SUNY Geneseo is experiencing a banner year for Fulbright Awards with the selection of a record four honorees – three grant recipients and one alternate – from six Geneseo applications. All recipients received English teaching assistantships (ETA) and will be teaching English part-time to non-native English-speakers, while also completing projects of the own part-time and serving as cultural ambassadors for the United States.
Receiving the awards are John Carlson, a psychology major and philosophy minor who graduated summa cum laude in May 2013 and will serve in Poland; Becca Miller from Fabius, N.Y., a English literature major with minors in French and Black Studies and also an Edgar Fellow, who will serve in Senegal; and Hannah Pruch from Bolivar, N.Y., an English literature major, who will serve in Turkey. Selected as an alternate for service in the Czech Republic is Christina Mortellaro, an English and communication major and an Edgar Fellow, from Batavia, N.Y.
Fulbrights are among the most competitive grants or scholarships in the country, conferred through the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries. The awards are granted only to students who have completed their undergraduate degrees.
The awards bring to seven the number of Geneseo graduates who have been Fulbright awardees or alternates in the past three years. About 1,500 U.S. students receive Fulbrights each year.
“I am so thrilled and honored to have received the Fulbright, and I know that it is exactly the first step I want to take in my post-grad career,” said Pruch. “The grant will allow me to combine my English degree and interest in global literature with the adventure of teaching abroad. I’m excited to immerse myself in a new culture and so thankful to my supportive professors for the confidence they have had in me.”
Miller also gave credit to her professors, who she credits for providing invaluable support in the application process.
“This is an incredible opportunity to travel, learn and grow abroad next year,” said Miller. “I'm excited to see Senegal, which has been a dream of mine for years, and to spend time in a Senegalese school getting to know the people and the area. I studied abroad at Rhodes University in South Africa my junior year, and became very interested in African literature and politics from that experience. Programs like Fulbright ETA are vital in decreasing the ‘single story’ the U.S. typically has about African nations, and I'm excited to return with many stories, pictures, and memories to share.”
Carlson also studied abroad while at Geneseo, both in the Netherlands and Sweden, and said those opportunities fueled his interest in cross-cultural relations.
"The experience opened my eyes to a small portion of the vast cultural diversity of the world,” said Carlson. “Ever since, I have been searching for ways to go back abroad so that I can learn more about different cultures while also sharing certain aspects of my own culture with those I meet. Earning the Fulbright ETA has given me such an opportunity. The support of my professors, both before and after my graduation, has helped me succeed up to a point I never thought I would reach."
As an alternate for service in the Czech Republic, Mortellaro would be in line to serve if additional opportunities become available.
“Originally, my Edgar Fellows seminar entitled ‘Women in Central and Eastern Europe’ inspired me to read and learn more about Czech Republic,” said Mortellaro. “I quickly fell in love with the culture--literature, language, arts, architecture. I wanted to apply for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship because I wanted to fully immerse myself in that culture and work among its people. I really enjoy teaching and intercultural exchange is necessary for an increasingly globalized community. To be considered for the Fulbright is an honor and it pushes me to pursue my goal of living there even further.”
Melanie Blood, professor of English and music at Geneseo, has been advising Geneseo students seeking Fulbright grants and other nationally competitive awards for four years. She will return to full-time teaching next year after spending half of her time advising students involved in the awards programs.
“It has been a treat for me to work with outstanding students across the curriculum, many of whom I would not have met otherwise,” said Blood. “As a faculty member, I know how bright, passionate, and motivated our students are. It is very gratifying to see Fulbright recognize so many of them. It is one of several tangible measures of the excellence of our student body.”