Nontraditional student finds new purpose, career excitement at PFW

Though Mr. Rogers always taught valuable life lessons, sometimes it takes years for them to truly take hold.

The late children’s program personality once said, “You don’t ever have to do anything sensational for people to love you.” In other words, everyone deserves to be loved simply for being themselves.

“When you let go of having to do something incredible, you start seeing all the things where you can make a difference around you,” said Zach Andrews, Purdue University Fort Wayne graduate student.

Andrews, 30, has seen his life change over the last 10 years as he continues to find ways to make a difference for others. While studying creative writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design, he met his future wife, Esther, during his senior year. They moved to New York City for work, but eventually burned out and decided to come to Fort Wayne, her hometown.

Checking out PFW’s class catalog led to taking a linguistics class taught by Shannon Bischoff, chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and professor of linguistics. As Andrews said, it felt like being grabbed by gravitational forces.

“Shannon Bischoff pulled the curtain off of language, and said, `This is what we don’t know about language,’” Andrews said. “I had no idea this is what I was going to learn, but it was exactly what I needed to learn. I’m obsessed with learning, and studying how language works and doesn’t work is incredible.”

Andrews is eager to share what he’s learning, saying he loves advocating for and serving others. He’s teaching English online classes to the library staff of Songkla University, which is in the American Corner in Pattani, Thailand, high school students in Fuskiki High School, and college students in Toyama University in Japan as part of PFW’s Teaching English as a New Language program.

“I feel like I have fallen into this role which means so much to other people,” Andrews said. “I feel like I am part of something greater by doing this.”

As someone who continues to work on learning Japanese, Andrews visited Japan in May to test himself, saying it isn’t just a matter of speaking differently but of thinking in a new way. He didn’t meet any of his students on that trip, but plans to return soon to interact with them. He’s been working with Japanese high school and college students to share his English, but quickly realized they could teach him as well.

While teaching about the language of using a library, Andrews was surprised when his students asked if they could learn more about American culture. Someone asked if they could learn about Indiana.

"They were not just librarians, they were people with hobbies and dreams who wanted to learn more about America and also to teach us more about Thailand,” Andrews said. “So, we pivoted, focusing less on library vocabulary and more on cultural exchange."

In effect, Andrews admitted that the students made him a better teacher.

“What we appreciate about Zach is his openness to learning and his sincere desire to grow in his craft,” said Mary Encabo-Bischoff, clinical assistant professor of linguistics and director of TENL. “Some students expect learning to happen to them instead of learning with their peers and instructors and through their experiences. With Zach, he brings the kind of attitude that we like to see in students, and most importantly, in teachers, which is the spirit of inquiry and humility to grow and learn.”

Andrews learned that the TENL program is reciprocal and culturally enriching for everyone involved. He loves it so much that he plans to stay with the program even after he finishes his English degree, and is considering becoming a high school teacher or college professor.

“He is one of the few students we have encountered in recent years where he actually sought out the program, not just because of a job but because of a true interest in the subject matter,” Encabo-Bischoff said. “We appreciate that very much since it is a good reminder that there are still students who want to learn for the sake of learning and not just treat the university as a tool to get a job. Zach will be more prepared for any job because human creativity is not something that can be replaced.”

But Andrews said that during his time at PFW, he has discovered his best way to help others is through his connection to teaching.

As Mr. Rogers also said, “There are three ways to ultimate success: the first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.”