture kid!”

When the Assad regime in Syria used chemical weapons against it citizens in the city of Ghouta in August of 2013, Peter Evans (MAIPS ’97) represented the Near East Affairs Bureau of the U.S. State Department’s nonproliferation policy office in the policy discussion of the response. “I applied all that I had learned at MIIS and during my internship at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, and it positioned me to be on top of the topic from the start.”

Peter was first attracted to the Monterey Institute by the Translation and Interpretation program, but once he realized his language skills were not “that good,” he found that the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) offered a great fit for his aspiration to work with the federal government. He was in the first class that was offered a certificate in nonproliferation studies in 1997. Right after graduation, his work with CNS and the internship with OPCW helped him “stand out amidst the crowd of job seekers,” and he joined the State Department as a civil servant in the nonproliferation policy office.

In his first ten years in Washington, Peter worked on UNSCOM weapons inspections and the Australia Group export control regime. Over time, his area of focus moved to military policy issues and he was appointed to a five-year commission in the Foreign Service, working in Jerusalem and Riyadh from 2008-2013. He is currently serving as the deputy director for Jordan and Lebanon in Washington, DC, but will soon be going overseas again as he has been approved for a mid-level conversion to the Foreign Service full time. 

“MIIS graduates are everywhere,” Peter shares happily, noting that he has met classmates all around the world. He says MIIS prepared him perfectly for the career of his dreams. But best of all, while in Monterey he fell in love with and married his wife, Fumio (née) Miyoshi (MATI ’97). “Our 9-year old daughter is already a trilingual third-culture kid!”

 

Recommendation from MIIS Alumnus Leads to Transformative Internship

Bergthora Gudbergsdottir evag@miis.edu development, Featured, IPS, newsroom
michael_lui_cameroon_web

Michael Lui (MAIPS ’15) on the job at his summer internship working for the nonprofit organization Global Compassion in Cameroon.

For Michael Lui (MAIPS ’15), his summer internship working for the nonprofit organization Global Compassion in Cameroon was a transformative experience that he hopes to continue to build upon as he completes his degree in International Policy Studies, with a certificate in Conflict Resolution. For two and a half months Michael worked in the rural municipality of Santchou working on a grant proposal to implement a water project. His work involved researching existing wells and water taps, meeting with stakeholders, consulting with water experts and lots of writing.

The internship was exactly the missing piece Michael had been searching for. “I have always been amazed at the breadth of experience many of my fellow students bring to the class,” he shares, adding that he is a “California boy” who is really interested in conflict resolution as it relates to development issues, but before this summer had no experience working in a developing country. “It changes everything,” he says. Despite having studied poverty, development and conflict case studies for many years, he now says he finally understands what issues such as lack of access to potable water really mean.

Michael learned about the internship opportunity through the Center for Advising and Career Services. They in turn heard about it from recent alumnus Mohammed Makhlouf (MAIPS ’13), who had encouraged the president of Global Compassion to hire MIIS students and notified CACS staff of the position. Mohammed is a part of the very active international Monterey Institute alumni network.

Back in Monterey, where he has just started his third semester of studies, Michael has plans to build on his Cameroon experience as part of his class projects. His language of study is French, and during his time in Cameroon he says he was able to greatly improve his language skills. “Being able to talk to people in French really helped me a lot in my job because I was able to communicate directly and establish rapport with people.” Michael admits the experience was not without its challenges, but he learned a lot about himself and the field to which he aspires. “My main take away,” he says earnestly, is that “the world is full of opportunities and we have the ability to make a big difference if we do things right.”

 

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.”