Spring Summer 2015 by Middlebury

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 5 Four alumni receive awards at Commencement.

LEAP OF FAITH 11 Institute legend Jeff Wood retires.

Communiqué SUMMER 2015

Launching the Center for Social Impact Learning

proliferation studies at the Institute. “My two graduate assistants and I were the entire staff at the beginning,” he recalled. Today the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (cns) is the largest nongovernmental organization in the world devoted to combating the spread of weapons of mass destruction, with more than 35 staff located in Monterey, Washington, D.C., and Vienna, Austria. By working with governments and

the center for Social Impact Learning (csil) at the Middlebury Institute celebrated its official launch on March 25 with a full day of events focused around the center’s goal of stimulating interest—especially among the millennial generation—in the emerging fields of social entrepreneurship and impact investing. The center aims to achieve this goal through academics, experiential learning opportunities, and action-based research. Its flagship programs include the Frontier Market Scouts fellowship program, for young professionals and graduate students seeking careers in social-enterprise management and impact investing, and the Ambassador Corps program, a field internship program providing hands-on professional experience for undergraduates working with social entrepreneurship organizations in developing countries. The launch celebration kicked off with a pop-up market comprised of 20 social enterprise kiosks, followed by a diverse program of presentations, poetry, and music. The keynote address by Daniel Epstein, founder and ceo of the Unreasonable Group and director at the Girl Effect Accelerator, was prefaced by remarks from Ron and Marty Cordes of the Cordes Foundation, csil Director Jerry Hildebrand, and former MIIS president Sunder Ramaswamy. The audience also enjoyed a musical performance by Maame Afon maips ’05, stories about the founding of the Frontier

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Graduating students enjoyed comments from UN High Representative Angela Kane and other distinguished guests at Spring Commencement 2015. See story on page 3.

Turning 25 The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies marks a milestone for change. twenty-five years ago, in the waning days of the Cold War, Professor William C. Potter of the Monterey Institute of International Studies recognized the moment of historic change as both an opportunity and a threat. The easing of tensions between superpowers offered the opportunity to shrink nuclear arsenals but also heightened the risk of nuclear materials falling into the wrong hands. Potter’s response was to propose the establishment of a new center for non-

THE VIEW FROM SEGAL

Good Things Comes in Threes

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Institute Jeff Dayton-Johnson.

this issue of communiqué offers much to celebrate, from the 25th anniversary of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (cns) to the launch of the new Center for Social Impact Learning (csil) to the many achievements of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff. As I reviewed the outline for this issue, I was struck by how its contents illustrate three key themes that characterize a Middlebury Institute education: career readiness, immersive learning, and the importance of language. The connection between cns and these themes feels obvious. Where else but at the Institute can a student in a negotiation simulation class interact with the diplomats who actually negotiated the treaty

program that trains “scouts” for two- to twelve-month field assignments during which they identify and collaborate with small-scale entrepreneurs in developing economies, connecting them with capital from impact investors. These assignments require a combination of language and intercultural skills, business sense, and adaptability, and they position scouts to emerge as field-tested leaders in the impact investing sector. Also highlighted in this issue are several examples of our alumni, students, and faculty demonstrating their skill at facilitating communication across language barriers. From interpreting for medical staff and their patients, to translating 17th century Italian operas, to teaching Salinas

This issue illustrates three key themes that characterize a Middlebury Institute education: career readiness, immersive learning, and the importance of language.

their class is discussing? cns gives our nonproliferation students access to unique immersive learning experiences in which they interact with leading professionals in their field, all while honing their diplomatic and language skills. The Center for Social Impact Learning convenes and manages innovative programs focused on social impact investing and is designed to offer students a head start in the field. Among these is Frontier Market Scouts, a unique fellowship

Communiqué

Valley growers Spanish in order to facilitate communication among staff, to helping Japanese officials prepare multilingual promotional materials for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, members of the Institute community consistently serve as a bridge to mutual understanding and collaboration, both on our campus and throughout the world. Career readiness, immersive learning, and language—that is what the Institute is all about. n

MIIS NEWS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Among the speakers

graduates heard from at Spring Commencement were Dean of the Institute Jeff DaytonJohnson, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane, and student speaker Rohan John MANTPS ’15.

Spring Commencement 2015 Two-hundered and fifty-five graduates from 27 countries set out to make change in the world. on may 16, families, friends, faculty, and staff gathered on Colton Hall lawn to celebrate the achievements of 255 students graduating from the Institute. In her address, High Representative for the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane urged graduates to “never stop learning. Hone your oral and written communication skills. Be humble but also proud of what you are doing and stand for. Believe in yourself!” For the women graduating, she added a message based in her own long career in international organizations: “Use your voices and your brains to help the world finally overcome the dark ages of gender inequality.” Most importantly, she urged

graduates to “be a role model for service in the public interest.” In his opening comments, Institute Dean Jeff Dayton-Johnson noted that the class of 2015 included natives of 27 countries, emphasizing the graduates’ abilities to communicate and collaborate across groups, disciplines, cultures, and borders

are sure to “be the key to creating lasting positive change in the world.” Student speaker Rohan John MANPTS ’15 echoed this message, describing an enriching crosscultural student experience that has prepared his class to take on difficult challenges and make a difference in their chosen fields. n

