Biography
Dr. Roxanna Senyshyn, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Communication Arts and Sciences and coordinator of ESL certification at Abington College. She teaches courses in English as a second language education, applied linguistics, and intercultural communication. Her teaching has been recognized by Penn State Abington College Faculty Senate with Outstanding Teaching awards in 2023 and in 2017. Her current research focus is on transformative intercultural learning in preservice teacher education and the professional development of teachers throughout their careers as they prepare to work with linguistically and culturally diverse learners. The other strands of her research have centered on English learners in higher education with an emphasis on second-language writing and the socio-linguistic integration of international students. Her work has been published in academic journals including Intercultural Education, Journal for Multicultural Education, and Journal of Transformative Education, among others. Beyond academia, Dr. Senyshyn engages with school districts in her region to provide crucial professional development opportunities for teachers. She also has been an advocate for bilingual education and served on the Pennsylvania Department of Education task force that brought the Seal of Biliteracy to Pennsylvania. Additionally, she is actively involved in heritage language community-based education programs and serves as vice president of the Ukrainian Heritage School Board in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
Featured News
- The lasting impact of community research for undergraduates
- Abington professor supports teachers who instruct displaced Ukrainian children
- Abington announces faculty and staff awards
- Abington Faculty Spotlight: Roxanna Senyshyn meets needs of diverse learners
- Abington international conversation partners make world of difference
Selected Awards and Grants:
- Commonwealth Campus Undergraduate Community-Engaged Research Award (UCERA, $25,000), (2024-2025), Penn State President’s Office
- Outstanding Teaching Award (2023), Penn State Abington
- Curriculum Internationalization Grant (2022), Penn State Abington
- Chancellor’s Grant (2019), Penn State Abington
- Faculty Development Grant (2019), Penn State Abington
- Center for Intercultural Leadership and Communication (CILC) Grant (2018), Penn State Abington
- Outstanding Teaching Award (2017), Penn State Abington
- Summer Faculty Fellowship (2017), Penn State Abington
- Faculty Development Grant (2015-2016; 2016-2017), Penn State Abington
- Summer Faculty Fellowship (2014), Penn State Abington
- Diversity Initiatives Grant (2003), Visiting Scholar, Salus University
- P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (2000-2002), Graduate studies, University of Tennessee
- U.S. - Ukraine Foundation Grant (Summer 1997), Visiting Scholar, Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University
- U.S. Information Agency Grant (1996-1997), Visiting Scholar, Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP), University of Tennessee
- U.S. Information Agency Grant (Fall 1995), Visiting Scholar, Wayne State University and University of Michigan
- U.S. Agency for International Development Grant (Summer 1994), Translator/Interpreter, Management Training Program, Research Triangle Institute
Publications
Edited Books
Senyshyn, R. M., with Lypka, E. A. (Eds.). (2025). Voices of courage and vulnerability: Teaching English in a society at war (Ukraine 2022-2023). Sunshine TESOL Press.
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Senyshyn, R. M. (2026). Integrating and assessing transformative learning in intercultural teacher education. In F. Dervin & D. Moore (Eds.), The Routledge Companion of Intercultural Teacher Education (pp. 88-102). Routledge.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2025). Introduction: Ukraine’s past, present, and enduring spirit. In R. M. Senyshyn with A. E. Lypka (Eds.), Voices of Courage and Vulnerability: Teaching English in a Society at War (Ukraine 2022-2023) (pp. 2-21). Sunshine TESOL Press.
Senyshyn, R. M., & Lypka, A. E. (2025). Resilient pedagogy and collaboration: Providing quality education despite the adversity of war. In R. M. Senyshyn with A. E. Lypka (Eds.), Voices of Courage and Vulnerability: Teaching English in a Society at War (Ukraine 2022-2023) (pp. 104-111). Sunshine TESOL Press.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2024). Humanizing and amplifying voices of displaced children: A narrative of an eight-year-old’s journey and integration. In T.M. Shah (Ed.), Children and youth as ‘sites of resistance’ in armed conflict (pp. 35-54). Emerald Publishing.
