Fifteen recent Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates have received Fulbright grants for the 2023-2024 award cycle. The Fulbright Program offers two types of awards: the study/research award, where a candidate designs a proposal for a specific country, and the teaching assistant program, which places grantees in schools abroad to assist local English teachers while also serving as cultural ambassadors for the U.S.
Maggie Allegar ’23, an international relations major, will be an English teaching assistant in Taiwan. She would like to volunteer at a museum there: offering tours, assisting with visitor services and helping with text translation. After the Fulbright, she hopes to work in the foreign services after earning a master’s in international relations and East Asian studies.
Sophia Chanin ’23, an English major, will be an English teaching assistant in Germany. She plans to engage with the local writing community as well as start a creative writing group for students to help them practice English and creativity. After the Fulbright, Haber plans to combine her passion for teaching with her love of language by pursuing an MFA in poetry and a Ph.D. in literature.
Brittany Chen ’20, a cognitive science and French double major at Pomona, will be an English teaching assistant in Taiwan. She looks forward to taking part in the arts in Taiwan, perhaps singing in a local choir or playing erhu in a Chinese orchestra. After the Fulbright, Chen plans to pursue graduate study to work in higher education as an international student advisor.
Peter Chong ’23, a politics major, will be an English teaching assistant in South Korea. He plans to use his experience in outdoor education and his passion for music and storytelling as tools to connect with his students. After the Fulbright, he plans to pursue a graduate degree and a career in business.
Kelly Ho ’22, a public policy analysis major, will be an English teaching assistant in Taiwan. She will start a language exchange group with university students as well as volunteer in schools, elderly homes and food banks. She hopes to document her experiences through interviews, writing and video. Long term, she plans to serve members of the Chinese diaspora in the U.S. through social work.
Kaitlyn Lee ’23, a molecular biology major, will be an English teaching assistant in Taiwan. She plans to lead after-school music classes for students and community members and to explore the history of phytochemicals in traditional Chinese medicine. After the Fulbright, she plans to pursue a career at the intersection of science education, education technology and curriculum development.
Kyu Lee ’23, an Asian American studies and history double major, will be an English teaching assistant in South Korea. They are looking forward to building a relationship with the community through joining a local book club and learning traditional Korean dances. After the Fulbright, they will likely apply to graduate school to continue working as a teacher.
Calla Li ’22, an international relations and Russian and Eastern European studies double major, will be an English teaching assistant in Kazakhstan. Li looks forward to immersing herself in a Kazakh community, and her long-term goal is to become an expert on Russia-China relations working in the areas of think tank research, academia or government.
Jacob Ligorria ’23, a biology major, will study Arctic seabird foraging at the University of Gdańsk in Poland. He will also volunteer with Operation Baltic to study songbirds migrating through Poland. After the Fulbright, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology or conservation biology and a career in scientific research that informs seabird conservation programs around the world.
Madeleine Mount-Cors ’23, a politics major, will be an English teaching assistant in Argentina. She plans to volunteer for a local art museum, where she will offer tours and plan community events. After the Fulbright, she hopes to pursue further study of child development, multilingualism and art.
Delmy Ruiz ’23, a public policy analysis major, will conduct research focusing on the implementation of and community response to innovative healthcare initiatives in rural Brazil. In the future, she plans to apply to a joint M.D./MPH program and open a community clinic in her hometown of South Los Angeles.
Oliver Spivey ’23, a philosophy, politics & economics major, will be an English teaching assistant in Spain. He plans to offer free English lessons to community members who are unemployed or seeking to enhance their professional credentials. After the Fulbright, he hopes to apply to graduate school.
Zachary Wakefield ’22, a biology major, will be an English teaching assistant in Taiwan. He hopes to be involved in ecological restoration work in the region, which has been impacted by invasive plants, and to become more comfortable speaking Mandarin. After the Fulbright, he plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in academic medicine.
Nathaniel Wire ’23, a geology major, will enroll in a master’s in geophysics program at the University of Iceland, where he will participate in volcano-tectonic research. He will also take Icelandic language and history courses. After his master’s, he plans to enroll in a Ph.D. in geophysics program with the goal of teaching earth sciences.
Rya Jetha ’23 was offered an English teaching award in Jordan but declined it. She will pursue a master’s degree at Cambridge University as a recipient of the Downing Scholarship.