Four GVSU alumni named semifinalists for Fulbright ETA grants

Four Grand Valley alumni have been selected as semifinalists for the 2018-19 Fulbright U.S. Student Program to teach English overseas. 

The application process is a highly competitive nationwide search for the best candidates to complete the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program.

The four alumni, with graduation year, hometown, major and intended teaching destination, are as follows:

     Nick Ortiz, '17, Canton; international relations, Czech Republic

     Christy Bectel, '17, Hudsonville; international relations, Germany

     Cullin Flynn, '17, Fowlerville; Spanish, Mexico

     Shannon Theis, '18, Holland; comprehensive science and arts for teaching/education, Spain

Grant recipients will be selected from the pool of semifinalists.

The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program places grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in classrooms. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards funding for one academic year of self-designed study, research, internship, creative projects, or teaching English in more than 140 countries around the world. 

The 2019-20 Fulbright competition is open from March 30 until the GVSU campus deadline on August 31, 2018. For more information, 2018 and 2019 graduates and alumni who are interested in applying for the U.S. Student Fulbright Program should contact the Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships at [email protected].