Community Workshops Instructor

Austin, originally from the village of La Farge in rural southwest Wisconsin, started his career as an educator abroad, teaching language and liberal arts at high schools and universities in China, Hong Kong, and Australia for eight years, before coming back to the United States to be closer to family, and to work with the International Institute. Along the way, he completed a master’s degree in international relations (at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia), where he studied contemporary issues of migration, human rights, and international law. These experiences and education have given him great appreciation for the power of people-to-people diplomacy of the kind practiced here at the Institute.

As a community workshops instructor, Austin’s passion is making sure that every student, whatever their background or ability, feels that they are a welcome participant in Minnesota life and society. As a member of the Institute team and the Twin Cities community, Austin’s mission is to help facilitate and maximize the diverse and profound contributions of New Americans to our shared community.