Qiaona Yu elected to prestigious leadership role in Chinese Language Teachers Association

Associate Professor of East Asian Languages & Cultures Qiaona Yu was recently elected vice president of the Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA). With more than 800 members nationwide, CLTA is the largest professional organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to the study of Chinese language, culture, and pedagogy, representing educators across K–16 and higher education.

Yu received her Ph.D. in Chinese Linguistics and Pedagogy from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, a Master of Arts in Chinese Linguistics and Philology from Peking University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Beijing Foreign Studies University, where she focused on teaching Chinese as a second language.

Yu joined CLTA in 2011 as a graduate student seeking her voice as a teacher and scholar. She shared, “Over the years, the organization became a professional home for me. Presenting at its conferences, participating in workshops, and receiving the CLTA Walton Presentation Prize in 2015 were formative experiences that helped shape my confidence and scholarly identity. I have built lasting mentorships and friendships through this community.”

Serving on the Board of Directors for the past three years has allowed Yu to better understand the collective dedication behind sustaining Chinese language education in the United States. She said that being elected to serve as vice president in 2026–2027 and then president in 2027–2028 is deeply meaningful to her.

Her leadership role with CLTA also allows Yu to share the interdisciplinary work being done at Wake Forest, including a recently launched Certificate in Chinese / Japanese for the Global Workplace, alongside the existing major and minor in Chinese and Japanese Language and Culture. Yu’s CLTA engagement also reflects the University’s commitment to preparing students for meaningful global engagement. Yu added that Wake Forest’s strategic priority on experiential learning encourages students to engage with communities both locally, in person, and globally online, applying their language skills in real-world contexts.

Yu also believes that collaborating with colleagues across languages and institutions to bring the 2026 ISLSP/CIBER Business Language Conference to Wake Forest has been especially energizing. She noted that the conference bridges language education, professional preparation, and global citizenship.

For Yu, the most meaningful part of teaching at Wake Forest is witnessing students’ growth not only in language proficiency but also in confidence, curiosity, and empathy. She stated, “As a language teacher and applied linguist, I care deeply about helping students develop as thoughtful global citizens and courageous communicators. … My research in second language acquisition continually informs my teaching, and my classroom experiences, in turn, shape the questions I pursue in my scholarship. That dynamic exchange keeps my work vibrant and purposeful.”

It is the people at Wake Forest who make Yu’s experience so meaningful. She said she treasures the genuine relationships she has with students who inspire her with their insight and resilience, and with colleagues who share a deep commitment to mentoring, collaboration, and excellence. “That palpable sense of shared mission is what makes teaching at Wake Forest not just professionally rewarding, but personally fulfilling,” Yu said.