Never stop learning…Be humble but also proud of what you are doing and stand for. Believe in yourself! —ANGELA KANE

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MIIS NEWS

25 Years

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international organizations around the world to disseminate analyses on critical emerging issues and train the next generation of nonproliferation specialists, cns has made unique contributions to promoting a more secure world. The center has adapted over time, adding expertise in chemical and biological weapons and popularizing the use of innovative tools and technologies such as imagery analysis and 3d modeling for verification purposes. cns also continues to be the hub for an ever-expanding network of nonproliferation professionals, with former staff occupying influential positions at the International Atomic Energy Agency and a variety of nongovern-

mental organizations, as well as within the policy-making agencies of nations throughout the world. cns now manages the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation on behalf of the government of Austria. “We’ve accomplished so much over the last 25 years, and yet in some ways it feels like we’re just getting started,” said Potter. “Every day the headlines remind us of the dangers created by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. And every day cns is working to educate people about those dangers.” At the Carnegie Endowment’s 2015 International Nonproliferation Conference in Washington d.c., cns experts dominated

the agenda, serving on a variety of discussion panels. In Middlebury’s D.C. office, cns staff teamed up with Middlebury College Professor Amy Yuen to offer a specially designed intensive nonproliferation course for over a dozen students. And the center recently hosted an anniversary celebration that drew friends, supporters, and alumni from all over the world (see below). A quarter century after its founding, cns has firmly established itself as a leading voice in the global conversation about the threat of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and an indispensable source of research, analysis, and education on one of the most pressing issues of our time. n

GENERAL ROBERT GARD HONORED AT 25TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS cns friends and supporters marked the center’s 25 years as a leader in nonproliferation research and education at a March 25 celebration in Washington D.C. More than 120 MIIS alumni and friends gathered for an evening event that included tributes from leaders such as Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo and U.S. Under-Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller. The event also featured the presentation of the Institute’s Global Citizen Award to one of the key figures in the center’s establishment, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Robert Gard, who served as Institute president from 1987 to 1998. As Jeffrey Dayton-Johnson remarked: “Ideas for research centers are proposed on college and graduate school campuses every day. It takes a visionary leader to recognize which of these proposals are truly unique and vital and fill a niche that genuinely needs to be filled.” Gen. Gard and his wife, Janet Wall, continue to be active supporters of both CNS and the Institute. The Global Citizen Award honors leaders whose vision and actions have had a significant, lasting impact on international affairs and has been given out just three times in the Institute’s 60-year history. Dean of the Institute Jeff Dayton-Johnson, Lt. Gen. Robert (Bob) Gard, Janet Wall, and CNS Director Bill Potter at the center’s 25th anniversary gala celebration in Washington, D.C

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Alumni Achievement Awards when alumni ask us, “What can I do for the school that has done so much for me?” we often simply reply, “Just give of yourself.” Whether you are able to offer time, talent, financial support, or mentoring, you can have an impact—as have these four Alumni Achievement Award recipients, celebrated at Spring Commencement: Linda Childs Hothem baps ’85 received the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. The ceo of Pacific American Group, a successful commercial property management company, has been an active member of leadership councils for both of her alma maters, the other being the University of San Francisco. Linda’s concerns for ocean conservation led her, with her husband, Dr. Giuseppe Esposito, to support to the Center for the Blue Economy. Garvey McIntosh maips ’03 received the Alumni Volunteer Service Award. As an international program specialist at nasa, Garvey travels the globe negotiating agreements. During his first year at MIIS, Garvey served as student body president, received a cns fellowship, and studied Vietnamese. Today he is president of the Washington D.C. alumni chapter and active in shaping the chapter community worldwide. Garvey is married to Melanie Eltz McIntosh maips ’04. This year the Young Alumni Achievement Award went to two people: Adam Stieglitz mpa ’11 and Aaron Ebner mpa ’11, cofounders of the Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development (aasd) and the MIIS student research group Team Peru. Since 2009, the aasd has hosted nearly 150 MIIS students and faculty sponsors in their work to support community-led agricultural initiatives in Peru. The aasd offers students an intensive learning experience that is invaluable both to them and the communities they serve. Visit go.miis.edu/alumniawards for more information. n

In the Shadow of Hiroshima The Critical Issues Forum brings American, Russian, and Japanese high school students together to discuss nuclear disarmament. now in its 18th year, the Critical Issues Forum (cif) gathered students from high schools around the world for a conference on nuclear disarmament in Hiroshima, Japan. From April 2–4, students from the U.S. and Russia joined Japanese students as Japan was commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Institute’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (cns) cosponsored the conference in partnership with Hiroshima Jogakuin Senior High School and Hiroshima Prefecture and City. The conference included multi-day student presentations summarizing the students’ semester-long study of this year’s topic, “Nuclear Disarmament: a Humanitarian Approach.” Many schools investigated the effects of nuclear weapons use on both the environment and humans. A public symposium at the Hiroshima International Conference Center included

remarks by Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida, who is originally from Hiroshima. Kishida congratulated the sponsors and emphasized the importance of disarmament education for the younger generation. The conference received significant media attention in Japan, and nhk, Japan’s national TV station, broadcast the public symposium live. “I believe that this conference was a historic achievement in disarmament and nonproliferation education,” said cif Program Manager Masako Toki maips ’00, “not only because dignitaries such as the foreign minister participated, or because it happened in Hiroshima, but because the students worked so hard to learn about the issues, and because many of them realized that they are the ones who will be responsible for achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.” For more information about the Critical Issues Forum, visit sites.miis.edu/ criticalissuesforum. n

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MIIS NEWS

New Journal and Earth Week Highlight Institute’s Environmental Values

CSIL Launch

continued from front cover FROM LEFT: The Center for Social

Impact Learning’s launch event included a variety of interactive sessions designed to inspire, as well as comments from CSIL Director Jerry Hildebrand.

