Virginia Heslinga Ed.D.
Virginia Heslinga, Ed.D., has dedicated over five decades to education, beginning her teaching career in elementary and secondary classrooms before transitioning to higher education and online instruction. Since 2004, she has taught at Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts, and continued this work after relocating south by teaching online. Virginia appreciates digital tools for the flexibility they offer, allowing students to learn at their own pace while maintaining high standards of engagement and accessibility. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes honesty, respect, and adaptability, even when addressing sensitive topics such as international conflicts or social issues. Beyond the classroom, Virginia is an accomplished author and curriculum developer. She has written extensively on her experiences teaching English in rural China, producing a series of memoirs including China Sweet and Sour (March, 2025) and China Spicy and Salty (December, 2025), with a third installment forthcoming in 2026. Her personal memoir, Grace Interlaced (2023), reflects on a childhood house fire that profoundly shaped her life, and explores themes of grief, resilience, faith and forgiveness. Her historical novel, Wounded Dove (2024), is based on the true story of an immigrant family to Worcester, MA, who arrived shortly before the polio epidemic swept through their county. Values of perseverance, determination, family faith, and resilience shine through even when the characters face devastating betrayals. Dr. Heslinga has also published scholarly articles on educational leadership, inclusion, and cross-cultural teaching, contributing to journals such as the Journal of Arts and Humanities and the Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. Virginia’s work extends into community engagement and mentorship. She has trained teachers internationally, presented at conferences, volunteered with English language learner programs, and contributed to the efforts of local food pantries and Ashland Christian Emergency Services. Her dedication to lifelong learning is evident in her educational journey, which includes degrees from Marshall University and Widener University, as well as a doctorate from the University of Phoenix. Recognized for her teaching excellence with awards such as Teacher of the Year in her high school years, and the Robert F. Kennedy Award presented by the College Student Body for Contributions to the Anna Maria College Community, and the Living the Mission Award, presented by Anna Maria College for exemplifying the college mission. As a teacher, speaker, and writer, Virginia addresses audiences on topics such as cross-cultural communication, teamwork, spiritual resilience, leading with grace, and finding life lessons in unexpected places. Whether she is serving students, guiding volunteer teams, or mentoring new writers, Virginia brings a message of courage, compassion, and hope. She believes deeply in the God-given potential of every person she encounters. Her work continues to inspire readers, learners, and listeners to trust that their own stories hold meaning, transformation, and promise.
• Certified through ITTT as an International TEFL Teacher
Certified International Business English Teacher, TITC, TEFL
• Widener University- Master's
• Marshall University BA
• University of Phoenix
• Honored Listee-
Marquis Who's Who
• NCTE
• China, 5 summers
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the inspiration and guidance of my grandmother, whose dedication as a teacher in a Maine one-room schoolhouse sparked my own passion for education, to my mother, who always encouraged writing, to the many great storytellers in my family, and to the grace of God.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Expect every day of working with people to be an adventure. Teachers need to be CON artists, Count on Nothing. If a day of teaching goes smoothly, be grateful because those can be rare days. Vary approaches and activities to any subject. Ask questions. Answer questions with more questions. Teach from the heart, have a passion for learning, and model the highest standards.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Teaching varies tremendously from homeschooling to graduate school. Get to know your students. Prepare, and always find ways to connect learning to the senses and imagination. As often as possible, arrive early and stay a little past dismissal. Students know who is around, and if they need someone trustworthy to talk to, they will find you. Lessons should build curiosity, empathy, hope, and high standards for work and service. Students and their families entrust you with hours of their lives, and no one knows how many hours they have. When my younger brother died at age 7, his 3rd grade teacher asked in tears if she had made his hours in her classroom positive for him. Everyone you work with and all your students have stories you may never know. Be as kind and respectful toward them as you want them to be toward you and others.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges include nurturing compassion, respect, a desire to learn, integrity, reason, communication skills, and hope for a better future.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are compassion, understanding, faith, and gratitude, both in my teaching, writing, and leading, and I cherish spending quality time with my grandchildren.