Instructors

Monica Cobis

Monica Cobis has been teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language since 1993. She taught children on a remote ranch in Brazil, private clients in Argentina, first grade in Ecuador, elementary children in North Carolina and adults in Atlanta. She established an EFL company in Ecuador that specialized in business English and cultural diversity instruction. Monica was the co-editor of the 1998 Intermediate ESL standards for the state of Georgia. She worked for over three years at Gwinnett Tech teaching all levels of English learners. Ms. Cobis also assisted a company in San Francisco, CA preparing janitorial service workers at Google and EBay.

Ms. Cobis currently teaches intermediate Grammar, Writing, Reading, and Vocabulary as well as advanced Listening & Speaking and TOEFL Prep. She will also teach our brand new Living in America classes in the fall.  She was awarded the Golden Apple in 2006 for excellence in teaching and has been a presenter at the Georgia International Leadership Conference and the Georgia TESOL annual conference. In addition to her ESL instruction, Ms. Cobis is a private tutor and a correspondent for local newspapers.

Michelle Midgette

Michelle Midgette (B.A., Journalism, Univ. of Georgia; Master of Education, Secondary English, Boston University) has been an instructor in the English Language Institute since 2002. She teaches advanced Grammar, Writing, Reading, and Idioms & Current Issues. Before coming to the English Language Institute, she taught English at Harris County High in Hamilton, Georgia. Her interest in teaching international students began when she taught at an American International School in Singapore. Later she taught English as a Second Language at Osborne High School in Manassas, Virginia. From 1988 to 1990, she taught English at the Korean Language Institute in Seoul, Korea.

In addition to teaching, Midgette has worked for the U.S Army as an Education Specialist at the Army Engineering School, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, and as a the managing editor of an Army newspaper at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii. She enjoys studying foreign languages and traveling to learn about other cultures.

Judith Wallace

Judith Wallace (M. Ed. In Curriculum & Instruction from National-Louis University (2001) and a B.A. Degree in Mental Retardation from the University of South Florida (1969)) has been teaching in public schools for 30 years. After retiring from Hillsborough County, Florida in June of 2003 she and her husband relocated to Talbot County, Georgia where they now live. They moved here escaping from the busy life of the Tampa Bay area. She and her husband raised three children while they were living in Florida and now are proud grandparents of eight beautiful children. Their children live in Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Georgia. They have been on many international trips including trips to Europe, Korea, and several mission trips to Russia.

Mrs. Wallace currently teaches beginning Grammar, Writing, Reading, and Pronunciation.  Her husband is presently the English speaking pastor at the primarily Korean congregation of Rock Presbyterian Church in Columbus. She teaches English at Rock Presbyterian Church as well as CSU. She says that, "It is a pleasure teaching students who are so highly motivated to learn. My students bring rich cultural experiences with them to class. Most days, I think I learn as much as they do!"

Carol Atkins

Carol Atkins has extensive educational credentials:  B.S., Elementary Education, Univ. of South Alabama; MED, Early Childhood, Education Specialist of Elementary Education, Troy State. In 1997 she received the honor of being named the Teacher of the Year by the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation (MEEF) and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE). Carol began her career in Panama City, Florida teaching elementary music. Her decorated career in education includes 32 years as an elementary school teacher for the Muscogee County School District and 2 years in English as a Second Language.

In her debut Fall semester, she will teach intermediate Listening & Speaking and Pronunciation.

Craig DuPriest

Craig DuPriest has a B.A in communications from Auburn University. With experience teaching English as a Second Language at Ft. Benning and at other locations in Columbus, he has come to us ready for a new challenge. In addition to teaching he has conducted educational and public relations projects for eight county areas served by New Horizons. As the Director of Marketing for St. Francis Hospital, he was responsible for media relations and publications.

In his debut Fall semester, he will teach beginning Listening & Speaking and Vocabulary.