Honoring Our Teachers

Juan Carlos Fernandez

2021 Utah Foreign Language Association Higher Education Teacher of the Year

Juan Carlos Fernández is the recipient of the 2021 Teacher of the Year for the Utah Foreign Languages Association. Juan Carlos Fernández holds a Masters's Degree in History and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. studies in education (The University of Utah) with the focus area of heritage language education. Although originally from Spain, Juan Carlos Fernández was a student of three different educational systems: Spain, Italy, and the United States. This multi-cultural experience shaped who he is as a teacher today. In the United States, he has taught classes K-12 and higher education. He currently teaches Spanish at the University of Utah and is also an instructor for the Bridge Program. For three years Juan Carlos Fernández was also an administrator in a public school in Utah. After over twenty years of teaching experience, he is still focused on providing rich and rigorous learning opportunities for all of his students.