Doug Mooney ’21 (Applied Linguistics) was selected as an English Language Fellow in Semey, Kazakhstan, departing in September 2024. Doug notes, “My primary duties are teaching English courses to undergraduates at two universities, Shakarim University and Alikhan Bokeikhan University. My fellow faculty members and I are developing a writing center to teach academic writing to students and faculty.” Doug continued, “Establishing writing centers at several universities in Kazakhstan is a collaborative project between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the U.S. Department of State’s Regional Language Office, and Michigan State University.” Doug’s secondary projects include conducting workshops and presentations on English language methodology and leading conversation clubs at the public library. He also helps to promote international education exchange opportunities.

Through the English Language Fellow (EL Fellow) Program, highly qualified U.S. educators in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) participate in 10-month-long fellowships at academic institutions throughout the world. The EL Fellow Program fosters mutual understanding, promotes English language learning and enhances English teaching capacity abroad. Through projects sponsored by U.S. embassies, EL Fellows share their professional expertise, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures.

Quinn Hefferan Nordlund '24 (International Relations and German Studies double major) was accepted as a U.S. Teaching Assistant in Althofen, Austria during the 2024-2025 academic year. This position is administered by Fulbright Austria and managed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research. Quinn will be teaching English to Austrian students part-time, receiving a monthly stipend. She is looking forward to being located in a rural, small town, as she will be able to foster deep connections with locals and immerse herself in the regional German dialect. She hopes to continue to improve her German speaking abilities, and she is so excited to explore a new culture and become involved within the local community! 

Faith Kidd '23 (Political Science) has received a Fulbright ETA - Spain award for the 2024-2025 academic year. She will be teaching in a high school in the Community of Madrid. She will spend much of her time assisting students with Model UN and will travel throughout the country with students to compete in Model UN competitions. She is looking forward to the enriching education and travel opportunities ahead! 

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.

You can follow Faith's blog about her Fulbright experience in Spain! Faith in Spain (Faith Kidd '24, Fulbright ETA-Spain)

Ashley Patterson '24 (International Relations and Spanish minor) will soon be a Peace Corps Volunteer, teaching English in the Dominican Republic. She departs in March 2025 for her post. Ashley notes that "the program and position are geared towards ensuring young students can master two languages to improve their academic, professional, and personal development opportunities. In addition, volunteers teach and serve in the community through extracurricular and non-formal activities. I look forward to the impact I can make during my time in the Dominican Republic as well as the impact it will have on me!”

Peace Corps offers opportunities for significant, immersive service (2 years and 3 months) with host communities around the world. Volunteers work toward sustainable change in six sectors—Agriculture, Community Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health, and Youth in Development, immersing themselves in local cultures and sharing their experiences when they return home with family, friends, and the public. 

Laken Chapin '24 (Accounting). Laken was awarded the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute Fellowship Award. She attended the Princeton JSI in the Summer of 2024. Laken notes: "At the PPIA Fellowship at Princeton, I spent the summer fully immersed in graduate-level coursework studying public policy and affairs, growing as both a leader and a student through unique opportunities offered by the program. These included attending an expo and conference in DC, learning from policy researchers through workshops and seminars, visiting NYC Hall to learn about domestic policy implications, and partnering with incredible peers to study and present our research on current domestic policies. This was the most transformative summer of my lifetime, and I recommend it to any junior interested in pursuing public policy postgrad and whose passions align with public service."

Each year, PPIA seeks out high-potential undergraduate students from universities across the country to become PPIA Fellows and participate in an intensive, seven-week PPIA Junior Summer Institute hosted by one of their six prestigious university partners. The Junior Summer Institute program is specially designed to give students from historically underrepresented backgrounds and diverse lived experience greater access to a successful career in public service.

Tyler Peery '27 (Educational Studies). Tyler was excited for the opportunity to go to Aberystwyth University during summer 2024 as a Fulbright UK Summer Institute participant. Through this program, Tyler gained an understanding of how people’s perception of their own identity is formed and how politics impacts this perception. This Fulbright experience prepares Tyler to better support and serve people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds different from his own, which will be a part of his daily life as a teacher of English abroad in the future. Tyler was also excited to make new friends, explore the beautiful scenery, and enjoy some local bands!

The US-UK Fulbright Summer Institutes offer a small set of programs with varying thematic foci at participating British universities for U.S. students who are underrepresented in study abroad / without study-abroad experience / with a GPA of 3.7 or higher.

Lauren Weimer '23 (International Relations) participated in the Gilman Foreign Policy in Focus: Global Food Security Seminar in Harare, Zimbabwe in Summer 2023. Lauren received a Gilman International Scholarship award for study in Costa Rica in Summer 2022. The Summer 2024 program was created for Gilman Alumni. Lauren says: “Attending the Global Food Security Seminar was an incredible opportunity to learn more from local Zimbabweans about the history of their land and state of their food system. Speaking with representatives from USAID, FAO, and other international NGOs strengthened my passion for food access and helped me make connections for my future.”

The U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

Katherine Mast '25 (Chemistry) was awarded a summer research fellowship in the Department of Energy's Summer Undergraduate Lab Internship (SULI) program in Washington state. Katherine is now an ambassador for the program. As she notes, "the SULI program and my work at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory opened my eyes to many opportunities in the STEM field and helped me understand what I want to do after graduation. This opportunity allowed me to work on critical projects related to our country's goal of greener energy. I gained skills and connections that helped me grow as a scientist and understand the field of chemistry I wanted to explore in graduate school."

