Dustin De Felice has been appointed Director of the English Language Center (ELC) for a three-year term, effective August 16, 2018-August 15, 2021.

An Assistant Professor in MSU’s Center for Language Teaching Advancement (CeLTA), De Felice is the former Director of the Master of Arts degree in Foreign Language Teaching (MAFLT) program, which is housed within CeLTA and is designed for current and aspiring foreign language teachers.

As an experienced educator coming up on his second decade on the job, De Felice has a passion for working with learners, teachers, and organizations in creating an environment of success. He explores language teaching and learning through qualitative inquiries, and he is particularly interested in technology as it relates to the development of materials and its use in traditional and virtual classrooms. His teaching and scholarship has taken him around the United States and Mexico, and he regularly advocates for language learning at Michigan State University and beyond.

As the ELC Director, I want to explore more ways to assist in students’ language development, helping them achieve academic excellence in their coursework, and ensuring they build more connections within the MSU community and beyond.

“I look forward to continuing the great work done at MSU in supporting international students throughout campus,” De Felice said. “As the ELC Director, I want to explore more ways to assist in students’ language development, helping them achieve academic excellence in their coursework, and ensuring they build more connections within the MSU community and beyond. I am also interested in facilitating more connections between our international and domestic student populations.”

MSU’s English Language Center helps empower international students to become full participants in the university community by assisting them with their academic and non-academic needs, connecting them to other MSU resources, and through instruction in language, cultural awareness, and study skills.

“Drawing on his expertise in second language acquisition and instructional design, Professor De Felice brings a wide range of experience to his new position as Director of the ELC,” said Christopher P. Long, Dean of the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University. “I look forward to working with him in this new role, as he has proven to be a visionary and innovative leader of our highly successful MAFLT program,” 

As Director of the ELC, De Felice will oversee the daily operations of the center; manage the annual budget; oversee faculty hiring, orientation, and professional development; and collaborate with academic and administrative units across campus to develop ELC programs.

De Felice holds a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition and Instructional Technology from the University of South Florida, an M.A. in Linguistics with a concentration in TESL from Northeastern Illinois University, and a B.A. in Speech Communication with a minor in Spanish and Linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University.