Market Scouts and real-life experiences working in the social impact sector, and a call to action by a cadre of aspiring change agents. Discussion panels featured social entrepreneurs including Ashoka Fellow and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, a member of the csil Advisory Council. “We were genuinely thrilled to kick off the work of the Center for Social Impact Learning with such a powerful gathering of students, colleagues, social innovators, impact investors, and supporters,” says Hildebrand. Moving forward, the center is focused on exploring new initiatives such as a community-based microfinance fund in

Salinas, a B Corps certification lab for social impact start-up enterprises, an innovation incubator to catalyze MIIS students’ home-grown social business ventures, and an impact investing colloquium featuring notable thought leaders and practitioners in the field of social impact investing. “The Center for Social Impact Learning is a potential game-changer,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Institute Jeff Dayton-Johnson. “Programs like the Frontier Market Scouts and Ambassador Corps offer a direct path into the world of social entrepreneurship and invaluable learning opportunities along the way.” n

Programs like the Frontier Market Scouts and Ambassador Corps offer a direct path into the world of social entrepreneurship and invaluable learning opportunities along the way. —JEFF DAYTON-JOHNSON

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fulfilling a long-held goal, the Center for the Blue Economy recently launched its open-access peer-reviewed Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics. The journal publishes research on the theory and practice of economics as applied to ocean and coastal resources, and the role these resources play in regional and national economies. The journal was made possible by a grant from the Loker Foundation and is available online free of charge at cbe.miis.edu/joce. The first edition, produced by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Charles S. Colgan and his team, includes articles on the role of economics in decision making about fisheries management, an examination of the ocean’s position in national income accounting in Europe and Asia, and the economics of coastal pollution on the Yangtze River in China. Managing Editor Nancy Olsen maiep ’13 laid the groundwork for the journal and website before her untimely death last year (covered in the winter 2015 issue of Communiqué). This spring also saw the biggest celebration yet of Earth Day on the Institute campus. Though not surprising on a campus where students grow their own produce, compost food scraps, and work hard to develop innovative solutions to some of the most pressing environmental and developmental issues of our time, this 45th anniversary of Earth Day brought a particularly impressive schedule of events, including a vegan cook-off, movie screenings, and a range of panels exploring topics such as the financial frontlines of climate change, the connection between surfing and environmental ethics, the roots of our lack of progress on climate change, and how to eat with intention. n

Healthcare Interpreters Recognize Alumni the annual California Healthcare Interpreting Association (chia) conference in Monterey recognized two members of the Institute’s campus community. Johanna Parker mati Spanish ’05 received the chia Trainer of the Year award. Johanna is lead interpreter for education and training at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, and also serves as a freelance conference interpreter and translator and a seminar interpreter for the U.S. Department of State. Johanna teaches medical interpreting at the Stanford University School of Medicine and helped to coordinate the Stanford Health Care Internship Program for Summer 2015. Holly Mikkelson maicc ’76, who leads the Institute’s Spanish Community Interpreting Certificate program, received

Many of our graduates have gone on to become medical interpreters, and I’m thrilled to have been able to help them embark on their careers in this rapidly growing specialization. —HOLLY MIKKELSON

the President’s Award. Holly is no stranger to this sort of recognition from her peers, having been awarded the American Translators Association’s Alexander Gode Medal in 2012. “We couldn’t be prouder of Johanna and Holly,” commented Dean Renée Jourdenais of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education. “They continue to represent our programs with great distinction.” n

Bringing Cleopatra Back to Life professor joe mcclinton has been a self-described “opera geek” since he was a freshman in high school checking opera recordings out of his local library in Pennsylvania. In the intervening years, he mastered German, Italian, and French and even had aspirations at one point to become a conductor. Still, when the opportunity came years later to join forces with Celiné Ricci, the indefatigable founder and artistic director of Ars Minerva, to help translate a longlost opera from the early years of the tradition in Venice, it seemed like a match made in heaven. Ricci wanted to rescue Daniele da Castrovillari’s La Cleopatra from the archives of Venice’s Biblioteca Marciana, where it had been gathering dust since its premiere in 1662. The printed libretto and the score are two different documents and, as Joe would later realize, contain fairly substantial differences. Joe began by translating the 350-year-old libretto from Baroque Italian into English to help the performers better understand the very complicated plot. The next stage involved fine tuning the translation for a modern audience, which involved significant rephrasing to add lyricism and emotion. Joe sat in on rehearsals to be sure his translation would match what was happening on the stage. He laughs when he describes the storyline, which is considerably more complicated than the traditional Anthony and Cleopatra story, and includes other love triangles as well as the escapades of a lecherous nurse and a hapless would-be assassin.

