Interest in international education lands Fulbright winner in Germany

After Richmond, what's next?

The grant is an English Teaching Assistantship; I will be teaching English to middle and secondary students in Duesseldorf, Germany.  I also plan on doing volunteer work with immigrant students in a primary school.  Afterwards, I hope to attend law school and concentrate in international education law.

Where were you when you got the news?

I had just come back to my apartment to grab some food after my last class and before my LSAT class, and my roommate had put the letter on my desk.  It was shortly after Easter.  I knew when I saw how big the envelope was that it was an acceptance, and I tore it open and read the first line, and then just started yelling and I ran into the next room to tell my roommate.  I tried to call my mom at work, but she didn't answer, so I called my dad and said "Hi Dad, I'm just calling to tell you that I'm going to Germany— I'm a Fulbright scholar."  I definitely shed a few tears—I was absolutely thrilled and very surprised.

Is there anyone who inspired you along the way?

I wasn't even planning on pursuing a German major in college, but everyone in the German department was so amazing that I just kept taking classes and ended up deciding to do the major, which in turn greatly influenced my decision to apply for the grant.  So, I have to give the faculty of the German department a lot of credit for encouraging my continued study of the language and for being such supportive and inspiring professors in general.  I also did ESL work with Nuray Grove throughout my senior year, which helped solidify my desire to continue teaching English as a second language after college.

What would you tell students who were thinking about going through the application process?

Do a lot of research on the country to which you’re applying.  I think one of the best ways that you can demonstrate a genuine interest and desire to go to a particular country is through knowledge of specific characteristics of that country.  Also, talk to people (professors, people in the field, etc.) about your ideas.  They can help you refine your proposal, give you tips, and point out things that you hadn’t even thought of.

What has a liberal arts education at the University of Richmond meant to you?

My liberal arts education at Richmond has provided me, not just with intellectual knowledge, but with critical thinking skills and a more open and flexible outlook on life.  I think it’s helped me become a more adaptable person and encouraged me to develop an awareness and perspective that I carry with me everywhere I go.  I will value my experiences at Richmond and the lessons I’ve learned from them for the rest of my life.
 

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