Category: English Language Institute
From Haiti to Delaware: Audin Francois' Journey to Empower Through Language
June 01, 2025 Written by Kaitlyn Diehl
Where I'm From
I am from Jacmel, Haiti.
Where I Am
I recently graduated from UD with a Master’s in Teaching English as a Second Language.
Where I'm Going
I want to support and empower MLL/ESL students globally and pursue a Ph.D. in Education and Social Policy.
As the University of Delaware’s graduation season nears, all eyes are on the Class of 2025. This year, UD’s English Language Institute (ELI) is excited to celebrate the achievement of one particular member of the Class of 2025: Audin Francois, whose experience as an ELI student a decade ago inspired an education and legal career in Haiti, and who has now earned a Master’s of Teaching English as a Second Language (MA-TESL) from UD.
Francois’ story began in Jacmel, Haiti in 2010 when he was introduced to his first group of Delawareans. They had traveled to his hometown to provide aid after his country was affected by a catastrophic earthquake, but needed help understanding the local language. Francois, with little knowledge of English, stepped in as an interpreter. Little did he know, this interaction would change the course of his life.
“They started talking to me about Delaware, and I went online to learn more about the state. While I was doing that, I found out about the University of Delaware and the English Language Institute,” Francois said.
Inspired by the chance to learn English in a safe state close to friends, Francois applied and began studying at the ELI in the Intensive English Program in 2013.
“At the time, I was full of hope, but also a little bit uncertain about my English abilities and my future in the United States,” Francois said.
Despite his worries, Francois quickly adjusted to his new life in Delaware.
“The ELI became more than just a language school. It became my home away from home. It’s a place that shaped so much of my academic journey and personal development.”
With the help of “excellent teachers” he not only grew academically, but his worldview opened up through taking classes with students from different countries such as Saudi Arabia, China, South Korea, Brazil, and Colombia.
“That's where I learned the importance of diversity. At the ELI, the world unites together to learn and share cultures with each other. It opened my mind,” he said.
Life after the ELI
Francois’ transformative time spent at the ELI made him want to pay it forward by giving the gift of language education to others; After graduating from ELI, he returned to his hometown Jacmel in Haiti and founded a language school with some friends. The school provided leadership training and taught basic English to kids, teenagers and adults.
“I wanted to share not only what I learned at the ELI, but also my story, which I hoped would serve as guidance for future students,” Francois said.
He eventually pursued a law degree to further support the education field.
“I believe that law and education are intertwined because education is one of the inalienable human rights. Countries must respect this and provide adequate education to their people,” said Francois.
Pursuing an MATESL degree
An observation during a trip to Delaware a few years ago inspired his latest UD academic journey. Francois saw that there were many multilingual learners (MLL) and English as a second language (ESL) students in Delaware schools who needed support, which motivated his decision to return to the University of Delaware in pursuit of an MATESL degree.
“As a UD and ELI scholarship recipient, I wanted to give back. I wanted to become a TESL professional so I could support and empower MLL or ESL students in Delaware and all over the world,” he said.
The program turned out to be a great fit for Francois’ goal; during his studies, he served as a research assistant on Project DELITE (Delaware English Learners Impact on Teacher Education) alongside the UD and ELI’s professor Nigel Caplan. He also had the opportunity to attend and present his proposal titled “Fostering Intercultural Communication in English Language Classroom: Perspectives and Strategies” at the PennTESOL East Fall 2024 Conference.
“It was incredibly rewarding because I had the opportunity to study language pedagogy, second language acquisition, and cultural diversity in ESL classrooms,” he said.
Francois also had the opportunity to apply his teaching skills to the classroom with a practicum at George V. Kirk Middle School. “I met with my mentor, Dr. Mildred Bradshaw, a veteran in this field. She's been teaching for 20 years and is an excellent teacher and life coach, so I was continually learning,” he said.
Dreams for the future
Eventually, Francois would like to return to UD to pursue a Ph.D. in Education and Social Policy–a program that will build on his law and education background. For now, he is ready to start making a difference in Delaware’s multilingual community.
“ELI was a launch pad, not only for language learning, but for life-changing transformation,” said Francois.
”I want to be ‘first,’ which is part of the UD motto: ‘Dare to be first.’ Everything I learned at UD helped me to serve my community in a better way. Especially when it comes to language education.”
