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Miami students, alumni and faculty selected as Fulbright semifinalists

Thirteen Miami University seniors and three alumni have been named semifinalists for the 2020-2021 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant competition. This is the most semifinalists the university has ever had named in a single year.

Every year, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the largest U.S. exchange program, offers research, study and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to college graduates.

“I think from my perspective, being able to work with these students has been such a tremendous pleasure,” Karla Guinigundo, director for Miami Global Initiatives and Fulbright program ambassador, said.

Fulbright also offers IEA seminars grants to educational professionals to help expose them to different education systems and assist senior level administrators initiate partnerships and collaborate on a global scale.

Cathy Bishop-Clark, an associate provost and dean of Miami Regional’s College of Liberal Arts and Applied Sciences, and Cheryl D. Young, assistant provost for Miami Global Initiatives and continuing education, received (IEA) seminars grants. 

Miami University had 29 total applicants to 20 different countries this academic year. The semifinalists are:

  • Johanna Alexander, a psychology major with an East Asian studies minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in South Korea.

  • Elena Arduin, a public health and premedical studies double major with a community-based leadership minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in Taiwan.

  • Avery Comar, a history and Russian, East European and Eurasian studies double major, applying for an English teaching assistant in Russia.

  • Peter Fortunato, an international studies major with statistics, geography and Spanish minors, applying for an open study/research award in Spain.

  • Sarah Frick, a quantitative economics major with Japanese and statistics minors, applying for an open study/research award in Japan.

  • August Hagemann, an economics and Russian, East European and Eurasian studies double major, applying for an English teaching assistant in Russia.

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  • Madeline Marshall, a strategic communication and political science double major with a community-based leadership minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in South Korea.

  • Elizabeth Martin, an integrated English language arts education major with an English literature minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in South Korea.

  • Natalie Mullen, an international studies and global & intercultural studies double major with Arabic and German minors, applying for an English teaching assistant in Malaysia.

  • Sophia Pauken, an international studies major with Arabic and German minors, applying for an English teaching assistant in Jordan.

  • Rachel Pieratt, an international studies and Spanish double major with Latin American studies and political science minors, applying for an English teaching assistant in Peru.

  • Katherine Rogers, a German and history double major with a French minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in Germany.

  • Hana Vera, an international studies, Latin American studies and premedical studies triple major with a Spanish minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in Mexico.

  • Nicole Anselmo, who graduated in 2019 as an international studies major, applying for an English teaching assistant in Kazakhstan.

  • Camila Rodriguez, who graduated in 2019 as an integrated mathematics education and mathematics double major, applying for an English teaching assistant in Spain.

  • Julia Zorc, who graduated in 2019 as an English: creative writing and interactive media studies double major with a history minor, applying for an English teaching assistant in South Korea.

The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board looks for students that have demonstrated interest in cultural exchange, have strong academic records and teaching or tutoring experience, Guinigundo said.

Six out of the 14 Miami students selected as semifinalists for the 2019-2020 Fulbright U.S. Student competition received grants.

Vera initially heard about the Fulbright scholarship through a friend. If selected, she would spend nine months teaching and volunteering in Mexico.

“I chose Mexico because I am very interested in the historical, political and social connections that the U.S. and Mexico share,” Vera said. “On a more personal note, I [also] have a lot of family that live in Mexico that I have never met and would love to learn more about their culture and my paternal roots.”

Bishop-Clark will travel to India in March, and Young will travel to Taiwan in April to make use of the IEA grants they received last month.

“I wanted to do this on behalf of Miami,” Young said. “I think there are some missed opportunities in the fact that we haven’t engaged much with Taiwan.”

Miami had 14 students from Taiwan enrolled last year and has had three Miami students study abroad in Taiwan since 2011, Young said.

During her three weeks stay in Taiwan, Young hopes to diversify Miami’s study abroad experiences, develop partnerships with Taiwanese academic institutions, cultivate research opportunities for faculty and students, and foster classroom-to-classroom connections for global understanding and learning through technology.

Young was born in Oxford, and started her career at Miami 36 years ago.

“I’ve lived in other places, but I deliberately chose to come back to Oxford,” Young said. “Oxford is my home town, and I love it here and I love Miami University.”

@dan_wozniak 

wozniad2@miamioh.edu  

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