CONGRATULATIONS! South Seattle College’s Dr. Yilin Sun honored for English-teaching achievements

A big honor for a longtime member of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) faculty. Here’s the announcement:

Dr. Yilin Sun, who has spent the majority of her 30-plus year career teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at South Seattle College (SSC) and Seattle Central College, has been recognized as a top-30 contributor to the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Specialist Program. The specialist program is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021.

The “30@30 Award” recognizes Sun as one of a select group of thirty specialists who have made a lasting impact on the specialist program and on the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) field since 1991, building English-teaching capacity abroad and bolstering mutual understanding through English language education.

Sun is a tenured faculty member in the Basic and Transitional Studies Division at SSC, and now directs faculty development programs for the Seattle Colleges District. She has served the field of TESOL for more than 30 years and has been with Seattle Colleges for more than 27 years as a dedicated educator. She is a tireless advocate for racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education and for providing equitable, accessible, and quality education to underserved student populations. She also strives to empower learners and TESOL professionals.

Sun is a former president of the TESOL International Association from 2013 to 2016. This was the first time in TESOL’s 50-year history that an Asian, female, bilingual Chinese and English speaking professional served as president of TESOL.

“What makes Dr. Yilin Sun such a remarkable leader and role model is her ability to develop inclusive, equitable and diverse communities, and provide resources which foster critical thinking and creativity,” said Anne Levin, ESL faculty member at Seattle Colleges. “When in her presence, students and colleagues feel welcome and inspired to be their very best selves. Her advocacy for immigrants and refugees, collaborative spirit and enthusiasm for teaching and learning is heartfelt and contagious to all who have the honor of working with her.”

The 30@30 awardees will be honored throughout the anniversary year with featured stories on the English Language Programs website, in presentations at the Virtual 2021 TESOL International Convention, as expert panelists in online webinars, and at an Appreciation Luncheon and Awards Ceremony in October at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., conditions allowing.

For further information, please visit the English Language Specialist Program and U.S. Department of State websites.

(Photo courtesy Dr. Yilin Sun, shown speaking to the 2015 TESOL International Convention in Toronto.)