The ELI Student Spotlight series is designed to honor students who demonstrates outstanding commitment and enthusiasm in ELI courses. 

Meet Pahriya Ashrap! Pahriya was nominated by Prof. Judy Dyer for her work in ELI 580: Introduction to Graduate Student Instructor Work and ELI 601: Speaking in Research Contexts. Professor Dyer  wrote, "Pahriya possesses excellent English teaching and presentation skills. In both ELI 580 and ELI 601 she raised the bar in explaining concepts in ever imaginative ways. She forms friendships with people from all cultures, treating each person as an individual. She is able to cross many boundaries without compromising her own integrity with a deep human understanding and in a spirit of love. She is a model for us all." 

Name: Pahriya Ashrap

Hometown: Urumqi

Degree Program and Area of Research: Phd in Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental and Reproductive Epidemiology

What inspired you to take a class at the English Language Institute? I have always enjoyed teaching and I wanted to continue teaching at U of M. Therefore, I started taking the class "ELI 580: Introduction to Graduate Student Instructor Work" to better prepare myself. That was when I met Professor Dyer - I enjoyed her class very much and learned many valuable skills not only in teaching but also in research communication and networking.

What have you enjoyed the most about your class? Why? The thing I enjoyed the most about ELI classes is how students from different fields, backgrounds are brought together to interact, share experiences and grow together. This was especially special since in graduate school we have little chances to get together with people from different disciplines.

What do you hope to do after graduating from Michigan? After completing my Ph.D., I plan to pursue post-doctoral training at an institution that provides an opportunity to be a researcher that will further address the gap between epidemiological research and physiological mechanisms in environmental health.

What advice would you give to other international students at U-M? There are many resources for international students at U of M. I have benefitted from ELI classes, seminars, speaking/writing clinics, and Rackham/International office events. I would highly recommend students to use those platforms/resources and proactively pursue opportunities to empower themselves.