Fulbright Alumni Ambassasdor Archives - Page 2 of 6

Back at School and Working on a Fulbright Application? Contact a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador.

September 4, 2014

(Back row, left to right) Kelly Rivera, Diana Heise, Cameron Kruse, MaSovaida Morgan, Paul Bostrom, Lauren Gaydosh, Carlos Rivas, Samuel Gordon, Giuseppe Cespedes, Jacob Vidourek, Sharief El-Gabri, Rebecca Littman-Smith, Alexis Schmidt, Janice Feng, Kia Hall; (front row, left to right), Mario Hoang Nguyen, Alyssa Meyer, Kevin Fomalont, A. Hameto Benkreira, Michael Young; (not pictured) Arienne Jones

Have you been working on a Fulbright U.S. Student Program application this summer and have questions, now that you’re back at school? If you’re enrolled in an institution or a recent graduate, you’ve probably been working closely with your Fulbright Program Adviser and Fulbright World Area Managers.

Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors are another terrific resource available to anyone thinking of applying or currently engaged in the application process.

The Fulbright Alumni Ambassador Program was established in 2008 to identify, train and engage a select group of approximately 15 Fulbright U.S. Student Program alumni to serve as representatives, recruiters, and spokespeople for the Fulbright Program. The Program was expanded to include U.S. Scholar Program alumni in 2009.

Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors are selected annually through recommendations from Fulbright Commissions and U.S. Embassy staff, partner organizations, and approved by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

To learn more about the 2014 cohort of Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors, and to contact them directly, click here.

Good luck to all Fulbright applicants!

– See more at: http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-alumni/alumni-ambassadors#sthash.epxNa862.dpuf

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U.S. Fulbright

Meet the 2014 Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors!

December 11, 2013

On Friday, December 6, 21 newly-selected 2014 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Alumni Ambassadors met in Washington, DC to receive training on how to promote and recruit for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Staff members from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the Institute of International Education (IIE), along with previous Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors, shared tips on giving an effective presentation and emphasized the unique, important role that Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors play in inspiring diverse students, Fulbright Program Advisers, college administrators – and anyone interested in the program – to learn more about it and the power of educational and cultural exchange.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Alumni Ambassador Program was established in 2008 to identify, train and engage a select group of approximately 15-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program alumni to serve as representatives, recruiters and spokespersons for the Fulbright Program. They are selected annually through recommendations from Fulbright Commissions, U.S. Embassy staff, area managers, the Fulbright Student Program Outreach Division and approved by the Fulbright Program’s sponsor, ECA. Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors come from an array of different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, states, fields of study, institutions and have participated in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in all world areas.

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U.S. Fulbright

My Beautifully-Bumpy Argentine Adventure

September 25, 2013

Fareed Mostoufi, 2009-2010, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Argentina (in yellow t-shirt), teaching at the Instituto de Enseñanza Superior Lola Mora in Tucumán

I had just returned home from six weeks of studying in Madrid, Spain, when my sister called to tell me about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Traveling to Madrid had been my dream since I applied to college, and I had come back startled by the vastness of the world and the richness of other cultures. She told me that the Fulbright U.S. Student Program was an opportunity to spend approximately a year abroad potentially conducting independent research, or assistant English teaching while developing personally and professionally. While still on the phone with my sister, I looked up the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website and decided instantly to apply…three weeks later.

Yes, I started the application process late. Hungry for resources on how to put an application together, I found out about and attended local information sessions, met with my university’s Fulbright Program Adviser, and searched the all-knowing Internet. I learned that I had to apply selectively to one country. I also learned that for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program (ETA), I had to explicitly outline my teaching style and plans for extracurricular community work in my application. I also learned that professors had to be reminded gently, but regularly, to turn letters of reference in on time!

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U.S. Fulbright

Designing and Connecting with La Ciudad de México

September 11, 2013

Nancy Guevara, 2011-2012, Mexico, enjoying the view above Mexico City

I am Mexican-American, born on the border between the countries to two immigrant working-class parents. My ancestry in Mexico not only drove me to want to learn more and experience living in Mexico, but also drew me to examine both sides of my identity and the mutually beneficial process of cross-cultural communication. Mexican-Americans and Mexican immigrants are great bridges for creating mutual understanding between the United States and Mexico, who continue to influence each other today.

When I was thinking about applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program Study/Research grant, I knew I was interested in humanitarian design in order to address pressing social issues. I wanted an opportunity to explore the creation of imagery, artifacts, and educational tools to create awareness and dialogue. I knew that I wanted to travel to a place where I was proficient in the language, where I could understand not only the definitions of the words that were spoken to me, but the personality and soul in which these words and conversations were being spoken. As such, Mexico was a perfect fit.

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U.S. Fulbright

Fulbright on Ice: From the U.S. to the Outback to Antarctica

August 7, 2013

Marvin Alfaro, 2011-2012, Australia, operates a conductivity, temperature and depth measuring instrument on board the Aurora Australis in the Southern Ocean

Australia is perfectly situated on the planet for me to pursue my atmosphere-ocean interaction studies. As an undergraduate meteorology major with a special interest in the Southern Ocean, I worked with oceanographers on projects analyzing the strength and location of ocean currents using remote sensing capabilities from satellites. After graduating, I became interested in combining the remote sensing data from satellites with high-resolution data retrieved on board a nautical research trip into the Southern Ocean. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provided just the type of opportunity I needed to pursue this unique cultural and research experience.

Initially, I expected life in Australia to be very similar to the culture and lifestyle I knew in the United States. But as a Latino and native New Yorker, I was in for a big surprise.

As a Fulbright Student, I lived with and learned from locals, allowing me to see the world through an Australian’s southern-Pacific lens. My Fulbright lasted a year, but the learning will last forever. In Australia, I realized how important Latin American cultures and cuisine are in my everyday life in the United States. Sydney is largely influenced by Asian cultures—Latin American influence is minimal. Before I arrived, I thought of surfers, beautiful beaches, and Sydney’s famous Harbor Bridge and Opera House. They were wonderful parts of my experience, but the Fulbright Program allowed me to experience everyday Australian life, not just see Australian landmarks.

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U.S. Fulbright

Navigating Conversations: One Fulbrighter’s Take on What it Means to Be a Cultural Ambassador

July 31, 2013

Shadea Mitchell, 2010-2011, Jordan (left), with English teacher Mrs. Ghada at the Al-Ittihad School for Girls in Amman

My time as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Jordan was spent primarily in the middle school classrooms of the Al-Ittihad School for Girls, encouraging students to utilize their English conversation skills while also serving as a resource to other English language instructors.

Midway through my Fulbright year, I convinced my supervisor, the school’s seventh grade English instructor, to allow me to lead weekly conversation sessions. Since many students were already well-spoken and comfortable making small talk in English, I wanted to contribute to the English classes in a meaningful way and thought this would be especially beneficial to the older girls. I wanted to encourage them to discuss more interesting topics than those covered in their textbooks but I didn’t intend to discuss anything controversial. Nevertheless, there were a few times when their curiosity led to some intense but rewarding discussions.

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