Student Spotlight: May Han
May Han graduated in English Literature from Fudan University in Shanghai, China and is now pursing her Master’s in Second Language Teaching (MSLT) online at Utah State University.
As a mother and wife, May appreciates the program’s flexibility because it allows her to balance her studies with family life while also studying her passion for language learning.
“It was very aligned with my life experiences and passions,” May said. “I speak Korean, Chinese, and English and I’m raising bilingual children who are becoming trilingual. I’m deeply interested in how languages shape thinking and development. Through my coursework I discovered many advantages of the bilingual brain and that really sparked my enthusiasm to help others experience the same benefits through language learning.”
The MSLT online format allows busy students to engage in coursework while benefiting from the expertise of the faculty within the grad program. May shared that her professors have made an impact on her learning experience.
“Dr Sarah O'Neill, my advisor, has been incredibly supportive,” May said. “Her class discussion was open and engaging, and she always provide thoughtful and prompt feedback. I’m also inspired by Dr. Amanda Ramos, from Human Development and Family Studies. I took her class because I was super interested in childhood development, and she can challenge a student in the best ways.”
One of May’s most memorable assignments was an annotated bibliography project that pushed her to dive deep into academic research without relying on AI tools. In contrast, a recent class project encouraged her to explore AI creatively by producing a song as part of a language lesson. This new skill was exciting for May, and she shared this song with her family.
“I wasn't enthusiastic about AI,” May admitted. “I thought it wasn't relevant yet. But my course on AI tools for educators completely changed my perspective. I realized that instead of avoiding it, I could learn how technology can enhance language teaching.”
While this program opens a lot of doors to the teaching world, May is enthusiastic about her future goals and how this program will lead her to the right decision.
“I see this degree as a first step toward clarifying my direction,” she said. “Whether I teach young learners or others, I want to design culturally responsive language learning experiences with engaging materials and using AI tools thoughtfully and ethically,” May said.