Instructors and Administration

Instructors at the English Language Institute have studied English in the U.S. and abroad. All have strong backgrounds in education and experience in teaching English to non-English speakers. In addition, instructors have experienced the learning of a language and have the unique understanding needed to successfully work with language learners.



	Dr. Elizabeth Harrison began an academic career at Austin Peay in 2019 in the English Language Institute. They are the coordinator for International Student Services and the training manager for the ELI. Elizabeth is an APSU alum ('13, '20, '24) who works in international studies because it is a personal passion. When not reading about teaching strategies or working on research projects, Elizabeth enjoys learning new languages, reading science fiction and fantasy novels, cooking, or watching cartoons with family.
	Dana Robinson is the Coordinator for the English Language Institute. She is an experienced accounting technician and is earning a BBA in Accounting with APSU ('25). With a diverse background cultivated by work in the service industry and a passion for numbers, she brings a unique perspective to her work. Outside of work, Dana is a dedicated mother who enjoys spending time with her family and rescued animals. She is an avid traveler and loves exploring the outdoors when the weather permits.
	Qian Lu is a dedicated graduate teaching assistant pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in TESOL at Austin Peay State University. She holds a Master of Law in Ideological and Political Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Shenyang Jianzhu University, China. Qian has served as an instructor, teaching assistant, and administrator with over eight years of experience in higher education. Her multicultural background brings a global perspective to her work. She is committed to supporting multilingual learners and integrating innovative teaching strategies to develop their linguistic and cultural competence.
	Sam Busby earned a BA in Spanish at APSU ('24) and is currently graduate student working toward an MAT in TESOL in the College of Education. Sam is an extensive traveler who loves learning about culture, language, and the world. One day, Sam aspires to give back to the community by working with and advocating for language learners in the Tennessee region.
	As a second-generation American, Tarrah Sargeant remembers speech and pronunciation classes as a child and has come full circle now that she is working for the EL Institute. She has worked for Austin Peay State University since fall 2015 and started as an Structured Learning Assistance Instructor teaching enhanced labs for students with test-confirmed reading deficiencies. From there, she moved on to working as a Peer Writing Tutor for the APSU Writing Center until May 2021 and served as Coordinator for a year. She earned both of her degrees at APSU: a BA in English with minors in Secondary Education and Spanish and an MA in Communications with a concentration in Marketing Communication. She loves music and anime and enjoys helping others see education as a worthwhile and fun-filled process.
	Dora Podkovyroff has taught a variety of subjects, such as piano, performing, French, Greek, and English for over 40 years. She has several certificates and a postgraduate degree in music. She has taught all of the courses at the APSU ESLI, and is currently leading the Reading and Vocabulary courses. Outside of these courses, she still teaches piano at APSU and at the Madison Street Music and Arts Academy, leads her church group at Christ Lutheran as its Music and Choir Director, and teaches both French and Greek at the Tennessee Language Center. As a lifelong student and teacher, she enjoys working with learners of all ages and backgrounds. She believes language is more than words: it is not only a tool for communication, but carries identity, history, and culture. She is honored to aid others by adapting her teaching methods and honing the skills of her students, bonding with them to help them move forward in their own goals.
	As an Army veteran, Jingxin Perkins's true passion has always been being a great teacher to students whoever loves and desires to learn. That is why she decided to continue her education at Austin Peay State University after military service. She has earned both of her bachelor's degree in criminal justice, and master's degree in art of teaching here at our university. With over 15 years of experience in education, and years of studying abroad in Japan, she has a much-deepened understanding of both cultural acceptance and language comprehension. She has always believed that all students can succeed with the combination of effective instruction and hardworking ethic in language learning. She is honored to be an instructor here and ready to help students stepping onto the right path.
	Dalia Hamouda holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (1997) and has earned her Master of Arts in Teaching at Austin Peay State University (2022). She has a long career as a graphics and book art designer and as an art teacher. Her passion for learning and teaching languages was fulfilled by completing her English as a Second Language certification and her recent studies at Austin Peay State University receiving her Master's degree, with a concentration in teaching English to speakers of foreign languages. Dalia is passionate and motivated to provide opportunities and inspire students to explore and hone their English language abilities with her experience in researching multidimensional approaches to learning language, while supporting cultural appreciation and cognitive enhancement.