Valencia Epps
ALSLA Doctoral Student
Education
M.A., Elementary Education, Mississippi State University
B.A., Elementary Education, Mississippi State University
Bio
Valencia Epps began a Ph.D. in ALSLA in the fall of 2025. Her research focuses on examining the intersectionalities of English as a foreign language teaching and learning.
She was a recipient of a 2024/2025 Fulbright Research Grant in South Korea and the Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship, where she investigated the well-being and collaboration among English language teachers in East Asia.
She is interested in how cultural identity, race and language ideologies shape teacher–learner experiences, as well as the sociopolitical contexts that influence English language policies and practices across Asia. Through her work, she aims to expand this field within academia while elevating marginalized voices and contributing to more equitable, culturally sustaining approaches to language education.
Areas of Interest
- Language and Identity
- Applied Linguistics
- Sociolinguistics
- English as Foreign Language
- Global Englishes
Selected Awards and Honors
Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellow, 2024-2025
Fulbright U.S Student Research Scholar, 2024-2025
1st place poster, Graduate Research Symposium, Mississippi State University, 2023
Phi-Theta Kappa Honor Member, 2023
Stephen D. Lee Scholar, 2022
Selected Community, University & Professional Service
Assistantship in Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL), Mississippi State University (MSU), 2023
Maroon Money Mentor, MSU, 2020-2022