The first modern production of the opera in San Francisco this spring received rave reviews from sold-out audiences and hard-to-please critics. In the early years of Venetian opera, performances were like social gatherings connected to the annual carnival, and revivals were rare. That leaves Ars Minerva with a wealth of old operas in need of resuscitating, and Joe is looking forward to the possibility of more operatic adventures ahead. n

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MIIS NEWS

MIIS in Brief Recent news and announcements from members of the MIIS community around the world. SIGHTINGS The devastating earthquakes in Nepal this May affected millions of people, and MIIS alumni are among those working to support relief and recovery efforts. Archana Karki Chhetri bais ’08, MAips ’09 lives in Pokhara, four hours from the epicenter, and has been raising funds for earthquake relief through her nonprofit organization Empowering Women of Nepal. Bishnu Adhikari MAiep ’07 won the 2010 Choice Humanitarian of the Year award for his work on sustainable development in rural Nepal; he now lives with his family in Kathmandu and has been assisting relief efforts there. Students in Monterey also staged fundraising events to support those affected by the earthquakes. n Professor Avner Cohen, a leading authority on Israel’s nuclear program, curated a trove of declassified documents on the program’s history for release by the National Security Archive at George Washington University. Cohen also coauthored an essay for Politico on the documents’ revelations, which garnered substantial attention, drawing 9,000 comments on Politico. com and hundreds of likes and shares on Facebook. As an observer at Politico remarked, “Not too many historians can attract numbers like those!”

Communiqué

Alumni Relations Director Leah Gowron MAp ’97 arrived in Tokyo for the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (jet) program conference and saw that Nils Bildt MAips ’99 was quoted on the front page of the Japan Times. Nils, president of security consulting firm ctss Japan, was quoted in a February 9 Reuters analysis of attempts to negotiate with Islamic State forces holding two Japanese citizens. n The University of El Salvador communications department published an article describing a pilot academic exchange that the Institute’s Team El Salvador practica had with students at the university’s Marine Sciences and Research Institute. Team El Salvador’s annual winter term practica allows Institute students to hone development skills and improve language and cultural competency through an ongoing partnership with local nongovernmental organizations in the Bajo Lempa region. n The Monterey Herald spotlighted the Institute’s recent focus on water issues—a timely topic in drought-stricken California—in a February 10 article quoting Professor Jeff Langholz. “Our vision is that the city of Monterey can be known internationally not just as a place for great language education, golf courses, and n

car races—but also for water solutions,” said Langholz. n A New York Times story on the resignation of Governor Kitzhaber of Oregon quoted Jim Moore MAips’86, director of the Tom McCall Center for Policy Innovation and an assistant professor of politics and government at Pacific University. n Professor Beryl Levinger and alumna Nikki Gillette bais ’06, Mpa ’07, mba ’09 codirected the research supporting the 2015 State of the World’s Mothers report published by Save the Children. The report’s findings—including ranking the U.S. the 33rd best country for mothers—received extensive media attention. Professor Fernando De Paolis and student Sophie Dresser MPA ’18 also contributed to the research effort for the report.

PRESENTATIONS Cyber Initiative Director Dr. Itamara Lochard spoke at a workshop on “Terrorists’ Use of Cyberspace,” cohosted by the nato Center of Excellence Defense Against

Terrorism and the Macedonian Military Academy Mihailo Apostolski. The Institute was the only U.S. academic institution represented at the workshop. n Past and present cns experts dominated the agenda for the 2015 Carnegie Endowment International Nuclear Policy Conference in March, including Professor William Potter, Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova MAips ’07, Dr. Chen Kane, Miles Pomper, Mary Beth Nikitin MAips ’00, Karim Kamel MAnpts ’11 and Laura Rockwood (currently executive director-designate of the Vienna Center on Disarmament and NonProliferation). Current students and cns visiting fellows also attended.

ACHIEVEMENTS In January, the Chilean government awarded Dr. William C. Potter, director of the Middlebury Institute’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (cns), the Order of Bernardo O’Higgins in recognition of his work in

Alumni Achievement Award winner Garvey McIntosh MAIPS ’03 (see article on page 5) speaks at Spring Commencement as fellow winners Linda Childs Hothem BAPS ’85 (second from right) and Adam Stieglitz MPA ’11 (far right) look on.

the field of disarmament and nonproliferation education. The award is the highest honor conferred on non-Chileans, and was presented at the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with an international conference on nuclear disarmament. “The award was totally unexpected,” says Dr. Potter. “It was a tremendous honor and is indicative of the reputation cns has internationally in the field of disarmament and nonproliferation education.” n In annual rankings this spring, the Institute was listed 21st as one of the “Top Master’s Programs for a Policy Career in International Relations” by Foreign Policy magazine in its Jan/Feb 2015 issue, and 5th by the Peace Corps’ for top volunteer-producing graduate schools across the country. n Students continue to succeed in business-case competitions around the world. The team of Patty Viafara Mba ’18, Derek Musial Mba ’17, Grete Helle Non-degree ’14, and Muhammed Sayed Mba/ MAiep ’15 placed in the top five in the Corporate Knights Business for a Better World case competition. The team of Meagan Braun mba/maiep ’15, Nuan He mba ’15, Jessica Sandoval mba/maiep ’15, and Stephanie Harris mba ’16 achieved a top 10 finish in the Aspen Institute’s 2015 Business & Society International mba Case Competition, earning them honorable mention. And most recently, the team of Cara Hagan mba ’15, Caryn McKinney mba ’15, Nenneya Shields mba/ maips ’16, and Anya Watford

