Xuan Zhou

Ms. Xuan Zhou is a Ph.D. student specializing in bilingual education/second language acquisition at Texas A&M University (TAMU). She obtained her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from TAMU in 2017. She later worked as a public school teacher in Houston Independent School District (ISD). During the 2017-2018 school year, she was recognized as the Campus Beginning Teacher of the Year by Houston ISD. Ms. Zhou has completed graduate-level coursework in world language teaching and learning and has extensive experience with world language programs funded by the federal STARTALK grant. Ms. Zhou is also an in-demand private Chinese tutor by former students from the STARTALK program who wish to continue their Chinese lessons. Ms. Zhou is a professional guzheng (also known as a Chinese zither) player with a master's degree in musical performance arts from Nanjing University of Arts. She won the first prize in guzheng performance at the National College Students Arts Festival in China in 2009. She is well connected with the East Asian musicians and artists in the community and excels in integrating visual and performing arts with Chinese language teaching.

Weiqi Guo

Ms. Weiqi Guo is currently a Ph.D. student in the English as a Second Language program at Texas A&M University. She received her B.A. in English from Ludong University in China, and her M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University. Ms. Guo received a Certificate of Accreditation in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Senior) from the International Chinese Teachers Association (ICA), and has successfully completed graduate-level coursework in world language teaching and learning at Texas A&M University, as well as professional training programs in world language education funded by the STARTALK federal grant. She has been a Chinese teacher with the TAMU World Languages Academy funded by the federal STARTALK program since 2017. Ms. Guo is currently the director of the Graduate Hall at Texas A&M University, a position that requires outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills in a culturally and linguistically diverse context. Such skills are essential for our teachers because they are expected to establish and maintain cordial relationships with parents, who are culturally and linguistically diverse community members. Ms. Guo has led a diverse team of TAs and middle school volunteers (former students who participate in our program as volunteers) to orchestrate fun and stimulating learning experiences for our students.

Yu Jeong Yang

Ms. Yu Jeong Yang received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University and has completed professional training in Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language at Seoul National University. Ms. Yang has more than eight years of experience teaching Korean to heritage and non-heritage learners of Korean in early elementary grades. She previously taught at Crockett Elementary School in Bryan, Texas, and now teaches at International Leadership of Texas in College Station, Texas. She is active in community service and currently serves on the Parenting and Child Development Committee in College Station, Texas.