Vicki Zhang is a master’s student in the International and Comparative Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. With a background in secondary education from the University of Sydney, she has extensive experience teaching English, French, and Business Studies in public schools across Australia. Her classroom experience has shaped her interest in how language pedagogy and educational policy interact to support students’ social and emotional development. At Teachers College, she has continued to integrate practice with research, coordinating cross-cultural programs that bring together educators and researchers from China and the United States.