Fulbright and Franklin Celebrate Significant Milestones

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, one of the leading educators of working adults in central Ohio, is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Yi Yang, chair for both Franklin’s master’s and doctoral Instructional Design program, as a Fulbright Scholar. Dr. Yang will hold the formal title of Research Chair of Education at the University of Alberta during the Summer of 2022, coinciding with her scheduled sabbatical. This announcement comes with great honor as she joins the top sixth institution in Canada.

As the pioneer of meeting the broadest community of learners to achieve their goals and enrich the world, Franklin is honored to align itself with Fulbright’s mission to extend education, advocacy and service. As Fulbright marks its 75th anniversary, Franklin jointly celebrates its milestone, as its sixth scholarly member is added to the list of distinguished Fulbright leaders. Newly appointed Dr. Yang shares this achievement with current Fulbright Specialist, Dr. Joel Gardner, Dr. Kelly Renner, Dr. Jonathan McCombs, and former Fulbright Specialist, Dr. Christopher Washington and former associate provost Dr. Karen Minor Romanoff.

For 75 years, Fulbrighters have inspired individuals, communities, and world with their creativity and thought-provoking work, while strengthening cross-cultural ties. The Fulbright program, coordinated by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the Institute of International Education’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), provides grant opportunities to Fulbright Specialists.

The U.S. Fulbright Scholar Award and $25,000 grant Dr. Yang received reflects her leadership and contributions to society, as she is now a part of 400,000 “Fulbrighters” leading the ranks alongside Pulitzer Prize winners, CEOs, scientists, and thousands of talented experts, selected across 150 countries. As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Yang may be requested to provide academic services, such as short-term lecturing, conducting seminars, teacher training, assessments and evaluations, special conferences or workshops, as well as collaborating on faculty development and curriculum or institutional planning.

As the chair of Instructional Design, Dr. Yang has held a variety of roles during her tenure including Instructional Design faculty, department chair of International Teaching and Innovation Services, and currently program chair. As a Franklin educator for 15 years, Dr. Yang has published and peer-reviewed several articles on the topics of instructional design, teaching, research and strategies. Her commitment to her work, along with professional service in the world of academia exemplifies her leadership, while adding Fulbright Scholar to her credentials. 
Dr. Yang shares, “I am extremely honored to receive the Fulbright Scholar Award. I am humbled to join this group of individuals, many who have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, CEOs, university presidents, Nobel Laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners. I look forward to representing Franklin University in the Fulbright 75th anniversary celebration and collaborating with scholars in Canada on the education research!”

About Dr. Yi Yang
Dr. Yang holds a Ph.D. in Systems and Workforce Development from Mississippi State University, and a MA in Technology and Learning and a BA in TESL (Teaching English as Second Language). Her research interests include online education quality, e-learning, gamification, social learning, emerging learning technologies along with her strong focus on online teaching and learning effectiveness. . Prior to joining Franklin, Dr. Yang has taught undergraduate educational technology courses at Mississippi State University.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).