By Gabriela Baron
Filipino teacher Lady Aileen Orsal made history after Harvard University hired her as an instructor in Filipino Languages (Tagalog).
For the first time in Harvard’s nearly four-hundred history, Elementary and Intermediate Filipino (Tagalog) courses will be offered beginning Fall 2023.
Tagalog is currently the fourth most spoken language in the United States, after English, Spanish, and Chinese.
“Lady Aileen is a dedicated, creative, and effective teacher who is committed to being a leader in Filipino language pedagogy,” Harvard University wrote on its website.
“She also has an impressive background in Philippine Studies, including Philippine culture, history, and politics.”
Orsal began her teaching career as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University in 2018.
She also taught Filipino at Cavite State University.
Orsal received her BA in Mass Communication from Cavite State University in 2012 and her MA in Philippine Studies in 2017.
She is currently completing both an MA in Communication from Northern Illinois University and a PhD in Philippine Studies from De la Salle University. -ag
