Abby Miller, alumna of Texas Wesleyan’s School of Education, received one of the prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships for 2019-2020. She will be teaching English at a university in Colombia, in South America, from August 2019 to May 2020. Less than one-third of those who applied to teach in Colombia were selected. 

Miller earned her master’s in teaching with a concentration in second language education and culture (SLEC) from Texas Wesleyan in 2018. She has been a social studies teacher at South Hills High School in Fort Worth and was a member of Texas Wesleyan’s first Teach for America cohort.

“I completed my MAT in second language education and culture because I have had a desire to teach abroad ever since I came back from studying in Spain,” Miller said. “Thanks to the help from my professors and mentors, I am getting to live out that dream in Colombia. I am most excited for the cultural exchange with my Colombian students. I know they will teach me a great deal about life in Colombia, and I hope to share my experiences as well.” 

Elizabeth Ward, Ph.D., associate professor of education and instructor of two of Abby’s first-year classes, said that Abby was always looking for different ways to help her students succeed.

“She really works to make sure that she creates an environment in her classroom that allows them the opportunity to achieve at the highest level,” Ward said. “I worked with Abby during her first year of teaching. Even after a long day of teaching, she always came to class eager to learn new techniques to use with her students.”

"Abby is a dedicated student with a passion for working with diverse students. I had the honor of hooding her when she graduated last year," said Elsa Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor of education and one of Abby's SLEC instructors. "She is a wonderful teacher and learner and most deserving of this recognition."

Read more about the graduate programs at Texas Wesleyan's School of Education, including the SLEC concentration.

About the Fulbright English Teaching Program

The English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Programs place Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to the local English teachers. ETAs help teach English language while serving as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. The age and academic level of the students varies by country, ranging from kindergarten to university level.