Yuriko Ikeda, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, has been named the 2021 Indiana Outstanding Spanish Teacher of the Year by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) in the university category for her dedication and passion for teaching Spanish and art, her motivation to engage students with community service, her cultural trips with students, and her involvement with students' success and advancement.

The Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Indiana recognizes prominent Indiana Spanish and/or Portuguese teachers for their outstanding dedication, professional contributions, evidence of continuing education and growth, student mentorship, and influence on Spanish/Portuguese language education in their communities and state.

"It is an honor to be the recipient of the 2021 AATSP Indiana Outstanding Spanish Teacher of the Year at the collegiate level," said Dr. Ikeda.  "This serves as additional motivation to continue improving so that I can be the best professor I can possibly be. I am grateful to Marian University, my colleagues, and all my students for supporting and giving me the opportunity to grow as a teacher of the Spanish language and culture."

Dr. Ikeda will now represent AATSP Indiana in the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association (IFLTA) congress with the option to be named 2021 Indiana Foreign Language Teacher of the Year (competing with the Teachers of the Year in other languages). If Dr. Ikeda is selected IFLTA All-Teacher of the Year, she would be representing Indiana in the 2023 Central States Teacher of the Year competition in Columbus and with option to be 2023 ACTFL National Teacher of the Year in Chicago.

The Award Ceremony will take place during the AATSP Business Meeting (aatspindiana.org) that is part of the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Conference (iflta.org) in November.