Who We Are
Project Leaders
Ayumi Stockman & Kendall A. King
Ayumi Stockman's academic career reflects her unwavering commitment to language education and her proactive approach to promoting effective language acquisition. Beginning as an ESL teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools, Ayumi always prioritized equipping students with practical language skills. Her love for learning and continuous professional development through educational conferences and personal language study has allowed her to impart a similar passion for learning to her students. Ayumi's expertise expanded as she transitioned to become the Grant Coordinator for the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP), where she spearheaded initiatives to enhance Arabic and Chinese learning in K-12 Minneapolis schools. As a World Language Content Specialist for the Minneapolis Public Schools, Ayumi gained valuable insights into the diverse nuances of language learning and program design, considering factors such as learner perspectives and social and historical contexts. Her involvement in a collaborative effort between Minneapolis, St. Paul Public Schools, and MDE resulted in funding and development of assessments for less commonly taught languages, facilitating the implementation of the Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program. Since joining MDE as the World Languages Education Specialist in March 2020, Ayumi has been instrumental in providing guidance to schools and districts in program design, assessments, curriculum development, teacher training, and overseeing the successful implementation of the Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program.
Kendall A. King is Professor of Multilingual Education at the University of Minnesota, where she teaches and conducts research on language policy, sociolinguistics and child bilingualism and second language learning. She has published widely on the educational and familial practices impacting language use, language learning and social equity and served locally and nationally as an advocate for multilingualism and multilingual education. A former bilingual teacher and ESL instructor, she teaches graduate-level courses in sociolinguistics, language policy, language research methods, English grammar, and language education; leads an undergraduate class in linguistics; and coordinates the undergraduate TESL minor. She previously has served as faculty at the Center for Research on Bilingualism at Stockholm University, the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University, and in the Department of Teaching and Learning at New York University. Her recent research (with collaborator, Maria Schwedhelm) examines equity and access to state seals of biliteracy.
Research Assistants
Andrew Fiegen
Andrew is a Ph.D. student in the Second Language Education program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota. He works with the initial licensure teacher education programs for both elementary and second language classroom settings. Prior to his doctoral studies, Andrew was a K-12 teacher in U.S. public schools and international schools. Andrew is originally from South Dakota, and before moving to Minnesota, he lived in Sicily, Thailand, and New York.
Thi Nguyen
Thi is a Ph.D. candidate in Comparative and International Development Education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She specializes in internationalization of higher education, international student identity, and climate justice/sustainability education. Prior to her doctoral studies, Thi worked in the higher education industry as an international programs coordinator and admission counselor. She is originally from Hanoi, Vietnam. Before moving to Minnesota, she lived all over California for 10 years, spending time in Silicon Valley, San Diego, Orange County, and Monterey Bay.
Interns
Graham Heathcote
Graham was a Summer 2023 and 2024 Intern at the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. He is currently enrolled at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where he studies computer science and math. Graham is originally from the Twin Cities and attended high school in Minneapolis. He is bilingual in English and Spanish and did not earn a seal (although he wishes he did).
Marlen Mendieta-Camaron
Marlen was a Summer 2024 Intern at the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. She is currently studying Spanish and Educational Studies at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is originally from New York City, where she earned the Seal of Biliteracy.