Han, S. & Senyshyn, R. (2024). Dynamic intercultural learning and collaboration: transforming language teacher perspectives and practices. Journal for Multicultural Education, 18(4), 569-586.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2024). Immigrant families and communities as agents of interculturality in pre-service teacher education. In A. F. Selvi & C. Kocaman (Eds.), International Perspectives on Critical English Language Teacher Education: Theory and Practice (pp. 229-235). Bloomsbury Publishing.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2023). Translanguaging as transformation: the collaborative construction of new linguistic realities. Language and Intercultural Communication, 23(1), 140-142.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2021). Navigating linguistic and cultural identities: (Re)positioning oneself through critical awareness. In A. F. Selvi and B. Yazan (Eds.), Language teacher education for Global Englishes: A practical resource book (pp. 188-196). Routledge.
Senyshyn, R. M. & Martinelli, A. (2021). Learning to support and sustain cultural (and linguistic) diversity: Perspectives of preservice teachers. Journal for Multicultural Education 15(1). 20-37.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2020). Transformative intercultural learning: Research to practice in teacher education. In C.E. Poteau (Ed.), Pedagogical Approaches to Intercultural Competence Development (151-173). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2019). A first-year seminar course that supports the transition of international students to higher education and fosters the development of intercultural communication competence. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 48(2), 150–170.
Senyshyn, R. M., & Smith, P. (2019). Global Awareness Dialogue Project: Exploring potential for faculty transformation through professional development. Journal of Transformative Education 17(4), 318–336.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2018). Teaching for transformation: Converting intercultural experience of preservice teachers into intercultural learning. Intercultural Education, 29(2), 163-184.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2018). Facilitating preservice teachers’ transformation through intercultural learning: Reflections from a self-study. In J. Sharkey & M. M. Peercy (Eds.), Self-study of language and literacy teacher education practices: Culturally and linguistically diverse contexts (pp.167-184). Emerald Group Publishing.
Chamberlin-Quinlisk, C. R., & Senyshyn, R. M. (2012). Language teaching and intercultural education: Making critical connections. Intercultural Education, 23(1), 15-23.
Senyshyn, R. M., & Chamberlin-Quinlisk, C. R. (2009). Assessing effective partnerships in intercultural education: Transformative learning as a tool for evaluation. Communication Teacher, 23(4), 167-178.
Senyshyn, R. M., Warford, M., & Zhan, J. (2000). Academic and non-academic issues of adjustment to American higher education. Journal of International Education, 30(1) 17-35.
Other Publications
Senyshyn, R. M. (June 2024). Cultivating intercultural growth in preservice teachers through experiential learning. TESOL Connections. TESOL International.
Senyshyn, R. M. (March 2022). The Numbers activity: Understanding the role of nonverbal communication. Intercultural Communication Interest Section Newsletter, TESOL International.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2019). Facilitating Transformative Intercultural Learning. TESOL Connections. TESOL International.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2001). Learning cross-cultural competencies: Implications for international management education. Perspectives in Higher Education Reform. Proceedings of the 11th Annual International Conference of Alliance of Universities for Democracy, Volume 10, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2000). Strategies for teaching culture in Business English. Publication of Proceedings of the World Congress of Applied Linguistics, Tokyo, Japan.
Senyshyn, R. M. (2000). Designing a course in intercultural communication. Perspectives in Higher Education Reform. Proceedings of the 10th Annual International Conference of Alliance of Universities for Democracy, Volume 9, Budapest, Hungary.
Translations
Leeds-Hurwitz, W. (2017). Intercultural communication [Translation into Ukrainian]. (R. M. Senyshyn, trans). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 5. Available from:
https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/kc5-intercultural-communication_ukrainian.pdf
Golovátina-Mora, P., & Mora, R. A. (2017). Multiculturalism [Translation into Ukrainian]. (R. M. Senyshyn, trans). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 19. Available from:
https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/kc19-multiculturalism_ukrainian1.pdf
Arasaratnam, L.A. (2017). Intercultural competence [Translation into Ukrainian]. (R. M. Senyshyn, trans). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 3. Available from:
https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/kc3-intercultural-competence_ukrainian.pdf
Education
Ph D, ESL and World Language Education, University of Tennessee