The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce this year’s Impact Award and Institution and Partner Award recipients. The awards were presented by the Director of Office of English Language Programs, Susan Bell, on Friday, March 22, during the TESOL 2024 Convention and English Language Expo in Tampa, Florida. This distinguished group profoundly impacted the global English language teaching community through their commitment to in-person and virtual cultural exchange.
Impact Awards
English Language Programs awarded eleven recipients the English Language Programs Alumni Ambassador Award, for their service and contributions as a 2023-2024 Alumni Ambassador.
- Chloe Bellows
- Mayonne Granzo
- Melissa Hauke
- Devon Jancin
- Lina Jurkunas
- Farrah Littlepage
- Andrea Lypka
- David Malatesta
- Leticia Medina
- Summer Peixoto
- Christoper Stillwell
Brooke Leach Grable is this year’s recipient of the English Language Fellow Impact Award, presented with appreciation for using her English Language Fellow experience to positively impact teachers and students in Kosovo and continuing to support U.S. foreign policy through educational and cultural exchange in her engagement in the English Language Programs community. Ms. Grable was a Fellow in Kosovo, from 2017-2019.
Dr. Asli Hassan is this year’s recipient of the English Language Specialist Impact Award, presented with appreciation for using her English Language Specialist experience to positively impact teachers and students in Mexico and continuing to support U.S. foreign policy through educational and cultural exchange in her engagement in the English Language Programs community. Dr. Hassan was a Specialist in Mexico in 2023.
James Riley is this year’s recipient of the Virtual English Language Educator Impact Award, presented with appreciation for using his Virtual English Language Educator experience to positively impact teachers and students in Burma and continuing to support U.S. foreign policy through educational and cultural exchange in his engagement in the English Language Programs community. Mr. Riley was a Virtual Educator in Burma in 2023-2024.
Ivana Milosevic is this year’s recipient of the Access Impact Award, presented with appreciation for using her English Access Scholarship Program experience to positively impact the lives of students and teachers in Serbia.
Carlos Angulo is this year’s recipient of the Access Teacher of the Year Award, presented with appreciation for using his English Access Scholarship Program experience to positively impact the lives of students and teachers in Peru.
Mwanaidy Ally Mwacha is this year’s recipient of the Access Teacher of the Year Award Honorable Mention, presented with appreciation for using her English Access Scholarship Program experience to positively impact the lives of students and teachers in Tanzania.
Roman Aguila Lopez is this year’s recipient of the Access Impact Award Honorable Mention, presented with appreciation for using his English Access Scholarship Program experience to positively impact the lives of students and teachers in Mexico.
Esther Nasry Sadek Abadeer is this year’s recipient of the Distinguished OPEN Alumni Award, presented with appreciation for successful completion of three OPEN Global Online Courses (GOCs) – Teaching English to Young Learners, Creating and Implementing Online Courses, and TESOL Methodology – as well as her work cascading knowledge with other OPEN alumni as a MOOC facilitator, OPEN CoP community lead, and high-performing alumna in 2023.
Institution Partner Awards
Hamline University, with appreciation for their M.A. TESOL program being recognized as an English Language Fellow Top Fellow Producing Institution for the 2023-2024 cycle and supporting U.S. foreign policy through educational and cultural exchange. The award was accepted by Julia Reimer, Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the School of Education.
The University of Minnesota, with appreciation for sending the largest number of English Language Specialists selected for the 2023 calendar year and supporting U.S. foreign policy through educational and cultural exchange. To accept the Top Specialist Producing Institution Award on behalf of their departments were:
- Martha Bigelow from the College of Education and Human Development – Curriculum and Instruction. Ms. Bigelow has been a Specialist in India.
- Catherine Clements from the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Ms. Clements has been a Specialist in Mexico.
- Stephanie Hanson from the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Ms. Hanson has been a Specialist in Venezuela, Ecuador, Turkiye, Brazil, Vietnam, and Mexico.
Trout Lake School District, with appreciation for strengthening the relationship between the United States and Mexico through the Virtual English Language Educator Program. The Virtual English Language Educator Partnership Award was accepted by Matt Ihle, Principal of Trout Lake School.
Escuela Normal San Felipe del Progreso (ENFSP), with appreciation for strengthening the relationship between the United States and Mexico through the Virtual English Language Educator Program. The Virtual English Language Educator Partnership Award was accepted by Georgina Segundo, a teacher at ENFSP.
Catherine Brown is this year’s recipient of the Virtual English Language Educator Partnership Award with appreciation for strengthening the relationship between the United States and Mexico through the Virtual English Language Educator Program. Ms. Brown has been a Virtual Educator in Mexico.
Linnea Jaeger is this year’s recipient of the Virtual English Language Educator Partnership Award with appreciation for strengthening the relationship between the United States and Mexico through the Virtual English Language Educator Program. Ms. Jaeger has been a Virtual Educator in Mexico.