Mollusk resident and recent University of Richmond graduate awarded Fulbright to teach English in Colombia

Racquel P. Francis, of Mollusk, Virginia, has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. She graduated from the University of Richmond in 2012. 

Francis, who majored in Business Administration, will complete her year-long Fulbright award at Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá, Colombia.

“As a first generation college graduate, a black person, an immigrant and a U.S. citizen, I believe it is important that the many diverse facets of American life are represented on an international stage,” Francis said. “Fulbright is an amazing platform to share the diversity that exists in the U.S. in a meaningful way. It is my hope to be a good ambassador of U.S. culture in Colombia and a valuable ambassador of Colombian culture when I return to the U.S.”

Francis is fluent in Spanish and studied abroad in Argentina while a student at UR.

Eight recent Richmond graduates were awarded Fulbright grants, the most in the institution’s history. Previously, the top number of Fulbright recipients was six in 2009. To date, the University of Richmond has had 56 student Fulbright grant recipients.

Nearly 10,000 students from about 700 institutions applied for one of more than 1,900 grants to study, conduct research and teach abroad for the 2018-19 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.

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The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program places recent college graduates and young professionals as English teaching assistants in primary schools, secondary schools or universities overseas - improving foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the United States, while increasing the U.S. student's own language skills and knowledge of the host country, according to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.