International Student Services

I have my Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and a Bachelor of Science in special education for the visually impaired and elementary education. I am working on an Ed. D. in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in Adult Education. I have been teaching college-level English language learners since 2007 and have been teaching English to students of all ages and levels since 2005. I have extensive experience presenting at local and international TESOL conferences on a variety of topics. I also contribute to Earlham’s comparative languages & linguistics (CLL) major and co-convene the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) minor in preparing individuals for future careers in language teaching. Since arriving at Earlham in 2014, I have added the role, knowledge and duties of international student advising to my repertoire, assisting students on F-1 visas throughout their four-year journeys. I have a passion for fostering student success in as many ways as possible.

Melissa Cox is the Administrative Assistant in the Center for Global and Career Education. Melissa has been at Earlham for 16 years.  She has been in her current role, with the Center for Global and Career Education, for five of those years.  Previously, she work with the M.A.T. program for eleven years.  Melissa also teaches yoga in the Athletic and Wellness Center.

Hello and welcome to my Earlham College Profile page.  I’m so excited to be a part of the Earlham College community for Fall 2022. Let me share with you a little about myself.  I have a Master of Arts in Education with a specialty in Curriculum and Instruction and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) from the University of Nebraska, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family and Consumer Studies and Environmental Psychology from the University of Utah.  I have been teaching college-level English language learners since 2003.  Since moving to Richmond in 2018, I have been teaching at IUE as an adjunct instructor for both the department of English and Communication.   I have also been working for Richmond Community Schools as a substitute teacher at RHS.

In the past I have been an active member of the TESOL Midwest chapter and have also attended several International TESOL conferences.  I enjoy participating as both a presenter and participant.  I have worked hard over the last twenty years to stay current in the area of international education.  At the University of Nebraska, I worked as the lead proctor for all TOEFL testing and placement of incoming international students.  I also took on the role of developing new classes as necessary to meet the needs of the varying levels of international students.

I have spent time living abroad in several European countries.  I love traveling and experiencing new cultures.  One of the highlights of my life was the privilege I had to teach English at Shandong University in Weihei, China.  What a true learning experience.

I speak German and know what it is like to get to learn a second language.  I love speaking German with my husband, and consider it our “secret” language from our children.  I have been married for over 30 years and am the mother of four wonderful children.  We recently welcomed our first grandson to the family.

I believe in all things international students and want to help you feel welcome here as you start your studies at Earlham College!  Please feel free to reach out at anytime!

Pronouns: They/them/their

Bio. Roger Adkins is a scholar-administrator with a complex profile that includes extensive administrative work and expertise in global learning, ongoing interdisciplinary research and scholarship, and teaching in both domestic and international settings. They are a passionate educator who strives to make global learning accessible for every student, both in on-campus and off-campus settings.

Global Engagement. They studied abroad in Iceland and have led short, faculty-led programs in the UK (England, Wales, and Scotland). They have also visited or worked in: Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Tunisia.

Areas of Expertise. They are also a dedicated educator who believes in helping today’s students prepare for a world of rapidly evolving circumstances and inevitable shifts in professional life. They have experience administering off-campus study programs; advising and mentoring international students and scholars; working in faculty development for global learning; advocating for and working in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion; fellowships advising and administration; and developing new programs, curricula, and approaches in global learning. Roger also has briefer experience in career education, internships programming, community engagement, and community and employer partnerships.

Portfolio.

• Roger manages the Center for Global Education, which includes: English Language Learners courses; International Student and Scholar Services; and Off-Campus Programs
• They also direct the Border Studies Program (Earlham | Non-Earlham) and the Tibetan Studies in India Program (Earlham | Non-Earlham)
• In addition, they convene the Designation of Distinction in Global Engagement
• They are generally an advocate for students seeking fellowships and other prestigious awards and are the main contact for the Beinecke Scholarship; the Boren Scholarship; the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship; the Future Nobel Laureates Scholarship; and DAAD Germany scholarships and fellowships
• Teaching and administrative faculty members interested in Fulbright Scholar Awards may also contact Roger for assistance
• Roger is also Alliance Liaison of Earlham College to the Global Liberal Arts Alliance
• Finally, they help to administer global school-of-record agreements with Earlham College

Teaching. They have taught courses in: career education; comparative literature; creative writing; cultural studies; fellowships success; folklore; gender studies; literatures in English; queer studies; Scandinavian studies; and writing.

Courses Taught at Earlham

• ENG 382 Topics in Genre and Narrative: Alternative Realities
• EPIC 271 Fellowship Foundations
• EPIC 481 Internship
• (Future offering, pending approval: ENG 2XX Introduction to Folklore)

Ongoing Research Projects

• Decolonizing and queering approaches in global learning
• Queer/quare potential of ‘the monstrous Other’ | scifi, folklore, fantasy, future studies, and social justice
• Critically engaged pedagogies: culturally sustaining pedagogies, universal design, antiracism theory and practice
• Best practices in faculty-led and short-term, off-campus programs (study, internships, fieldwork, etc.)

Education

• B.A. English and Creative Writing, Hiram College (Ohio), 1995
• M.A. Gender Studies, and graduate teaching certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Oregon, 1999
• A1-level certificate in Icelandic Language and Culture, Háskola Islands (University of Iceland), 2003
• M.A. (2008) and Ph.D. (2010) Comparative Literature, University of Oregon

Identities. Roger identifies as queer, lives with a disability (not visible), and comes from a working-class background. They were also a first-generation college student. They are passionate about inclusiveness and are very happy to serve as a mentor or advocate for students from diverse backgrounds. They are gender nonbinary and use they/them/their pronouns.