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John David Yi is the Director of Teaching and Learning at Montclair State University. A first-generation college graduate, he brings nearly two decades of experience in equity-driven teaching, faculty development, and academic leadership. He previously served as a Lecturer in English at Queensborough Community College and earned his Ph.D. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, where his research explored community co-construction and belonging in First-Year Writing classrooms, particularly within blended and online learning environments.

Drawing from his background in teaching, faculty development, and educational leadership, John is especially interested in how relationships, dialogue, and thoughtful course design shape participation and belonging within increasingly digitally inflected learning environments. This work continues to inform his participation in the inaugural 2026 Google & GSV Higher Ed Leader Fellowship, a national community of higher education leaders exploring AI, innovation, and the future of human-centered learning.

At Queensborough Community College, John led several campus-wide initiatives, including directing the Accelerated Learning Program and the Common Read initiative, centering his work on collaboration, care, and social justice to advance student success. He also served as an inaugural 2023–2024 Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies (BRES) Curriculum Development Faculty Fellow and a 2022–2023 Faculty Fellow at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). In these roles, he advanced inclusive curriculum design, amplified historically underrepresented voices, and fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Today, John partners with faculty across disciplines to support inclusive teaching, pedagogical innovation, and thoughtful engagement with emerging technologies. His work centers on helping cultivate learning environments where curiosity, reflection, and meaningful participation can flourish. He is equally committed to ensuring faculty voices remain central to conversations surrounding teaching and learning. His experiences across teaching, faculty development, and educational leadership have shaped his belief that teaching is relational, reflective, and community-shaped work. Through collaboration and dialogue, he seeks to help create conditions where students and educators alike feel empowered to contribute to a shared intellectual community.

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• Office for Faculty Excellence (OFE)