Introducing New Fulbright Language Teaching Assistants and Visiting Instructors 

This year the World Languages and Cultures Department is pleased to host four Fulbright Teaching Assistants from Argentina, France, Tunisia and Germany, a visiting instructor from Japan, and a returning visiting instructor from Taiwan. To learn more about these instructors, please read their biographies below and watch this short video.

The 2023-2024 Fulbright teaching assistants, graduate assistants and visiting instructors include:

Sheila Mignolet - Argentina (Spanish)

Rahma Baklouti - Tunisia (Arabic)

Naoko Omori - Japan (Japanese)

Joshua Hartmann - Germany (German)

Héloïse Vérissi - France (French)

Yun (Lily) Chiang - Taiwan (Chinese)

Ximena Jimenez - LLC (Spanish)

Sheila Mignolet

¡Hola a todos! My name is Sheila Mignolet and I was born in Cipolletti, Argentina. Cipolletti is a small city in the Rio Negro province, located at the top of the region called Patagonia. It is best known for its apple and pear exports, but you can find beautiful hidden places nearby such as Isla Jordan, Cueva del León, the riverbank, etcetera.

I was born and raised in Cipolletti, but I lived for five years in the city of General Roca, where I studied to become an English teacher. I graduated from the University of Comahue in 2017 and I have been working as an English teacher since then.  I have also participated in research projects that dealt with technology and good practices in education.

This is the first time that I am teaching Spanish as a Second Language, but I am eager to accept the challenge. I love reading books, dancing and making different types of crafts. I also enjoy learning about new cultures through their music and films, so my playlists often feature a mixture of languages. I am keen on bringing my knowledge into the classroom and making the most of my time at Scranton. I hope my students and I can learn from each other during my time as part of the Fulbright Teaching Assistant Program.

Rahma Baklouti

Hi everyone! My name is Rahma Baklouti, and I am the Arabic FLTA (Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant). I come from Tunisia. Tunisia is a small country in North Africa. Tunisian culture is highly diverse. Indeed, a significant number of Jews and Christians have lived among a Muslim majority for years. This diversity is also seen in the architecture of the capital, Tunis. The city blends ancient Arab Souks, Cathedrals, Mosques, and modern office buildings.

At the beginning of my studies, I was interested in the healthcare field so I majored in midwifery. My second major was in English. I hold a Bachelor in English language, literature, and civilization. Moreover, I hold an M.A. in American Studies from the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of Tunis. Currently, I am a Ph.D. candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Sousse, Tunisia.
For three years I worked as a teacher of foreign languages. I taught Arabic, French, and English in primary and secondary schools. Being a university teacher is my dream, therefore, I am here. I am jubilant and honored to teach at The University of Scranton, and I will do my best to help students learn about the Arabic culture and language.

Naoko Omori

こんにちは！

My name is Naoko Omori.  I was born in Kobe, Japan. After I graduating from University, I went to Australia for one year, worked for a scent marketing company, and worked for a shared office company in Japan.

I like eating, traveling, Japanese calligraphy, wearing a kimono and reading. Please let me know your favorite restaurant in Scranton!! I am looking forward to spending this year with you!

Joshua Hartmann

 Hallo! My name is Joshua Hartmann and I come from Radeburg, which is a very small but lovely town near Dresden, Germany. I´ve been studying English and geography for Secondary Education at the Technical University Dresden for four years now. (I would, by the way, deeply recommend visiting Dresden if you should ever have the chance to do so, it's a beautiful place!). I've been playing soccer since I was a kid and I enjoy any other kinds of sports and outdoor activities as well. I also have a passion for music and like to be creative with it.

Having the opportunity to be a Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, I am very happy and excited to share my culture with you and to guide and assist you on your journey of learning German, I hope to learn more about your culture as well! So, feel free to reach out to me anytime. I´m looking forward to it!

Héloïse Vérissi

Hi everyone! I am Héloïse Vérissi and I am from Paris, France. You may have heard of my city a couple of times. Between the beautiful architecture, great food, and a lot of cultural events, I do not think that it is possible to ever get bored in it! But France is a lot bigger than Paris and all our regions are so interesting and so unique.

If you like French cuisine, definitely check out the food from the South-West! I graduated from the University of Paris with a B.A. in English with a focus on English history and then I graduated from Université Paris Cité and University College Dublin last June with a M.A. in European history with a focus on Celtic history.
It is my very first time teaching and I am very excited to have been chosen to teach here for a year. I hope that I will be able to make my students as excited to speak about France and the French language as I am and I will be more than happy to answer any question you may have about my language or culture. 

Yun (Lily) Chiang

大家好！ My name is Chiang Yun. You can just call me Yun, or my English name, Lily. I was born in Taipei, Taiwan. You may not know where Taiwan is. Taiwan is a little island between China and Japan. Taiwan is a multicultural island which from China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, with a lot of delicious food and motorcycles. Have you tried bubble tea and hot pot? Try it and you will love it!

I graduated from Zhong Yuan University with a bachelor's degree in teaching Chinese as second language. After graduation, I taught at international Chinese school in Korea for six years, so I can speak Korean and I also like watching Korean dramas. While I was working, I went to National Taiwan Normal University to gain my master’s degree in teaching Chinese as second language. It was hard work, but worth it.

I like Chinese, Chinese is a beautiful Language with a lot of culture and history, I also like to experience different cultures. I am honored to teach in Scranton. Wish I could bring my knowledge to students, I believe (教学相长) students can learn from me, and l can learn from them, too.