News & Announcements
Alumni Spotlight - Min Oh ('12)
Min Oh graduated from TFS in 2012. For Oh, TFS was a place where she could thrive in the classroom and in residential and student life.
“Once I got to college, I was familiar with the culture of seminars, office hours, and talking to teachers and classmates about what we were reading and studying. The transition from high school to college was much easier because I had those opportunities at TFS,” she said. After graduating from Vanderbilt with a PhD in special education, Oh began working as a Research Analyst at the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Headquarters.
Having spent her elementary school years in New Jersey, Min Oh (’12) wanted to return to the U.S. “I wanted to go to a school that would prepare me for college, and that was near nature,” she said. From their home in South Korea, Oh and her family began researching to find the right boarding school. They soon found TFS, which met all the criteria – a beautiful campus in the mountains, strong academics, a great dorm life, and good activities.
In 2009, Oh began her first year at TFS. She quickly became involved in her studies, student government, and other activities. “I was a part of the TFS ambassador program,” she said. “I was one of the TFS student representatives who welcomed visitors to school events.” She also fondly remembers planning and setting up for the senior prom. “The SGA members and I stayed up late the night before decorating,” she said. “It was so nice to see everyone come together and enjoy the event we planned as students.”
The intimate class setting felt like family for Oh – a support network that made her academic experience at TFS special. “I took a lot of math classes with Ms. Harris. She was always there to encourage and challenge me,” she said. “She also took us to math competitions to test our mathematical knowledge out of the classroom context.”
Oh appreciates the classroom activities, presentations, and reading discussions with English teachers Kelli Bly and Scott Davis. “We engaged with our work creatively through projects and literary topics that we were curious about,” she said.
As a senior, Oh began the arduous process of applying and deciding on a college. “Choosing a college is an intense adventure for seniors. I applied to over 12 schools,” she said. Most notably, her college counselor, Bobby Hammond, shared that the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation Scholarship Program had started at Mercer University. “I was selected for the Stamps Scholarship and joined the inaugural cohort of Stamps Scholars at Mercer. I would not have known about the opportunity if it wasn’t for TFS,” she said. “It was a full ride, with a stipend and study-abroad support every year. It completely changed the trajectory of my college experience and opportunities that I was able to have during and after college.”
At Mercer, Oh majored in English literature and minored in Spanish and education. “Once I got to college, I was familiar with the culture of seminars, office hours, and talking to teachers and classmates about what we were reading and studying. The transition from high school to college was much easier because I had those opportunities at TFS,” she said.
Oh planned to teach; however, she fell in love with education research, so she continued her studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to study language and literacy and then to Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education to work on her PhD in special education.
“The overarching focus of my work has always been language and literacy development, specifically for multilingual learners.” She has a personal connection with growing up in a new country and learning a new language. “When I was young, I lived in New Jersey for a while and grew up as an English learner in the public school system,” said Oh. “I grew up learning a new language.” In addition, she comes from a family of educators, which contributes to her love of education.
In August of 2023, after graduating from Vanderbilt, Oh began working as a Research Analyst at the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Headquarters. “The overall goal of my work is to ensure high-quality education for all military-connected students,” she said. “Our work is happening all over the world.”
Oh has a message for TFS students: “Take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy field trips and friends. Do your best in the classroom, but also remember to have fun, spend time with your friends, and take a break.”