Patricia Szasz

Assistant Dean for Language & Professional Programs, Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation & Language Education

Patricia first became interested in the field of language education based on her own language learning experience. She found that learning French as a school requirement was not nearly as motivating as learning Italian in an effort to engage with the Italian people and culture. After working as a software trainer in Silicon Valley, Patricia taught English as foreign language in Milan and Rome, Italy. Her love of teaching eventually led her to pursue her master's degree in TESOL here at the Monterey Institute.

After graduation, Patricia became Director of the Institute's Intensive English Programs. She continues to run both year-round and short-term programs for language learners and professionals. Over the years, Patricia has become interested in developing programs for the "whole learner" that incorporate elements of intercultural communication and competence into the curriculum. These efforts aim to prepare students not just for the linguistic challenges they will face in their future academic and professional pursuits, but also for the inevitable conflicts they will meet outside the classroom.

Patricia has served on the board of California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL) and is currently Treasurer of the American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP). She frequently presents at local, national, and international conferences, particularly on issues related to leadership, emotional intelligence and intercultural communication. She is fortunate to teach as an adjunct in the Institute's graduate programs, especially focusing on the practical aspects of language teaching. She has delivered teacher training workshops in the U.S. and abroad on the communicative approach to English language teaching and student-centered curriculum development. In her free time, Patricia enjoys swimming, singing in a local community choir, and walking her dog, Henry, on the beautiful California Central Coast.