TLTE master’s candidate Dwight Miller earns Fulbright award

18 May 2023     By Undergraduate Research and Fellowships

Dwight Miller, a master’s candidate in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, has earned a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to teach English in Nepal.

A native of Modesto, California, Miller received a Chancellor’s Scholarship for his undergraduate studies in sociology. At Nebraska, he has focused on supporting elementary-aged students, including conducting research on families, mentoring, and teaching in pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade classes. As an undergraduate researcher with G. Robin Gauthier, assistant professor of sociology, he analyzed Nebraska Social Indicators Survey data to probe how family definitions are understood in the state.

Last year, Miller also worked as a TRIO/Upward Bound research specialist, where he encouraged growth through creative expression and games while introducing students to grade‐appropriate research on environmental sustainability. Across his student support experiences, Miller came to value the impact of positive social interaction and observed that “a smile is powerful in any classroom.”

Miller applied for the Fulbright program to explore language pedagogy, practice instructional strategies and learn from educational leaders outside of the United States. He brings to the experience intercultural competence honed through teaching, as well as hosting events for after-school programs and the immigrant‐serving nonprofit Nebraska Appleseed.

With support from the Fulbright program, Miller will apply his extensive knowledge of educational theory to a diverse group of students in Nepal, helping them build relationships and embrace the adventure of learning. A lifelong learner himself, he plans to use the opportunity to immerse himself in Nepali culture, learn new ways of pedagogy and classroom experiences, and share his love of community gardens.

Upon returning to the United States, Miller plans to continue teaching in diverse elementary schools before pursuing a doctoral degree in educational administration and an administrative endorsement in Nebraska or California.

Miller was one of six Huskers earning Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards for the 2023-24 year. Additionally, one CEHS student was among the four Husker students and recent alumni who were recommended to the host countries for funding consideration and recognized by the U.S. National Screening Committee as semifinalists. Aaliyah Miller, a native of Beatrice, Nebraska, graduating in May with degrees in nutrition and health sciences and psychology, has been recommended for the Master’s Degree Program Awards: Taipei Medical University Awards in Mind, Brain and Consciousness in Taiwan.

At Nebraska, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships advises and nominates candidates for 30 supported scholarships and fellowships. To learn more, students and campus community members should contact Director Courtney Santos at courtney.santos@unl.edu.