Faculty/Staff

Chelsea is an adjunct lecturer for both the IECP and the ESL/EAP program in Applied Linguistics. She graduated from Penn State in 2017 with a master’s degree in TESL, where she focused on language policy in Morocco. Her experience includes seven years of working in student-support roles at Penn State in the Office of Global Programs and Smeal College of Business, as well as three years teaching English in Meknes, Morocco. She is very passionate about languages, and knows French and Moroccan Arabic. She has only recently begun teaching again and is thrilled to be back in the classroom, where she hopes to grow both professionally and personally.

Publications:

Makoni, S. & Abdelhay, A. (2020). Contributed chapter entitled “Berber Language Policy in Morocco” in Language Ideologies, ethnicities, and semiotic spaces of power. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon-Twine.

Brenard is a dual-title Ph.D. student in Applied Linguistics and African Studies. He has a M.Ed. in ESL and Bilingual Education and has almost 15 years’ experience in language teaching at the secondary and tertiary levels in his home country, Grenada. Brenard has taught English as a first and second language, Spanish as a foreign language, English literature, and communications to students from a wide array of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Brenard also co-directed the language support unit and coordinated a language program geared toward developing the language skills of international students taking core curriculum courses at an internationally based US school in Grenada. Brenard’s research interests center around the reciprocal relationship between language and society with emphasis on varieties of English, Caribbean language ideologies and their influences, language identity, and language justice. 

Posters and presentations: 

Malcolm, B., & Daniel, K. (2025, April 14-16). Equity in an online environment: Teaching experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic [Poster presentation]. 2025 Peralta Online Equity Conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsTf3qmstX8

Malcolm, B. J., & Malcolm, B. B. (2024, April 29 – May 1). Anglophone Caribbean creole: Rethinking equity through a sociolinguistic analysis [Poster presentation]. 2024 Peralta Online Equity Conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwHSdMxtYt8&feature=youtu.be

Harms, E., Malcolm, B., & Lee, L. (2024, March 20-23). Enhancing access: Communication support for diverse learners in preprofessional/professional programs [Conference presentation]. 2024 TESOL International Convention & Expo, Tampa, FL, United States

Malcolm, B. B., Walker, D., & Malcolm, B. J. (2023, April 26-28). Critical multiculturalism for diversity, equity, and inclusion: Intersectionality in language and technology [Poster presentation]. 2023 Peralta Online Equity Conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_xN_YuH7AU

Nikki Mattson has been a faculty member at the Intensive English Communications Program (IECP) at The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) since 2009. She currently serves as the Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives for the IECP in addition to being a Teaching Professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics. She holds her M.A. in Linguistics and a Certificate of Graduate Study in TESOL from the University of South Carolina. She also holds a DELF (diplôme d’études en langue française) from Université Marc Bloch, Strasbourg, France. Nikki is dedicated to supporting campus internationalization efforts as well as global engagement in the classroom, on campus, and beyond. Nikki is a co-founder and advisor for the PSU Living-Learning Community, the Global Engagement Community. She also serves as a Global Learning Coordinator (GLC) for PSU’s Experiential Digital Global Engagement (EDGE) Program. Her research interests include intensive English program oral placement test validation, evaluating computer-assisted language learning (CALL) usage in second language (L2) classrooms, and internationalization in higher education.

Selected recent scholarship:

Mattson, N. & Gianico, J. (2024). Behold-Remold: Navigating and Innovating Liminal Spaces as an IEP Practitioner-Administrator-Scholar (PAS). In J. Litzenberg (Ed.), Innovation in University-Based Intensive English Programs: From Start to Future (pp. 116-131). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781800414457-009

Mattson, N., McGeary, B., Riehman-Murphy, C., Litzenberg, J., Benton-Monahan, C., Liu, T….Luo, Y. (2023, May). Sustainable Development in an Intensive English Program (IEP): A Programmatic and Curricular Transformation Supported by OER. Panel Presentation at Affordable Learning Pennsylvania (APLA) Summit, State College, PA. 

Cruz, L., MacQuarrie, T.L., and Mattson, N. (2022, October). The EDGE Umbrella: Fostering Convergent Research on Global Exchanges. Presentation at AAC&U Global Learning Conference: Transforming Global Learning Practice: Time for Action. Virtual. 

MacQuarrie, T.L., Mattson, N. and Likholetov, V. (2021, December). EDGE collaborations: Moscow State University and Penn State University. Presentation for Moscow State University faculty meeting. Virtual, Invited. 

MacQuarrie, T.L., & Mattson, N. (2021, November). Virtual exchange: Bridging student cultures and promoting peer-based learning. Presentation for the U.S.-Russia University Virtual Partner Program, American Councils on Education. Virtual, Invited. 

MacQuarrie, T. L., Mattson, N., and Doran, M., (August 23, 25, 30, and September 3, 2021). Virtual exchanges: Bridging student cultures and promoting peer connection. Workshop series for American Council on International Education. Virtual, Invited. 

Mattson, M., and Mattson, N. (2021, June). Working toward campus internationalization through inter-departmental collaboration. Poster presentation at NAFSA 2021 Annual Conference and Exposition. Virtual.

Cherkassov, D., Mattson, N., and Childs, S. (2020, September). The mentoring process: Enriching professional growth for English language teachers and teacher educators. Presentation at the 9th ICBCB: Global Trends and Values in Education, Virtual Conference, Kaskelen, Kazakhstan.

Keith has a BS in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Illinois and an MA in Linguistics with TESL Concentration from Northeastern Illinois University.

He taught ESL in Korea at Yonsei, Hanyang, and Woosong universities. In addition, Keith has taught GED reading and math at Lansing Community College in Michigan as well as online ESL with iTutorGroup.

Publications

*Native English Conversation Dictionary (2022)
*1 Minute A Day Daily Life English (2013)
*Hey Kids! Series Editor

Patience Okyere is a PhD student in Applied Linguistics at The Pennsylvania State University. Originally from Ghana, she previously served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where she developed her passion for teaching and research. Patience’s academic interests center on the intersection of language and identity, classroom L2 discourse writing, and public discourse, with a specific focus on how linguistic practices shape cultural and educational experiences.

Beyond her academic work, she enjoys listening to music and nature walks. Though naturally introverted, she finds joy in sharing knowledge and engaging with others through teaching and mentorship.

Vincent has a bachelor’s degree in Mandarin from Penn State University Park and a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Dalian University of Technology, where he conducted research in the field of comparative linguistics. He has taught ESL in Beijing, Dalian, and Harrisburg, and has nine years of experience teaching students at the high school, university, and adult level. Vincent relies on his international education to inform his teaching methods and he enjoys learning from students of diverse backgrounds.