Irene Gonzaga

Irene Gonzaga is a Lecturer in the Filipino Language within the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan (U-M). She joined U-M in Fall 2018, teaching Filipino language and culture courses at all academic levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). She currently serves as the Filipino coordinator for the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, since 2021. Prior to her U.S. immigration in January 2017, she held the rank of Associate Professor at De La Salle University-Dasmarinas in the Philippines from July 1997 to September 2016, specializing in Filipino language instruction for non-native speakers.

Her professional affiliations include the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at U-M and the Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC) at San Diego State University, where she taught a specialized Filipino Professional Acquisition Course to U.S. Military Personnel in Fall 2020. She is also a Certified Oral Proficiency Interview Tester.

Her teaching career spans over 25 years, with a focus on designing culturally immersive language curricula and bridging linguistic gaps for diverse learners. Irene actively contributes to academic outreach programs, such as SEASSI and military language training initiatives, emphasizing practical language application in professional contexts.