New England College Professor Selected for Prestigious U.S. Department of State Fellowship
Dr. Nicole Decoteau will teach virtual English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses to provide academic and professional development at Sumy State University in northern Ukraine.
From the Granite State to northern Ukraine, New England College’s influence is stretching across borders thanks to Dr. Nicole Decoteau. Director of First-Year Writing and ESOL and Associate Professor of ESL, Decoteau has been selected by the U.S. Department of State to be an English Language Fellow (ELF) for a virtual project at Sumy State University in northern Ukraine.
Dr. Decoteau is among more than 100 participants in the prestigious Virtual English Language Educator Program for the 2025 academic year. In her role, she will teach four courses at Sumy State, including English as a foreign language methodology for pre-service educators, workshops for university professors, and practical English for students majoring in English or philology. Despite the daily challenges Ukrainians face, Dr. Decoteau’s work will provide essential academic and professional development opportunities for both students and faculty.
This marks Dr. Decoteau’s second appointment as an English Language Fellow. In June 2025, she completed a short-term fellowship supporting educators in Uzbekistan.
“I am honored to continue serving in this program,” said Dr. Decoteau. “Working with colleagues in Ukraine and Uzbekistan has reinforced for me how meaningful education is in building resilience, community, and connection across borders.”
The Virtual English Language Educator Program is the premier opportunity for experienced Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) professionals to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in English instruction abroad. Projects are developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, and Fellows work closely with local educators and students to strengthen English language capacity while promoting cultural exchange.
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