Most on-campus organizations focus on advancing the undergraduate experience, but what about answering the question of “What Next?” While there are many options for students after they earn their bachelor’s or PharmD, an amazing international opportunity can be found right here on campus. Wilkes University is a participant in the global program called Fulbright.
The U.S. Fulbright Program is a cross-governmental attempt to increase cultural competency and allow US students to travel to other countries and advance their own education, while working on meaningful projects in their host country. There are two types of awards open to recent and soon-to-be graduates. The first is as an English teaching assistant, or ETA. Those who are selected for this role move to their chosen country for a year and assist an English teacher in a classroom setting.
These classrooms could vary from kindergarten all the way to university-level English classes. These types of awards allow students to travel, assist different global communities and practice classroom engagement and cultural competency. These types of awards are the most popular, with the most open spots. One example of this award would be the four available grants to work as an ETA in rural areas of Nepal.
The second type of award is an open study/research award. These awards are more flexible, allowing students to work on their own original research project in-country or pursue a Masters degree at an international university. These awards are more competitive than the ETA process. For example, Taiwan has four open study/research awards and an additional 28 awards in various degree programs at different national universities. On the other end of the spectrum, Denmark has ten open study/research awards with no specific specialty programs.
How does Wilkes University prepare students for the Fulbright application? Wilkes has a Fulbright Advisor, Dr. Gina Morrison. Her role is to mentor students through the application process and ensure they understand what the entire process looks like. In addition, Wilkes University is currently offering a one credit class, GC-298: Writing for Fellowships, which focuses on guiding students through the process of writing a Fulbright Application. Beyond that, Fulbright typically has a table at events like Open Houses and Accepted Colonel’s Day.
Other than providing students with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study or work abroad, Fulbright has other benefits. These include: accident and sickness benefits, 12 months of non-competitive eligibility hiring status with the U.S. government, a stipend based on the host country’s cost of living and a lifelong Fulbright email address. Depending on the country or program, Fulbrighters can also receive transportation, research allowances, full or partial tuition and various enrichment activities.
As of the publication of this article, Wilkes University has never had an undergraduate student successfully qualify for the Fulbright Program. You could be the first. For more information, contact [email protected] or check out the US Fulbright Program website.