CONTACT

Hi! Welcome to the ELI staff page. My name is Jane Robison, and I’m the English Language Institute Director.  I began working with the ELI program more than five years ago when it was in the developmental stages. I have enjoyed seeing many, many students successfully complete our classes and go on to study in the university. My bachelor’s degree is in art and my master’s degree is in English with an emphasis in TESOL. I also have teacher certification in art, English, and TESOL. I enjoy traveling abroad, singing in a civic choir, and spending time with my family--my husband, two sons (who are both civil engineers) and my grandchildren. I look forward to meeting you soon!

¡Hola! My name is Alicia Coverston. I am the Administrative Secretary in ELI, and the first voice you hear when you call ELI. I’m originally from Puerto Rico but have lived in the U.S. for many years. I also had to learn English as my second language and understand what you have to go through to learn English. I have been in ELI since June 2006, but previously worked with international students at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. I enjoy working with international students and helping them through the process of admission to our program. On a personal note, I enjoy singing, sewing and reading. My husband and I have two children—a daughter who lives in Indiana with her husband and my grandson Jaxson and a son who lives in California with his wife. Give me a call—I look forward hearing from you!

Hi! My name is Pascal Hamon, I am originally from Nantes, France but I have been working and studying in Springfield, Missouri for the last 14 years. I completed a Master's degree in TESOL from Missouri State University in 1999 and I have been an ELI instructor since 1998. I also spent 3 years teaching at the Missouri State University Branch campus in Dalian, China (2001-2004). I have had to learn English myself and I know how frustrating and rewarding it can be. I am looking forward to helping you better your skills. Welcome to the ELI!

Hi, I’m Paula Moore. I have a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from Illinois State University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Missouri State University. I started teaching at the English Language Institute at Missouri State University in 1998, and I have lived and taught English in South Korea and Taiwan. While I was in Taiwan, I also studied Mandarin Chinese. In my free time, I enjoy reading, canoeing, hiking, and watching movies. Hope to see you at the ELI!

Howdy! I’m Maureen Templeman. I am a native of Florida and I have lived in many different parts of the USA, and also in Ireland and Spain. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Education, both from the University of Florida - go Gators! I have taught ESL at the University of Florida, the University of Alabama, and in Spain. I am a full-time Instructor here at the ELI and I also work with the Conversation Partner Program and the Student Council and Activities Program. I love helping the students with English and also helping them understand American culture. In my free time, I really enjoy hanging out with my dog, traveling, speaking Spanish, learning new things, cooking, music, American football, and nature. I can’t wait to meet you at the ELI!

Greetings! I am Terry Miller Barakat and I have been an English Language Instruction Specialist in the ELI at MSU since August of 2007.  Before that, I taught in both the Success Center of Marshalltown Community College and the Culture & Intensive English Program of the University of Northern Iowa, which is where I earned my Masters degree in TESOL. I have been involved in adult education in both school and business settings.  I taught management leadership development and sales & customer service training for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I grew up near Chicago where I became an early language learner. I have studied French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Arabic, and traveled to many countries where these languages are spoken.  I love to cook and eat great food, watch good movies, read interesting novels, and listen to fabulous music.  Come see me soon at the ELI and we can compare favorite songs!

Hello! My name is Liza Armstrong. I have a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Truman State University. I started teaching at the English Language Institute at Missouri State University in Fall 2007. I have also taught ESL at Northern Arizona University and Al Akhawayn University in Morocco. While in Morocco, I learned a little Arabic and was able to practice my French, which was really fun since I am interested in different languages. In addition to language learning, I enjoy watching movies, traveling, cooking, talking with family/friends, walking outdoors, and listening to music. I hope to see you at the ELI!

Hi!  I'm Ian Nichols, and I'm a part-time instructor at ELI.  I grew up in Arkansas and came to Springfield to study English Literature.  I liked the city so much that I've made it my new home.  I got a Master's Degree in English Literature and a Graduate Certificate in TESOL from Missouri State University.  I taught academic and creative writing at Missouri State before starting to teach at ELI in the summer of 2007.  Books and computers are my oldest hobbies, but I also enjoy traveling and meeting new people.  I love working in a school where people want to learn.  I hope I get the chance to see you in class.

Hello. My name is Phil Bridges and I'm a part-time instructor at the ELI. I've been teaching at the ELI since summer '07, and have also taught academic writing for native and non-native speakers and creative writing courses at MSU. I've also worked with high school groups from Colombia and Ecuador here at the ELI. I finished my Master's Degree in Literature, Graduate Certificate in TESOL, and Bachelor's Degree in Literature and French at Missouri State. In my spare time, I play music, read, study languages (only French and Spanish so far), travel, and watch baseball. I hope to have you in class, to get to know you, and to help you learn English and Springfield.

Hi. My name is Christy Conaway. I was born in Haiti and moved to California when I was 16. I moved to Missouri for college and graduated from Evangel University with a major in English and a concentration in French. After college, I taught English at an English institute in Changwan, South Korea. When I got back to the United States, I moved to Texas and taught English as a Second Language and Developmental Writing at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth. Two years ago, my family and I moved to Springfield. I started at ELI in the fall of 2007 and have thoroughly enjoyed teaching here. I love meeting people from all over the world, and I love learning about the different cultures and perspectives of my students. See you at ELI!

Hello. My name is Shauna MacDonald. Currently, I teach Reading at the ELI and a Writing class for the English Department at MSU.   Although I have taught for many years, I am currently a graduate student studying TESOL.  Working here is a great experience because the students and other faculty are so nice.  When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time with my family or working on my garden. We'd love to have you join us here!

Hello! I'm Kelly Money. I'm a native of Missouri, but I've lived in several other places around the United States.  I have a Bachelor's degree in English from Missouri State University and I'm currently working on my Master's degree in the same subject. I have taught ESL students in beautiful Alaska. Now I'm a graduate assistant instructor at the ELI and I love it! In my free time, I enjoy learning other languages, traveling as much as possible, and backpacking. I hope to see you soon!

Hi, I’m Sunjoo Do from Seoul, Korea. I taught English to children through young adults in my country, and I have now been with international students for almost two years. I enjoy teaching and learning English. I often think of myself as both a teacher and a learner because I’ve been learning tons of things from students.  I’m currently doing my master’s degree at TESOL at Missouri State University. Being an English learner as a second language over 10 years, I understand how you might feel about the learning process of English. Whatever brought you here, I think it is a great opportunity to learn more about language and culture from all over the world. I look forward to meeting you soon at ELI!!