International exchange program offers scholarships for students

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Twelve students gathered in Ronan 346 on Tuesday night to learn more about the Fulbright Program, one of the largest U.S. international exchange programs offering opportunities for students.

“To be chosen as a Fulbright scholar is incredibly prestigious,” said Anne Miller, coordinator of the National Scholarship Program. “Those who receive the scholarships become U.S. ambassadors on a one-on-one level and develop goodwill relationships.”

Miller explained the goal of the program is to increase mutual understanding between people in the U.S. and people in other countries. Tuesday’s event was set up to inform and increase the number of students involved and nominated.

Through the Fulbright Program, students can either apply for a research or study grant or be an English Teaching Assistant.

ETA is the most common Fulbright scholarship, with over 650 granted nationwide each year. Students travel to various schools abroad, ranging from K-12, to teach English and American culture.

“It’s not just for people in the teaching program,” Miller said. “We have fabulous students throughout campus that are Fulbright material.”

Charlevoix senior Danielle Lackaff is in Mexico finishing her Spanish for Business degree, but intends to apply for the program.

She plans to move to South Korea to teach ESL for a year upon her graduating from CMU and said the scholarship would help her achieve more during her stay.

“It would secure my success to be part of the Fulbright community,” Lackaff said. “Especially as it would help to increase the understanding between myself and other countries through the exchange of skills and knowledge that would be indispensable to my teaching career.”

The program is high priority and competitive, and the application process is rigorous.

Fulbright Program Advisor, Phame Camarena urged students to submit their pre-applications to the NPS office by the September 17 deadline.

“The pre-applications are set up to help [students] do a better job for [their] actual application,”Camarena said.

To be part of the program, applicants must be U.S. citizens, have a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent, and meet other specified requisites.

While the upcoming deadline is focused on upperclassmen ready to make the commitment, many underclassmen are making a jump start and educating themselves on the ins and outs of the program.

Davison freshman Armando Lambaria said the meeting was very informative and plans to apply in coming years.

“I have a lot of time ahead of me and I’m just trying to get a feel of things,” Lambaria said. “But I want to do research outside the country in medicine later on.”