by Alina Rosenkranz |
UP prides itself on being ranked third in the nation among producers of Fulbright Scholars. The path to teaching or doing research in a foreign country after graduation requires months of preparation, as seniors find out through working on Fulbright applications.
Dylan Vahradian, a triple major in Spanish, philosophy and political science, applied for a research Fulbright in Chile, approaching it as a jumping off point for figuring out what kind of education he wants to pursue in the future.
“I didn’t feel ready to go immediately into graduate school. I don’t quite have a good understanding of what I want to do,” Vahradian said. “The Fulbright will hopefully allow me to explore an avenue that otherwise I wouldn’t have the opportunity to.”
In his research, Vahradian is especially interested in land right issues of indigenous people in Chile. Having started the application process halfway through his junior year, he describes the process as hectic, but simultaneously rewarding because it pushed him academically.
“It definitely has been the thing that I have put the most effort into in my entire life,” Vahradian said.
Vahradian noted that researching his subject and developing his ideas took up most of his time, but that the process provided him with clarity, allowing him to already narrow down what he wants to do with his life after graduation.
Fatima Scotto-Rodriguez, a Spanish major, applied for an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant in Spain. She hopes to learn from different teaching styles abroad to become a better teacher in the future.
Working on the grant proposal was the hardest part of the application process for Scotto-Rodriguez. The grant proposal is a two-page outline for students to explain the purpose and vision they have for their projects.
“You are like, ‘How do I sell myself?’ But at the same time it helps you build confidence,” Scotto-Rodriguez said. “Now I know how to really express why I’m a better candidate than other people.”
In being forced to reflect on herself and working closely with several professors at UP, Scotto-Rodriguez said that the application process has already yielded valuable results.
Augustus Leveque-Eichhorn, a political science and Spanish major, applied for an ETA in Spain after he found out about Fulbright from professors. In his grant proposal, he pitched the idea of teaching ballroom dance to Spanish students learning English as a second language.
“I thought that it'd kind of be an informal way for students and the community at large to continue their English language learning,” Leveque-Eichhorn said.
He believes that the international outlook gained from participating in community projects and teaching abroad will be beneficial for the career he aspires to have in politics.
“I do think that that being able to say that I’ve been part of an international community, been able to assimilate into a new culture is something that will help me in the long run,” Leveque-Eichhorn said.
The applications were due on Oct. 13 and award recipients will be announced between March 2 and May 29, 2016.
Alina Rosenkranz is a Staff Writer at The Beacon. She can be reached at rosenkra17@up.edu