mba ’15 earned an honorable mention in the Nespresso Sustainability mba Challenge. n Institute students and alumni once again tallied an impressive list of fellowships and scholarship awards this spring, including the following: Davis Projects for Peace: Laura Mortara maiep/ mba ’16. Boren Fellowship: Shant Krikorian manpts ’15, Russian, Kazakhstan; Kathryn Smart manpts ’16, Russian, Georgia; James Kent manpts ’16, Arabic, Tunisia (alternate). Critical Language Scholarship: Carly Laywell manpts ’16, Arabic, Morocco; Gretta Herrin maiem ’15, Chinese, China; Ayla Ashford manpts ’15, Chinese, China; and Allison Collopy maiem ’15, Urdu, India. Presidential Management Fellowship: Lewis Dorman manpts ’15 and Zachary Yarnell mba ’13. Nunn-Lugar Fellowship: Benjamin Pack manpts ’14. Fulbright English Teacher Training and Research Awards: Maggie Steingraeber matesol ’12. NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship: Amanda Leinberger maiep ’14, Puerto Rico. nnsa Graduate Fellowship Program: Tom Gray manpts ’15, Andrew Brown, manpts ’14, and Sarah Norris manpts ’14. Congratulations!

COLLABORATIONS In 2014, Lorene Pagcaliwagan matesol ‘94 founded the English as a Second Language program at Gardner WebbUniversity. This spring Lorene wrote to matesol Professor Kathi Bailey and Assistant Dean of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education

Patricia Szasz: “Thank you for all your effort, time, and generosity in helping me in getting this inaugural English and engineering program off the ground. Your insight, expertise, and encouragement helped me tremendously.” n One of two papers Professor Philipp Bleek presented at this year’s International Studies Association Annual Convention was a collaboration with recent grad Navindra Gunawardena manpts ’14 that began as a short memo Navindra wrote for one of his seminars. Navindra now works at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and their paper summarized an ongoing research project on improvised chemical weapons threats.

to return to Monterey to complete my degree,” says the energetic Chisom. He added, “My classes at MIIS provided me with the skills I needed to build the school of my dreams.” n The Country Global Citizenship Report Card, which assesses the ability of individual countries to function as global citizens, unveiled a prototype in April (see www.countryreportcard. org) that rates countries based on six domains: human rights, environmental stewardship, good governance, poverty reduction, global peace and justice, and gender equity. The project is a collaboration between the Global Citizens’ Initiative, Zogby Analytics, and the Middlebury Institute, with Dean of the Graduate

My classes at MIIS provided me with the skills I needed to build the school of my dreams. —CHISOM UDEZE MAIEM ’16

Chisom Udeze maiem ’16 moved to London to finalize plans to open a secondary school in her native Nigeria. After breaking ground on the building, Chisom and partners Christian Lervik and Kim-Andre Nikolaisen were joined by Charley Ruegger mba ’14, the school’s business director. The team expects Xanadu Academy to be fully operational in 2016 if current fundraising is successful. “Hopefully I will be able

School of International Policy and Management Kent Glenzer serving as the project’s research director. n For the 29th consecutive year, Stanford Health Care hired a group of MIIS students as medical interpretation interns. As part of their paid internship, students complete a weekend training session followed by 21 days of work at Stanford hospitals. Graduating student Erin Teske mati ’15, a summer 2014 intern who

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MIIS NEWS recently accepted a full-time position as a relief interpreter with Stanford Health Care, notes that her new employer is “a teaching hospital, so staff members are used to working with students and interns and everyone goes out of their way to give you constructive feedback and help you learn.” This year’s interns are Yanan Cheng maci ’16, Jingxin Lin mati ’16, Jingjing Abby Mo mati ’16, and Yiray Wu maci ’15 (Chinese program); Galina Ryabova maci ’16 and Anastasiia Taranenko maci ’16 (Russian program); and Vianney Cisneros-Stenner mati ’16, Ana Ramirez maci ’16, and Suhey Tapia mati ’16 (Spanish program). n In early May, MIIS cohosted the first Language Capital of the World Cultural Festival in Monterey along with the Defense Language Institute, Naval Postgraduate School, and several other languagefocused organizations in the region. Performances

and activities honoring different cultures were staged throughout the weekend at Custom House Plaza, alongside booths offering international food and beverages. A gubernatorial proclamation in the 1990s declared Monterey the “Language Capital of the World.”

PUBLICATIONS The Routledge Handbook of Interpreting (Routledge), coedited by Professor of Translation and Interpretation Holly Mikkelson maicc ’76 and Dean of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education Renée Jourdenais, features chapters by Professors Chuanyun Bao, Wallace Chen mati ’95 and Jean Turner. n Professor John Balcom authored translations of two books, Grass Roots: Selected Poems by Xiang Yang (Zephyr Press) and Memories of Mount Qilai: the Education of a Young Poet by Yang Mu (Columbia

MIIS MEMORIES Construction of the Samson Student Center, the hub of campus social life today, began in 2000. The center, which includes the café and dining area as well as the Samson Reading and Media Rooms, is named in honor of entrepreneur and philanthropist Joseph Samson (19221998). Since its completion, the Center has hosted countless campus events, including Commencement day receptions.

