Dr. Brian S. Skelton

Scholarships, Grants, and Awards Chair

Scholarships, Grants, and Awards Chair

Current Role/Institution

Professor of English as a Second Language, Arizona Western College

Professional Background

I am a dedicated educator with over two decades of experience in English language instruction, curriculum development, and program leadership. I have an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Colorado State University and a Ph.D. in English/Cultural Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. I have also been an active member of TESOL International and have presented several times at the conference. 

I have taught and led teams at the American University of Sharjah, Fox Valley Technical College, and Arizona Western College. My background includes designing innovative learning experiences, spearheading grant-funded initiatives, and fostering inclusive environments for diverse student populations both in person and online. At FVTC, I was the Department Chair for 10 years. 

In addition to teaching, I have held the role of North Central Recruiter for the English Language Fellow Program for Georgetown University, where I recruited and vetted over 200 applicants from a 9-state regional area. 

I have also collaborated with campus programs to establish Integrated Education and Training (IET) pathways, including successful initiatives in Culinary Arts, Nursing Assistant, and Microsoft Office. One of my proudest achievements was securing, managing, and teaching a two-year culinary grant, where I provided tailored support classes for ELL students enrolled in hospitality and culinary programs.

I have also created and managed several scholarship programs for ESL students to remove financial barriers and increase success rates in academic programs. 

Areas of Expertise / Interests

My areas of expertise are teaching English Language Learning and teacher training. My current interests are devoted to language programming and curriculum design. 

AZTESOL Involvement

I moved to Arizona 6 months ago. I was excited that AZTESOL was going to be held at my college, AWC. However, the conference was cancelled. This is one reason I have not joined AZTESOL because I was not aware of the organization’s status. 

My goal as a board member is to contribute my talents, energy, and positivity to help bolster the effectiveness and success of AZTESOL. 

Personal Note

I love to travel, cook, and eat, and I have been to 40 countries. I love studying languages! In my free time, I love to walk dogs at the Yuma Humane Society, read, and head to the beach in San Diego.