Juli Kirkpatrick
Juli Kirkpatrick (She/Her) is a seasoned educator with over 30 years of experience in international education and English-language instruction. Formerly a Senior Lecturer at the University of Southern California’s American Language Institute, she specialized in academic writing instruction for international students and training teaching assistants to improve their communicative English, pronunciation, and classroom confidence. Juli is committed to student-centered teaching, creating safe and engaging learning environments where students can thrive academically and personally.
Over the course of her career, Juli has taught in a variety of settings, including San Francisco, Japan, and Turkey, before joining USC in 2004. During her nearly 20-year tenure at the American Language Institute, she supported matriculated international students through multiple weekly classes, curriculum development, and management of learning platforms such as Blackboard and Brightspace. Her work emphasized not only academic skill-building but also fostering the confidence and communicative competence of students and teaching assistants alike.
Juli holds a Master’s in Education with a TESOL emphasis from United States International University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Stanford University. Fluent in Spanish and Italian, with working knowledge of Japanese and Turkish, she integrates a global perspective into her teaching philosophy.
• USC Brightspace Bootcamp: Getting Started
• United States International University - M.Ed. in TESOL
• Stanford University - BA, International Relations and Affairs
• Outstanding Masters Student in Education
• Delta Gamma
• TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Juli describes major challenges: reductions in federal research funding and related university budget cuts have led to restructuring and layoffs. She notes the international-student market for English-support services has been shrinking over the past two decades, resulting in fewer positions and potentially larger class sizes for remaining instructors.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Creating a safe, comfortable, humane classroom environment; making learning lively and fun; supporting students’ confidence and access to practical tools for language learning.
Locations
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90062