Communiqué

University Press). n Markus Naerheim’s maiep ’05 new novel Bay of Hope explores environmental conservation and drug trafficking on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula while drawing on his experiences traveling in the region. In addition to authoring four novels, Markus writes a blog on modern culture and is the founder / principal of Creative Earth Consultants, a consulting firm specializing in sustainability. Preview the initial chapters of Bay of Hope at www.markusn.com. n The fourth edition of Teaching by Principles: an Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy (Pearson Education) was coauthored by Professor Heekyeong Lee. n Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Institute Jeff Dayton-Johnson’s new book Latin America’s Emerging Middle Classes: Economic Perspectives (Palgrave Macmillan) reflects on his time as head of the Americas desk at the oecd and features chapters by notable scholars of Latin American development, including two current cabinet members in their respective nations. n cns staff member Elena Sokova coauthored an op-ed for the World Economic Forum on the need for better security for military nuclear materials as part of her work as a member of the Global Agenda Council on Nuclear Security of the World Economic Forum. n “How the Public Can Shape the Future of Drone Use” was the topic of a timely op-ed piece by cns Scientist-in-Residence George Moore, published on April 3 on Truth-out.com.

As the nuclear deal with Iran progressed from rumor to pending proposal, Jeffrey Lewis of cns authored a series of provocative blog posts for Foreign Policy, analyzing the proposed nuclear deal with Iran (“A Skeptic’s Guide to the Iran Nuclear Deal”; “Why a ‘Bad’ Deal With Iran Is Better Than No Deal at All”). Lewis also hosts the Arms Control Wonk blog at armscontrolwonk.com

PASSAGES Described by Professor Emeritus Glynn Wood as “the single person most responsible for the physical shape of the current Institute campus,” former longtime employee Jim Wood passed away on February 25. Over the course of two stints in the U.S. Navy, Jim rose to the rank of Lt. Commander in the Civil Engineer Corps, working on projects including construction of the U.S. base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. In later years he moved to the Monterey area to work at the Naval Postgraduate School before joining the staff at the Monterey Institute. Former Institute President Robert G. Gard remembered Jim as “the Institute’s master builder and my friend. He rehabilitated every falling-down building on the campus and designed and built the McCone Building.” A sculptor who enjoyed working with metal, Jim created numerous pieces still visible in the area today, including the prominent red sculpture in front of the William Tell Coleman Library on campus. n

From Leap of Faith to Institute Legend Spring Break in East Asia as part of their spring seminar on East Asia, Institute faculty members Tsuneo Akaha and Wei Liang organized a trip to Liang’s native China and Akaha’s native Japan, resulting in a spring break adventure that Hirofumi Jinno maci ’15 described as “a real first-hand learning experience.” Thanks to the two faculty members’ personal connections and expertise, the group’s days included visits to universities, government agencies, think tanks, and historical and cultural sites. “Professors Liang and Akaha put together a great schedule for this trip,” said Rafael Hernandez mpa ’15. At a private tour of the National Parliament in Tokyo, both Rafael and Jinno had the opportunity to question local officials and stakeholders directly about issues they are studying. In addition, Jinno and two Chinese colleagues, Lisa Huang maci ’15 and Lan Li maci ’15, provided interpretation services for the group, which was a “great collaboration between student interpreters and policy students,” according to Jinno. Other students spent spring break on the third annual Washington, D.C. trip, which was organized by the Center for Advising and Career Services and included visits to organizations and agencies, sessions with alumni and potential employers, and a policy- and management-focused career fair at Middlebury’s D.C. office. n

when jeff wood arrived at the Monterey Institute in 1985, he recalls, “some faculty offices were literally in closets.” He felt like he was taking a bit of a chance on a school with an uncertain reputation, but he believed in the president and the job that came with the opportunity to move to Carmel Valley with his family. Jeff made the leap from Occidental College, where he was director of alumni and careers, and technically counted a young man named Barack Obama as one of his advisees, although he does not remember meeting him. Among other things, Jeff says he was drawn to the “start-up spirit” of the Institute. Jeff had known then-president Bill Craig from when they were both working in Vermont in the 1970s. A graduate of Middlebury College, Craig is often remembered as the captain of a legendary football team from 1936. “Everyone at the Institute called the president ‘Bill,’ but the head of facilities was ‘Mr. Campbell,’” says Jeff with a chuckle. Jeff saw that President Craig was in the process of “revitalizing the Insti-

tute” and clearly believed Jeff would be an important addition to his team. It turns out he was right, and for thirty years Jeff has had immense impact on the lives of countless students and alumni through his solid guidance and counseling. That includes several of his coworkers and half the faculty now teaching in the translation and interpretation program. “I still vividly remember them as students,” says Jeff. He stays in touch with many of his former advisees and is an irreplaceable resource for alumni information and connections. A member of the Legacy Society, Jeff intends to stay connected to the Institute and says he might now finally have time to attend more events. “The interactions with people are what makes this place,” he says, and we could not agree more. n

I still vividly remember them as students. —JEFF WOOD, SPEAKING OF THE MANY INSTITUTE FACULTY AND STAFF COLLEAGUES WHOM HE ONCE ADVISED

