By Editors — April 27, 2026
Arizona State University alumnus Stuart Hemphill graduated in 2022 from the online Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL) program. He had previously earned a TESOL certificate from ASU in 2017.
A former Peace Corps member, Hemphill is now an English Language Fellow through the U.S. State Department, living and teaching in Moldova. He said that his ASU degree prepared him particularly well for the challenge: “Without my MTESOL I would never have been ready for the position. It has been a very rewarding experience. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to get my MTESOL.”
We sat down with Hemphill to find out more about his experience in the degree program and what it was like completing a master’s degree a world away.
Question: What motivated you to choose ASU’s linguistics/TESOL program?
Answer: When I decided to pursue an MTESOL, I had been teaching for about 15 years. I previously had worked abroad more many years and wanted to work internationally again. I felt that I had gone about as far as I could with just a TESOL certificate and wanted to have access to more opportunities. I also was interested in improving as a teacher, since I felt that my TESOL certificate really just scratched the surface.
Q: Which courses, faculty members, or experiences had the greatest impact on your career path?
A: I think that learning about needs assessment was one of the most important things I learned. I never had any formal training about this and always struggled. It helped me with my own students, but is also a valuable skill as a teacher trainer.
I miss the variety of courses that I took. Learning about the history of the English language ended up being one of the most fascinating!
The professors I worked with on my capstone and practicum both provided valuable guidance to help me get ready to transition from being a graduate student to seeking new teaching positions.
Q: How did the program balance theory and practice, and how has that balance shaped your professional work?
A: My teaching practicum was a great way to bring everything I learned into the real world. I was able to use the classes I was teaching at that time and the opportunity to reflect of what I was doing with my students was an enormous help.
Q: What was your experience with flexibility and access to faculty while completing the MTESOL online?
A: The time difference was a little tricky at times, but never a problem. The flexibility of asynchronous classes made all the difference. I always found faculty very responsive to any questions I had.
Q: Can you share a moment in your career where you realized ASU had prepared you particularly well?
A: During one of the interviews for my fellowship, I was asked technical questions about teaching. I was able to confidently answer them. In the past, I struggled greatly with this. Furthermore, I found that I actually loved talking about the nuts and bolts of teaching with other professionals. ASU’s program provided me with a theoretical background to help me teach at the university level.
Q: How did the program change the way you think about language, teaching, or culture?
A: It helped me understand that language and culture are inseparable. I now am much more deliberate about integrating the teaching of culture with the teaching of language.