Udoh Orji

Why FSU?

I chose FSU because of the opportunity provided by the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics. The professors were genuinely interested in their student's growth. Also, I am a huge fan of FSU Footbal!

Motivation to pursue a graduate degree

I wanted to pursue a master's degree in German because I was primarily interested in deepening my language proficiency and enhancing career opportunities in teaching. My master's degree at FSU has laid a strong foundation and has introduced me to new areas of the field that sparked my interest. I am excited to see what a Ph.D. has in store for me.

Importance and/or impact of research and work

For my research, I will be focusing on exploring Second Language Acquisition in the context of German language and culture, in particular implementation of conversation analytical findings into German language instruction. In short, my research will focus on how people can efficiently acquire the German language with instruction by relying on conversation analysis as the methodology to make this happen.

This research is important because it advances our comprehension of how languages are learned or acquired and how they can be acquired efficiently to the extent that learners are able to use language in diverse context. By understanding these processes better, we can improve language education methodologies, making it easier for learners to acquire new languages.

Career aspirations

My career aspiration is to become scholar in Germanic linguistics, contributing to the understanding of language acquisition and improving learner's chances of achieving their aim in the target language they choose. I would also love to continue teaching using the best teaching methods and strategies, as well as implementing my findings for my research in the classroom. Overall, after completing my Ph.D., I hope to pursue a career in academia to continue researching and teaching.

Advice for anyone considering graduate school

Graduate school can get tiring, and you might want to quit, but always remember the contribution you’ll make in your field and how it will help people. In my high school, we often recited different quotes and poems; the one that is most helpful for graduate school and has often kept me going is the poem by Edgar Albert Guest, "Don't Quit."

Accomplishments during graduate career

I was nominated by some of my students for the “Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award” 2024. I didn’t win, but it made me happy that my students saw my efforts and recognized how interested I was in their studies.