UH Mānoa graduate awarded Fulbright to teach in Germany

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Christina R Gerhardt, (808) 956-4182
Assoc Prof, German, Languages and Literature of Europe and Americas
Posted: Aug 29, 2018

Uy-di Nancy Le
Uy-di Nancy Le

Uy-di Nancy Le, a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to to teach American studies and English language in Brandenburg, Germany, during the 2018–2019 academic year. Le, who earned a BA in both German and psychology in 2016 and her MA in second language studies in May, was selected from a competitive pool of applicants.

Le was also selected for the diversity program. She is among a select few grantees who are placed in German schools with a high proportion of students with minority or refugee backgrounds.

“I’m honestly shocked at everything I’ve accomplished with German studies,” said Le. “I never would have imagined all of this when I began three years ago!”

Le’s interests are second language acquisition, identifying difficulties learners might have and displaced language learners, such as refugees and immigrants, who might have to learn an additional language in order to acclimate to their new home.

“Nancy is a most remarkable person and student with tremendous leadership skills and initiative,” said Associate Professor of German Christina Gerhardt. “UH is fortunate to have her represent us through the Fulbright Commission this year in Brandenburg.”

The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program places recent college graduates and young professionals as English teaching assistants in primary and secondary schools or universities overseas—improving foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the United States while increasing the U.S.student’s own language skills and knowledge of the host country.

More about Uy-di Nancy Le

At UH Mānoa, Le chaired the 21st Annual College of Languages, Linguistics & Literatures Graduate Student Conference. She served as an ACE peer mentor, mentoring first year students, and taught as an English language learner tutor at Waiʻalae Elementary School, as an English language assistant in Thailand and as an English language Instructor at UH.

Reflecting her community-oriented spirit, leadership skills and commitment to giving back, Le re-introduced German studies to her alma mater, Kalani High School, in fall 2017.

She is a member of two honor societies—Psi Chi International Honor Society, the Psychology Honorary Society; and Delta Phi Alpha, the German National Honorary Society.