Zuzana Tomas is an ESL and TESOL professor at Eastern Michigan University who also facilitates the Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) courses. In this interview, Tomas recounts growing up in Slovakia, developing an interest in English and American culture, and her decision to study abroad in the United States. Tomas discusses adjusting to life in the US, getting involved in ESL and TESOL, and how she decided to work at EMU after completing her PhD. Tomas describes her experience helping refugees gain literacy, becoming involved in AS-L, and her classes collaborations with Jewish Family Services. Tomas also explores her AS-L students decision to put on a cooking demonstration led by Afghan women and their children, the logistics of preparing for the the demonstration over Zoom, the importance of acknowledging refugees skills and what they bring to the table, and projects she hopes to work on in the future.

New tracks tagged #Academic Service-Learning