Justin McKnight '25 (Political Science and International Relations). Justin was awarded the Gilman International Scholarship for the Summer Semester 2024 to study in Vietnam. Justin notes, "My time in Vietnam was an invaluable opportunity made possible by the Gilman award. Interacting with the Vietnamese people helped me gain a deeper cultural understanding of contemporary Vietnam than I could ever have achieved without this firsthand experience. If not for the Gilman Scholarship I would have missed out on these incredible learning experiences. Travelling in Vietnam and experiencing Vietnamese culture is unlike anything else I've ever done. My experience in Vietnam helped me understand the vast cultural differences that exist in the world."

The U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

Elliot Melendez '24 (International Relations), will spend a year (and possibly more, as this fellowship is renewable for up to five years in total) as a JET fellow, teaching English in Japan.

Founded in 1987, JET has sent more than 35,800 Americans to work in schools, boards of education, and government offices throughout Japan. What makes JET unique is that it is the only teaching exchange program managed by the government of Japan. With more than 75 countries around the world currently participating in JET, this program offers a unique cultural exchange opportunity to meet people from all around the world, living and working in Japan. 

Rachel Robinson ‘25 (Behavioral Neuroscience). A returning adult learner, Rachel was awarded the Fund for Education Abroad Fellowship AND the IIE Gilman International Scholarship. The FEA and Gilman awards will enable her to immerse herself in the cultural hub of London and delve into courses in religion and history. She aims to equip herself with a nuanced understanding of interfaith dialogue and social justice advocacy, laying the groundwork for a career in public communications and community development. 

The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. The mission of the U.S. State Department's IIE Gilman International Scholarship is to enable students of limited financial means (Pell recipients) to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity. 

Gabrielle Bogataj ’22 (Film and Video Production). Gabrielle received the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program (NALCAP) fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year. Through NALCAP, Gabrielle had the opportunity to move to Madrid, Spain, and teach secondary students English. Her time in Madrid has allowed her to experience a new culture, learn a new language, and develop skills that will last a lifetime.  

The North American Language and Culture Assistants Program (NALCAP) is the flagship program of the Education Office of Spain. NALCAP enables American college students and graduates - who are native-like speakers of English - to partner with elementary and secondary schools in Spain to bolster language programs as language assistants (TAs) under the supervision and guidance of teachers in Spain.

Kobe Wright '24 (Film and Video). Kobe received the Freeman-Asia Scholarship for study in Japan in Fall 2023. In the course of this semester, Kobe's self-confidence and cross-cultural communicative skills increased as he studied Japanese, immersed himself in his host culture, formed new friendships and found inspiration for his career as an artist.

The Freeman-ASIA program is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. 

Madison Smith '23 (Biochemistry). Madison was awarded the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Award. This is providing her with the means to pursue her passion for forensic science by allowing her to work toward a Master's degree in forensic science at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Established in 1932, the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Program annually provides funding to first-year graduate students who are pursuing post-baccalaureate degrees across all academic disciplines. The GVSU PKP Chapter is the university's national honor society. Students need to be PKP members to apply. 

Avery Koan '24 (Geography & Environmental and Sustainability Studies). Avery was the recipient of the John H. Logie Fellowship in the Winter 2024 semester. This award allowed her to pursue her passion for urban planning within the City of Grand Rapids Planning Department. She gained real-world experience in the Planning Department by helping them with a variety of projects including making Geographic Information System (GIS) maps, attending weekly meetings, creating a dashboard for the 2024 Master Plan that will be accessible for the public, and assisting in a Steering Committee meeting at City Hall.  

Each year, the John H. Logie Fellowship seeks out a high-potential undergraduate student of junior or senior year status or any graduate student from any discipline who would benefit from an in-depth understanding of specific aspects of city governance.

Autumn Chorney '23 (Psychology). Autumn was awarded the Gilman International Scholarship for the Winter Semester 2023. This scholarship enabled Autumn to participate as a research fellow at the University of New South Wales under Dr. Eddie Harmon-Jones. Here, Autumn examined the psychology of conspiracy theory and worked toward advancing emotion research.

The U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

Brittany Pomierski ‘25 (Biomedical Sciences). Brittany received the Freeman-Asia Scholarship to study in Seoul, Korea, for the Fall 2023 semester. As a Biomedical Sciences student, Brittany is studying Korean in order to use it in her future career as a Physician Assistant. Her experience abroad advanced her understanding of Korean language and culture (including allowing her to try her new favorite dishes of kimchi jjigae and dakgangjeong Chicken).

The Freeman-ASIA program is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.

Katie Hoffswell '22 (M.Ed. in Higher Education) received a Fulbright ETA - Turkey for 2022-2023. She credits the research she did at GVSU for providing a sound foundation for her Fulbright and for her present work. In Katie's words: "the Culminating Experience Project that I completed for my M.Ed. in Higher Education was an amazing opportunity for me to expand my knowledge in the field. After graduating in 2022, I served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Türkiye, where I developed curriculum and taught university students. Now, I am a Student Success Manager at Northeastern University where I manage programming and incident response for a cohort of 300+ first-year study abroad students in Thessaloniki, Greece."

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.