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ALUMNI NEWS

A Lasting Bond A group of six alumnae has gathered every year since 1986. “we keep saying that we should end up in the same retirement home in Monterey and run the place,” says Natalie Morton mba ’86, laughing as she talks about her friends from the Institute. The group made a commitment when they graduated to try to get together every year, and they have kept their friendships strong over the three decades since graduation despite geographical distances, busy careers, and family responsibilities. “It’s almost like a sisterhood,” explains Natalie, describing very comfortable and deep friendships that transcend any petty differences that might come up in daily life. After graduating, Natalie moved to Denver and began what would become an international business career. She had a colorful start selling satellite systems in Africa at times for cash delivered in suitcases and went on to work on policy issues related to import-export, and then, to work for a small company with business in South America and Europe. She eventually moved to Utah, where she oversaw sales in an area spanning from Japan to Australia. “I came to MIIS be-

cause I wanted an international business career, and that’s what I got!” she says. Like Natalie, who was born and partially raised in Morocco and went to elementary school in South Africa before moving to the United States, her five close friends from the Institute all had either been raised outside the U.S. or lived abroad. Some roomed together in Monterey while others connected through class projects and social activities. In addition to Natalie (whose maiden name is Sanders), the group includes Tori Ortiz (Peters) mba ’86, Michele Young (Grau) mba ’86, Estela Macedo (Munoz) mba ’86, Marianne LeTart (Segebrecht) mba ’86, and Marlene Van (Bellone) mba ’86. “I just think MIIS in general brought students together whose international perspectives created a lot of camaraderie,” Natalie says, adding that other MIIS friends sometimes join their gatherings and stay in contact. Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of their graduation and the plan, fittingly, is to celebrate that milestone in Monterey. n

LEFT: Alumnae Tori Peters Ortiz, Natalie Sanders Morton, Jeanie Ensor Watt, Estela Munoz

Macedo, Michele Grau Young and Marlene Bellone Van. RIGHT: Natalie Morton (back row, second from left) with MBA classmates in front of the Segal Building in 1986.

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Japanese Ministry Request Leads to a Global Collaboration collaboration, whether across disciplines, borders, or oceans, is a hallmark of a MIIS education. In January such a collaboration among the greater Middlebury community came about as a result of a request from the government of Japan. Professor Sanae Eda, director of Middlebury’s Schools Abroad location in Japan, first received the inquiry from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, requesting assistance with translation of promotional and tourism materials into Arabic, Italian, Spanish, French, German, and Russian in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Eda connected with Middlebury Dean of International Programs Jeff Cason, Middlebury Dean of Language Schools Stephen Snyder, and the Institute’s Dean Renée Jourdenais of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education. Together they collaborated to develop a winter term project pairing Middlebury College undergraduates with second-year translation students at the Institute. After completing an initial workshop led by Translation Instructor Cristina Silva, students from both Middlebury and Monterey traveled to Japan, where they were joined by Eda and went on site visits to many of the locations described in the promotional materials. Following the trip, the students returned to class with Silva and met with Adjunct Professor Bill Weber, former dean of translation and interpretation at MIIS and a longtime translator/interpreter for the Olympics. Eda and other Middlebury College language faculty continued to support the project as students on both campuses completed the translations. This kind of around-the-world collaboration is exactly the kind of endeavor we hope to foster more of in the future. n

Passing Along Life’s Lessons as a young peace corps volunteer in Sierra Leone, Professor Jeff Langholz was horrified when the people in his village began cutting down the nearby rainforest to clear space for agricultural fields. He pleaded with them to preserve the rainforest and its invaluable biodiversity. Then came what the villagers called “the hungry season,” and he was asked to save a very sick two-year-old child. The child died in his arms. “The next year I was out there leading the charge—we were going to plant more crops so no other children would die in my arms,” he says. It was a tough lesson about land management, one that changed the trajectory of his life. “You could say I found my passion.” Today Langholz is a faculty member in the International Environmental Policy program. On one level, his Peace Corp experience laid the foundation for his approach to life. “When I look back on my life as I take my last breaths, I want to be able to give myself a high five for having made a lasting, positive impact.” After working on environmental policy issues in Washington D.C. for several years, Langholz went on to earn a PhD in natural resource policy and management at Cornell. “If creating policy is the best way to leverage your impact, then nothing can beat training groups of amazing young people to do that every year.” At six feet two inches Langholz cuts an imposing figure, but students quickly warm up to his frequent smiles and encouragement. “I get a lot of satisfaction from helping students.” He has a system for taking any goal a student might have—a dream career, a prestigious fellowship, a memorable speech—and working backwards to identify all of the steps needed to get there. As a self-described “life-hacker,” he even publishes tip sheets for achieving your goals. “They work like a charm,” he says with a big grin that’s full of contagious enthusiasm. n

The next year I was out there leading the charge—we were going to plant more crops so no other children would die. —JEFF LANGHOLZ

Spanish instructor Irma Astier (second from left) working with Steinbeck Country Produce staff in the field.

