Truman Welcomes New Fulbright Grantees

The Department of Languages and Linguistics is excited to welcome this year’s Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) grantees; Ya-Ling “Michelle” Lu in in the Chinese Program and Daniela Cuppi de la Vega in the Spanish Program.

As an experience language educator from Taiwan, Lu is passionate about exploring the similarities and differences between Chinese and English. Drawing from her teaching experience in Taiwan and New York, she is dedicated to tailoring her instruction to students’ individual needs and cultural backgrounds. She aims to use the Chinese language as a bridge for cross-cultural understanding, helping students broaden their perspectives and deepen their appreciation of Chinese culture. 

Beyond the classroom, Lu plans to host a variety of cultural events from enjoying Taiwan’s famous bubble tea and desserts to celebrating traditional Chinese festivals and exploring Chinese music and calligraphy. Originally from Tainan, known for its delicious cuisine and warm hospitality, Lu takes pride in sharing her hometown’s unique culture and traditions.

Cuppi de la Vega is from Madrid, Spain, and also is half Italian, giving her a rich multicultural background. She has a Bachelor of Arts in translation and interpreting (English and French) from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master of Arts in teaching Spanish as a foreign language from Pablo de Olavide University in Seville. 

Fluent in four languages, Cuppi de la Vegas has taught Spanish in multiple countries, including Belgium, Martinique and France, and has previously lived in the United States. She is excited to be part of the Truman community and looks forward to sharing her culture, experiences and enthusiasm for language learning.