Schuyler, Author at Fulbright Student Program Blog

Highlights from the 2016 Seattle Fulbright Enrichment Seminar

March 24, 2016

Fulbrighters gather for a photo with keynote speaker and bassist from Nirvana, Krist Novoselic, at the Opening Dinner held at the Seattle Aquarium.

The 2016 Fulbright Enrichment Seminar in Seattle, Washington, March 17-20, drew together an impressive cohort of 132 Fulbrighters from over 65 countries around the world to explore “Democracy in Action,” engage with leading political commentators (and the occasional rock star), and take in awe-inspiring natural landscapes draped by the city’s iconic backdrop: Mount Rainier.

Even before the seminar’s kickoff opening dinner, students had the opportunity to take in beautiful views of downtown while attending a sea otter feeding and reception at the Seattle Aquarium.

Delivering a riveting keynote address was the incomparable Krist Novoselic, bassist and co-founder of the rock band Nirvana and one of rock’s most politically-minded musicians. Through the Joints Artists and Musicians Political Action Committee (JAMPAC), Novoselic has taken a prominent leadership role in uniting music and politics; currently he serves as chair of FairVote, a Seattle non-profit election reform organization. His speech conveyed a deep passion and dedication to politics which resonated through the Fulbright attendees.

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U.S. Fulbright

Ghosts, Bats, and an Environmentally Friendly Monster: Holidays in Vietnam

March 23, 2016

Hilary Ross, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Vietnam, 2014-2015 (right), and one of her English Speaking Club co-organizers celebrate a successful Halloween event

In 2011, a fortune-teller in a smoky, incense-scented room in Vietnam predicted that I would be the only student in my study abroad group to return to Vietnam. At the end of the five months, I also knew that I wanted to return to this complex Southeast Asian country. Assistant English teaching through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistants Program seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese culture and Vietnam’s relationship with the United States and give back to communities who had welcomed me. I don’t generally believe in the supernatural, but a little over three years later, it turns out the fortune-teller was right.

As I wrote my application, I focused on how to express that I was the right person for this role – a meld of teacher, cultural ambassador, mentor, and friend. My grandparents and parents have all lived and worked internationally. Their openness to and interest in meeting people from all over the world inspired me to move far outside my comfort zone. I’ve learned that when I consciously and positively engage with the world, my connections deepen, and a global community is strengthened. Fulbright has given me the opportunity to do this by connecting and learning from the brightest students and teachers in Vietnam.

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Have Questions About What It’s Like to be a Fulbright U.S. Student? Ask a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador.

March 21, 2016

Are you interested in applying for a Fulbright U.S. Student grant and have questions about what it’s like to be a Fulbrighter in a particular country or field? Are you a Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA) who would like a Fulbright alum to present on campus and share information about what’s involved in applying to Fulbright and what the experience is like in-country? Reach out to a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador!

The 2016 cohort of Fulbright Alumni Ambassador bios are now available on our website along with each ambassador’s contact information. We encourage prospective applicants and FPAs to contact Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors for tips, testimonial and advice – all throughout the academic year.

2016 AA - 2

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright

Faces of Williamson, West Virginia: A Photo Essay

March 16, 2016

I’ve only been in Williamson, West Virginia for 48 hours and even though it’s not enough time to have a deep sense of everything that is happening in town, I’ve found a significant contrast between the quiet energy that I feel on the streets and the vitality of the residents who are trying to make improvements to their community.

I have been walking around with my camera capturing signs of a town that has suffered a dramatic decrease in its population–from 10,000 to 3,000 people–and talking with locals, asking them why they chose to stay when the coal industry has slowed down.

Williamson, West Virginia, was once a vibrant mining town with a population of 10,000 people. Since the big coal mines closed, there has been a dramatic decrease in the population. You can feel the absence of those who have left.

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright

2016 Philadelphia Foreign Fulbright Enrichment Seminar

March 10, 2016

From March 3-6, 2016, Fulbrighters took to the “City of Brotherly Love,” Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to participate in the 2016 Enrichment Seminar, “Democracy in Action: U.S. Politics and Elections.” Joining the more than 130 students over the course of local cultural site visits, community service activities, and a presidential election simulation workshop included accomplished political commentators, strategists, and academics.

Held at the Independence Visitor’s Center, the opening dinner welcomed CNN’s Michael A. Smerconish to deliver a phenomenal keynote address, “Stuck in the Middle with You: How Did We Get Where We Are (Politically) and What Will It Take to Get Out.” Smerconish, who is the author of two New York Times’ best sellers, analyzed the current fraught U.S. political climate heading into the 2016 general election in November, and even offered an apt comparison between the U.S. two-party system, voter preferences, and citizens’ proclivity to shop at specific grocery stores based on location.

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U.S. Fulbright

Fulbright: The Grant That Keeps on Giving

March 9, 2016

Sarah Sanderson Doyle, 2012-2014, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Brazil, with her husband in Rio de Janeiro

In 2011, my husband and I were ecstatic to find out that I was selected as one of thirty Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) to Brazil for the 2012-2013 academic year. We spent an incredible ten months in Ilhéus, Bahía, teaching English, giving cultural presentations and volunteering in the community. I was even more excited to learn that I was chosen to be one of ten Fulbrighters asked to return to Brazil the following year to serve as mentors as the Brazilian Fulbright ETA program expanded from thirty to one hundred and twenty grantees. We were relocated to the north of the country and spent another challenging and fascinating ten months in Belém, Pará, right at the edge of the Amazon.

Though I have plenty of stories and experiences to share about my time as a Fulbright ETA, what I would like to highlight are the amazing opportunities that I’ve had because of my Fulbright experience, along with how valuable it is to stay connected to the U.S. Department of State’s and the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) alumni communities after the grant period ends. Some of the many advantages include having stories to share in interviews and applications, increased chances for professional development and volunteering, networking and internships.

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