From UMass to Taiwan: Q & A with Tiffany Huynh `23
By Amy Silbo
Content
Tiffany Huynh graduated UMass Amherst in 2023 with dual degrees in English and comparative literature. I got the chance to hear more about what she is doing now, and her experiences here at UMass and CHC.
What have you been doing since graduating?
I am currently a Fulbright Taiwan English Teaching Assistant at two elementary schools in Yilan county, where I teach grades 2-6. When I’m not teaching, I like to do storytelling events at the local library near my apartment and translate children’s literature! I’ve also been exploring and traveling throughout Taiwan, increasing my Mandarin Chinese, and making the most of this chance to live abroad!
How did you decide to apply to the Fulbright scholarship? What steps did you take?
I almost didn’t apply for the Fulbright. At first, I wasn’t certain that I was qualified or that I was someone the Fulbright committee would want. Most of the time, you hear that Fulbrighters go on to be lawyers, doctors, judges, Nobel-Prize winners, and things like that. All I could think was – I’m not any of that!
Since it’s a national scholarship, I knew that I’d be competing against students from all over the country. But the fear of regret scared me more than the fear of rejection.
I decided to fill out the Office of National Scholarship Advisement (ONSA) scholarship interest form. It felt low stakes and low commitment — just because I filled out the form, it didn’t mean that I needed to apply for the Fulbright. After I filled out ONSA’s scholarship interest form and sent my resume to Madalina Akli, Director of ONSA, I became committed. She told me that she thought I was a very competitive applicant, which validated me so much! It gave me the courage to apply. For the Fulbright, like many other scholarships and grants, I needed to write two statements and three letters of recommendation. Madalina and the ONSA team were especially diligent in keeping me on task throughout the application process, with multiple opportunities to meet with advisors, as well as personalized feedback on the drafts of my statements.
If I didn’t fill out the ONSA form, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
What was it like being an intern at the UMass Writing Center?
I loved working in the Writing Center! Before I decided to intern there, I visited the Writing Center as a tutee looking for help. As a tutee, I appreciated how open-minded the tutors I worked with were, as well as how attentive and thoughtful their feedback was. Every time I went to the Writing Center, I left more energized and excited to write than I did before entering. My decision to become a Writing Center Tutor was informed by my experience as a tutee and my desire to help students feel the same way that I did.
Working in the Writing Center gave me a different lens of looking at education. For example, I often thought about the difference between a tutor and a teacher, authority, and student autonomy, multilingual learners and writers, as well as the importance of grammar rules. I’ve always considered being a teacher as a career profession, but the Writing Center confirmed my goal to pursue a career in education!
How is your experience in Taiwan as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) paving the way for you in your professional career?
The next step in my professional career is to work in an EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) Center at a Taiwanese university. This has been shaped entirely by my experience as an ETA in Taiwan.
Being an ETA in Taiwan has allowed me to understand the intricacies that go into language acquisition and deepen my passion for teaching. So many skills that I’ve developed as an elementary school English teacher in Taiwan will be transferable to the work that I do with college students!
I hope to combine both what I’ve learned in the Writing Center as a tutor and my teaching experience as an ETA to this new journey!
How would you describe your overall experience as a CHC student?
My experience as a CHC student is a bit different than others. I transferred to the Honors College when I realized that becoming a Writing Center Tutor required two Honors-level courses. After doing more research into how the Honors College adds to a student’s education, I decided to apply for admission my first year.
What was your favorite experience at CHC?
My favorite experience at CHC was our graduation ceremony. As a first-generation college student, graduation ceremonies are always so emotional and exciting for me! It was the first commencement ceremony I walked. When I sat with my friends in the Mullins Center, I could just feel the excitement building from all those years of studying, researching, writing, and learning. To know that it had all come to that moment just felt amazing. CHC is small enough that despite transferring into the Honors College and being in different disciplines, most of us knew each other by sharing classes or through friends. For that reason, we were able to celebrate and congratulate each other.
What advice do you have for current first gen students attending college?
My advice for first-gen students is this: Allow yourself to take up space in the classroom. Fight the imposter syndrome! It’s okay to make mistakes and not know the answers to everything. Advocate for yourself and grasp every opportunity that interests you—even if you don’t think you’re qualified.
Talk to your professors. You’re every bit as capable as your classmates. Most of all, I want to say this: often as first-gen college students there can be this feeling of pressure and anxiety that we’re not doing enough, or that we have to make the most of our education because it’s something our parents and grandparents didn’t have. When you get overwhelmed, just remember that getting into college and working towards your degree is an achievement in itself. Take care of yourself and know that you’re already on the right track. We’re with you!
Describe your experience being an RA. What skills did you gain from this position?
I became an RA in my sophomore year of college. This job definitely shaped a big portion of my time at UMass. By being an RA, I was able to form so many connections with my staff, supervisors, and residents. Because I worked with first-year students in Southwest and Central residential living areas, I had the chance to see my residents grow and change from year to year. Even though I’ve graduated from the RA position, I still keep in touch with my residents!
Being an RA helped me gain so many skills such as public speaking, conflict resolution, event planning, budgeting, and more. However, the most important takeaway that I had from being an RA is the importance of community. You often hear the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child”, and I think I truly grasped that when I became an RA. So much effort is spent by RAs, PMs, and A/RDs to ensure each resident feels safe and cared for in their living community, as well as in their social and educational life at UMass. Being part of that was extremely eye-opening and honorable.
Which specific topics or lessons from the CHC curriculum do you find yourself applying in your daily life or career?
The Honors 201H seminar that is mandatory for all CHC students is the course that I find myself applying to the most in my daily life. I took it with Professor Deepika Marya during my sophomore year of college. Through taking this course, I was able to improve both my critical thinking skills and writing skills. I don’t think I would be able to question the power systems in our society had I not taken that class.
Professor Marya really empowered me to think about my role and power as a student, as well as the importance of education. Part of me thinks that a course such as her section of Honors 201H should be made mandatory for all students in the University! It really made me understand the importance of student autonomy and critical thinking, and it’s something that influences my own teaching philosophy and relationship with my students.
What was your Honors Thesis topic and how did you choose this topic?
My Honors Thesis was a creative writing thesis that was done in the English department. It was Professor John Hennessy’s 499 Foundations and Departures in Creative Writing seminar. I found out about this topic because I was also in the process of completing my Letter of Specialization in Creative Writing. As such, it only seemed natural to choose this seminar as my thesis topic. In the class, I was able to experiment with many different forms of writing that I had never thought of before such as poetry and creative nonfiction. I wrote a mixed genre thesis of poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction.
How do you think being a part of CHC helped with your success?
Being a student at CHC cultivated both my critical thinking skills and writing skills. However, it also introduced me to a set of like-minded peers who were able to inspire me and influence my education as much as my professors did.
How do you think your experiences in your college career shaped who you are as a person today?
Everything that I’ve learned from both my peers and my professors has shaped me into the person that I am today.
- It is because I was an RA that I prize the importance of fostering a safe community and the importance of connections.
- It’s because I worked in the Writing Center that I was able to take my first steps into the realm of an educator.
- It’s the CHC classes that I’ve taken that sharpened my critical thinking and writing skills that I use daily in the classroom when I teach.
What advice would you give to current CHC students?
To current CHC students, continue to ask questions and dream about what interests you. You’re extremely privileged to be able to work so closely with professors at the University, so don’t hesitate to make the most of this chance.
Featuring
Amy Silbo
Amy Silbo is the Office of National Scholarship Advisement (ONSA) coordinator & a communications assistant in Commonwealth Honors College.