Cultivating Communication chris huntington is helping to grow more than lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, and strawberries on the ranchos of the Salinas Valley. Through the Institute’s Custom Language Services (cls), the ceo of Steinbeck Country Produce is cultivating intercultural communication among his employees. As a graduate of the cls program, Chris saw firsthand the value of his Spanish-language skills when interacting with Steinbeck employees. Based on his experience he decided to provide language training for other staff to improve communication throughout the organization. cls Spanish Instructor Irma Astier applies a content-based instruction approach, bringing authenticity to the language program by connecting classroom learning with real-world applications. At Steinbeck, she spent time with the field foremen, learning the process of preparing the soil, caring for the plants, and then cutting, cleaning, and packing the vegetables. She used that knowledge to prepare relevant materials for the classroom. She also facilitates excursions to el rancho, where learners practice their skills on the job with native Spanish speakers, bridging the traditional divide between corporate and field employees. This customized inter-language experience paves the way for better communication and intercultural understanding within the company, which Chris sees ultimately as key to better serving his customers. n

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Transcontinental Teamwork Alumnus Andrew Silberman mba ’88 embodies the endlessly adaptable international professional. andrew silberman mba ’88 traces the roots of his success in international executive training back to all the collaboration he did while a student at the Institute. “It was sometimes very frustrating,” he said, laughing, “and I absolutely did not want to do it at the time.” For his career in communications, the many lessons and experiences he had—particularly in multicultural communications—have proved very relevant. There were very few options to study business with an international focus when Andrew was looking for a program in the mid-1980s, and the Institute offered a great program and a substantial

scholarship. “Plus, it was in Monterey, the most magical place in the world.” As an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, Andrew had studied in Spain and saw himself as a little different from other students because of that international experience. “But when I came to MIIS, that was just a given: everyone was like that!” After graduating from the Institute, Andrew moved to San Diego and began teaching business courses to international businesspeople. “It was during Japan’s bubble economy, and the biggest concentration of students came from there,” he said. Two classmates encouraged him to move to Tokyo and offer the same services

Andrew “Atkins” Silberman mba ’88 (second from right) performs with his rock band Moonshoots.

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there. And so, almost 23 years ago, a Spanish-speaking California boy made his way to Japan and eventually established a business offering high-performance training for business professionals. He has stayed in close contact with many of his Institute friends and has employed several, including current employee Tanja Bach maips ’95. And through his alter ego of Andy Atkins, Andrew engages in another kind of multicultural teamwork with bandmates from Japan, the Congo, and Texas as the lead singer of the rock band Moonshots (below). His advice for students graduating from the Institute today? Stay in touch with your classmates. n

Communiqué EDITOR

Jason Warburg ASSISTANT EDITOR

Eva Guðbergsdóttir CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Leah Gowron Masako Toki DESIGN

Paul Dahm

When the Stimson Center went looking for experts to discuss small arms proliferation in Syria and Iraq, they ended up with four Institute alumni: Jonah Leff mpa ’07, Rachel Stohl maips ’97, Shawn Harris mpa ’13, and Tim Michetti maips ’14.

A Call to (Track) Arms it’s not surprising to see Institute alumni play a role in discussions of important policy issues; it’s a logical outcome of the highly relevant and hands-on training they receive. What’s unusual is to see a panel at a high-level policy gathering—in this case, a Stimson Center event focusing on tracking weapons in Syria and Iraq—made up entirely of Institute graduates, including the moderator. To open the session, Jonah Leff mpa ’07, director of operations at Conflict Armament Research (car), delivered a presentation about car’s efforts to identify and collect weapons and ammunition used by isis in Syria and Iraq. The discussion that followed was hosted by Rachel Stohl maips ’97, senior associate at the Stimson Center and a highly regarded expert and frequent media commentator on small arms and drones, and it featured panelists Shawn Harris mpa ’13 and Tim Michetti maips ’14, who both work with Jonah as field investigators. “We found that there was a great need to bring evidential fieldwork to the policy discussion,” shares Jonah, describing how

car sends small teams to conflict zones to track conventional weapons, establish where they were manufactured, and track the chain of custody. This project is largely funded by the European Union and all of its data is publicly available via an online database called iTrace. In addition to their fields of expertise, another shared connection is Professor Ed Laurance, a longtime United Nations advisor and leading figure in setting global standards for controlling small arms proliferation. Jonah’s interest in this topic was first piqued, and then nurtured, by Professor Laurance, who later connected him with Rachel, now a frequent collaborator. When he began his new role at car and needed to hire skilled investigators, he reached out to Ed again and found Tim and Shawn. As Ed notes, “Nothing is more rewarding than seeing my students become well-known professionals and colleagues in the field of security and development.” He adds that he particularly enjoys “observing them doing the same things as I used to do, only much better!” n

PHOTOGRAPHY

Eva Guðbergsdóttir, Wes Hollingsworth, Randy Tunnell, Jason Warburg VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Bill Burger

CALL FOR CLASS NOTES

A new position, relocation, baby, publication, marriage? We want to hear from you. Send your update via the alumni website at alumni.miis.edu or email it to alumni@miis.edu.

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Make your way back to Monterey ALUMNI REUNION: OCTOBER 2–4, 2015 Mark your calendar now and register today for a fantastic reunion weekend in Monterey! An exciting array of events, presentations, and social gatherings are scheduled. Don’t miss out on important reunion communications. Update your contact information at go.miis.edu/contactinfo and check out our reunion website for the latest details at go.miis.edu/reunion2015. We can’t wait to see you in Monterey during Reunion 2015.