The Fulbright Scholar Program offers several kinds of grants for students to study, conduct academic research, engage in the creative and performing arts, or teach English in a range of countries after they earn their bachelor’s degree. The most common types of student awards are: 1) Study/research grants, in which graduates design their own projects to conduct abroad; and 2) English Language Teaching Assistant (ETA) programs, which place graduates in classrooms abroad to assist in teaching English while serving as cultural ambassadors for the United States.

I seek faculty help in identifying potential applicants and encouraging them to contact me for further information.

Who might be a promising potential Fulbright applicant? Generally, it’s a student …

• With the interests and the personal suitability/temperament to serve as a cultural ambassador representing the United States
• Who is prepared to adapt to living outside the country for up to one year and actively seeking to immerse him or herself in the host country
• With a strong academic or artistic record of achievement and persistence
• Who is actively engaged in the community or their chosen profession

For study/research grants, the student must also:

• Be able to develop a feasible, interesting, and appropriate project for the proposed country, in terms of accessible resources, time, and the student’s academic and linguistic preparation. The project might involve graduate study, research, or the creative and performing arts.
• Demonstrate talent and potential for growth
  For the English Teaching Assistant Program, the student must also:
• Be able to develop and carry out a variety of learning activities under some supervision
• Possess good facility with English usage and grammar in spoken and written forms, (e.g. clear, precise diction)
• Be able to make presentations on U.S. culture and society

If a promising student comes to mind, please suggest the Fulbright program and encourage him or her to contact me at karen.leroux@drake.edu to learn more about available opportunities. You can also find more information at www.drake.edu/international/postgraduate/

If you have further questions about the Fulbright program for students, please contact me as well.

—Karen Leroux, Associate Professor of History and Coordinator, Post-Graduate Scholarships–Drake International