About Me: Dr. Cheryl Ernst

Hi! I’m Cheryl Ernst. I’m an educator, administrator, and lifelong learner with an unwavering passion for international education that lies at the core of my career. I seek opportunities and strategies that bring people together to build relationships, understand the world, and reflect on themselves and where they come from. Currently, I am an associate professor and serve as the Director the English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Delaware.

My work involves more than just administering a language program; it’s about creating a vibrant, cross-cultural community where students from around the world not only improve their English but also share their unique identities as cultural ambassadors.

My Educational Journey:

My international education background started when I was very young. I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska – the global cargo hub at the time – surrounded by planes leaving and arriving from all over the world, with local and global individuals speaking dozens of languages, many indigenous only to Alaska. The world (certainly Russia and Canada!) seemed closer than the mainland United States.

My first study-abroad experience was a summer through Rotary Youth Exchange. I lived with a family in Mannheim, Germany, and my host sister later visited Alaska to spend time with my family in our community. My Rotary experience was followed by a summer program to Hokkaido, Japan with the Lions Club, and I was hooked; I began to seek any opportunity to travel abroad.

When my high school drama club planned a trip to London, I made sure to participate.
I made it a point to stop at the Vancouver World’s Fair on my way from Anchorage to my undergraduate studies in Flagstaff, AZ.
During my undergraduate program, I worked in Northern Arizona University’s international office, assisting students in preparing for their own study-abroad journeys.
I spent my junior year abroad in Kiel and Tübingen, Germany.
As a graduation gift to myself, I traveled to Mexico for an intensive Spanish course (and studied with a Spanish/German textbook!).
During my master’s degree at NAU, I completed an English-language teaching internship at Matsudo University, Japan.
Post-graduation, I anticipated returning to Japan. Instead of limiting my search to one country, however, I discovered that the world had truly become my oyster. I was offered teaching positions in Finland, Japan, and Latvia. I selected Finland and loved it! However, after a year, I had to make that difficult choice between a cross-cultural living experience or returning home for a cross-cultural teaching experience. The joy of leading a multicultural classroom won out: I chose a room full of diversity, where learning goes far beyond accurate grammar and dreams of native-like pronunciation.

I returned to the U.S., but have never stopped traveling for teacher training, recruiting, and tourism. Reflecting back on these experiences, I realize that the path I forged was always deeply rooted in international education of some sort:

A Ph.D. in Education/Curriculum and Instruction (with an emphasis in reading and ESL) from Southern Illinois University.
An M.A. in TESL/TEFL from Northern Arizona University (which allowed me to teach English through an incredibly-broad range of subjects).
A B.A. in General Studies from Northern Arizona University (because I love so many topics I couldn’t decide!).

While this training provided a firm theoretical foundation, my educational philosophy has been truly shaped by my personal experiences in different cultural contexts.

Professional Focus and Passion:

My professional goal is to provide students with the tools to succeed on the global stage while fostering global empathy and compassion. This happens through:

Soft Diplomacy: Investigating how language education can foster civic engagement and global competence in students.
Curriculum Design & Teacher Training: Developing innovative curricula that unlock student potential and support teacher growth.
Leadership & Program Administration: Effectively managing immersion English Language Programs (ELPs) to ensure academic excellence and a quality student experience.
Online Learning & Technology Integration: Leveraging modern technology to support language learning and create more-flexible, inclusive educational environments.

I sincerely believe that every cross-cultural interaction can be a practice of “soft diplomacy.” It is about building person-to-person connections, fostering empathy, and ultimately contributing to a more peaceful and inclusive world. This is the heart of my work and what I hope to share with you through this site.