USF World News

Mark Lane-Holbert Selected by U.S. Department of State for Prestigious English Language Teaching Fellowship

The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Mark R. Lane-Holbert of the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL for a 10-month fellowship project conducting teacher training for English teachers in Colombia at the Bi-National Center Centro Colombo-Americano. He is one of only 172 U.S. citizens selected for the 2018-2019 English Language Fellow Program, spread across 110+ countries.

Mark completed his MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of South Florida and currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of World Languages at USF. He also holds an MA in Education Administration from Michigan State University and has been involved in the field of international education for over two decades, including receiving a Fulbright Grant to study intercultural pedagogy in Germany and serving in the Peace Corps as a TEFL teacher in Eastern Europe. He also spent many years working with migrant and refugee learners in the K-12 system in Michigan and Florida, and currently coordinates and teaches an adult ESL and citizenship prep program in Tampa, Florida. His project will be based in Bogota, Colombia supported by the US Embassy, and will involve travel to 10 Bi-National Centers throughout the country to provide needed training and expertise in many areas of English language teaching, including experiential education, task-based group work and cross-cultural communication strategies.

The English Language Fellow Program is the premier opportunity for experienced teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, Fellows work directly with local teachers, students, and educational professionals to improve the quality of English language instruction offered at prestigious universities and other academic institutions.

Since 1969, the English Language Fellow Program has sent thousands of TESOL scholars and educators abroad to promote English language learning, enhance English teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange. On assignment, Fellows teach English, conduct teacher training, develop resources, and organize events and conferences. These projects are challenging and the teachers selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers back home.

English Language Fellows are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Fellow Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.

For further information about the English Language Fellow Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit our website, contact us by telephone at 202-632-6452, or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.