Amy Burns Short, who lived in St. Thomas from 1980-95, was named director of graduate student teaching programs at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., beginning in August 1998.
She oversees English proficiency testing of international teaching assistants and graduate students, as well as coordinates support colloquia and programs for both American and international graduate students.
She regularly publishes book reviews and scholarly articles on teaching pedagogy, and recently was named media review editor of TESL-EJ, an online journal. In addition, she is a research study coordinator for Educational Testing Service.
She will begin doctoral work at N.C. State later this year in educational research and policy analysis.
She received a master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Murray State University, Murray, Ky., in December 1997, taught courses in academic English to international students preparing to enter graduate school, and also served as coordinator of instructional materials at MSU's Institute for International Studies.
Short completed her bachelor's degree in humanities, concentration in journalism, at the University of the Virgin Islands in
1988. She also attended L'Universite Paul Valery in Montpellier, France, and Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky.
In St. Thomas she taught French for two years at Charlotte Amalie High School, and before that, one year at Sibilly and Dober elementary schools. She also taught English as a second language in an adult education program at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.
In addition she was a freelance writer, editorial assistant and columnist for the Virgin Islands Business Journal, Island Trader and Nautical Scene, and worked for the Daily News for two years.
Short also performed as house pianist and vocalist at Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort for more than three years, and performed regularly at other Virgin Islands hotels, restaurants and private gatherings over the years. She taught piano lessons to both adults and children.
She and her 2-year-old son, Carl Bradley Short, live in Raleigh, N.C.