Student Spotlight: Bryn Cole
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Bryn Cole moved to Farmington, Utah, at a young age. While she didn’t grow up exposed to a second language, her travels to Ecuador and Mexico sparked a passion for Spanish and a fascination with how people learn languages. While learning Spanish, Bryn realized how the methods of teaching impact a student’s ability to retain and use what they learn.
She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Utah Valley University and as she considered graduate programs, she discovered Utah State University’s Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program perfectly fit because of its emphasis on the teaching process itself rather than a single language.
“For a long time, I was the only one teaching Spanish in the program,” Bryn said. “We also had students studying French, German, Arabic, and other languages. But that didn’t really matter, because we were all learning the same core techniques that could be applied to any language. That was the biggest thing that drew me to the program.”
She also highlighted a project that allowed her to create a mock teaching portfolio, which she’s now using as the foundation for her final portfolio.
“It’s been helpful to have something to build off of,” she said. “Even though writing isn’t my strongest skill, I’ve come to enjoy it. The program doesn’t just ask you to write academically, it asks you to reflect, to express yourself, and to connect your experiences to what you’re learning.”
Looking ahead, Bryn hopes to take her teaching skills globally. Her dream is to teach abroad at an international school.
“Growing up in Chicago, I was surrounded by diversity and learned so much from that experience,” she said. “I’d love to go back to that environment. Meeting people from everywhere and learning about their stories while sharing mine.”
Realistically, Bryn plans to explore positions that align with her current experience as a language specialist, ideally roles that support teachers in helping multilingual students succeed.
“There are so many new jobs that focus on helping teachers support students who don’t speak the same language,” she said. “That’s the kind of work I want to do next.”