Five College of Arts & Letters students and alumni were awarded 2024-2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants. They are among the 10 Michigan State University students and alumni who were offered Fulbright grants this year, nine of whom accepted the awards and are traveling to seven different countries to conduct research or teach English during the 2024-2025 academic year.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world.
Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in a rigorous, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service in addition to their potential as cultural ambassadors while abroad.
The 2024-2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant recipients from MSU’s College of Arts & Letters include:
- Liam Donahue is doing an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany. He graduated from MSU in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Social Relations and Policy from James Madison College and a B.A. in German from the College of Arts & Letters.
- Zoe Pride is doing an English Teaching Assistantship in Switzerland. She earned a B.A. in French Language and Teacher Education in 2022 and an M.A. in French and Francophone Studies in Spring 2024, both from MSU.
- Nolan Rachocki is doing an English Teaching Assistantship in Switzerland. He graduated from MSU in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in International Relations from James Madison College and is currently a graduate student in German Studies in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at MSU.
- Isabella Williams is doing an English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. She graduated from MSU in 2021 with a B.A. in Spanish from the College of Arts & Letters and Secondary Education from the College of Education and a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL).
- Caroline Zackerman is doing an English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. She graduated from MSU in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Linguistics and was a member of the Honors College.
For Williams, the opportunity to teach in Spain is highly anticipated after her semester in Valencia, Spain, was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I had to return to the U.S. about two months earlier than planned. It was because of my shorter-than-anticipated time there that I was inspired to return one day, thus realizing my dream to eventually teach abroad,” Williams said. “I knew I loved teaching ESL, so the English Teaching Assistantship grant offered the perfect opportunity for me to pursue my passion overseas. I selected Spain because of my love for the culture and country.”
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is highly competitive with about 20% of total applicants offered an award, though this varies by host country and award type. During this cycle, more than 9,000 applications were submitted, according to the Institute of International Education.
“I knew I loved teaching ESL, so the English Teaching Assistantship grant offered the perfect opportunity for me to pursue my passion overseas. I selected Spain because of my love for the culture and country.”
Isabella Williams
“This is a competitive program. There are awards with acceptance rates lower than 1%, and others that have much better odds, so I always encourage applicants to explore all their options,” said Joy Campbell, MSU Fulbright Program Adviser. “I also tell applicants to think of the application process as a one-credit class in terms of the amount of mental energy they will need to devote to putting together a compelling Fulbright application.”
Fulbright alumni, including more than 230 Spartans, go on to have careers enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields.
The other MSU students and alumni who were offered 2024-2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants include:
- Graham Diedrich, Greece and Bulgaria, College of Natural Science and College of Social Science
- Katie McGraw, Malawi, College of Natural Sciences
- Nan Nourn, Cambodia, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and College of Natural Science
- Truman Forbes, Rwanda, Honors College, James Madison College, and College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Xue Lin Wang, Taiwan, College of Social Science 2019 graduate
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program at MSU is administered through International Studies and Programs. For more information about the program, visit the Fulbright Programs web page on the International Studies and Programs website.
Story originally published by Michigan State University International Studies & Programs
