University Announces Record Number of Fulbright Grants

Fulbright Students to teach English in Germany, Malaysia and South Africa

Montclair State University graduate students Treasa Praino and Stephen Campbell and alumna Meghan Marino ’16 are among the more than 2,100 nationwide recipients of the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grants. This is the largest number of Fulbright finalists in a single year in Montclair State history.

“This record number represents both the extraordinary talent of Montclair State students and alumni as well as the University’s commitment to fostering intellectual discovery,” says Director of International Engagement Domenica Dominguez. “As a designated Research 2 university, Montclair State provides an excellent foundation for our graduates to engage with the wider world as scholars, teachers and leaders. Additionally, our supportive faculty and campus culture contribute to the success of our Fulbright applicants.”

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is dedicated to promoting goodwill and mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. “Treasa, Stephen and Meghan will be wonderful ambassadors for both the United States and Montclair State University,” says Dominguez.

An Immersive Experience

Meghan Marino is currently taking an intensive German language course in Germany to ensure that she will be an effective communicator with both students and teachers when she begins teaching English to students in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany in September.

After-school American movie nights and sports nights, as well as an English creative writing club are among her plans for providing students with an immersive language experience. “My goal is to motivate my students and to provide them with the same positive, memorable experience that my most beloved teachers have given me,” she explains. “I hope to inspire them to want to travel or study in the U.S.”

Promoting Cultural Understanding

Praino, who will earn her MA in Teaching in December, will soon after head to South Africa to teach English to high school and university students. “I’ll also be implementing several community projects to help make a more direct connection between Americans and South Africans,” she says.

On previous travels to South Africa, she fell in love with the country.  “I’m excited to return to learn even more about its people, wildlife, and this time, its education system,” she says.

Praino welcomes the opportunity to “not only help my students, but also to expand my own knowledge of teaching diverse learners and to engage in one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of my life.”

Connecting with His Heritage

“Growing up as a Malaysian-American who has never visited Malaysia before, I’m excited about being able to experience my culture in its own setting while also sharing my experience of growing up in the United States,” says Campbell, a 2018 graduate who will receive his MA in Teaching in May.

From January to November 2020, he will teach English to Malaysian secondary school students. For Campbell, who studied Linguistics and French as an undergraduate, the Fulbright allows him to combine his passions for languages and teaching. “Though growing up bilingual in English and Malay, I’m looking forward to using and improving my Malay,” he says. “I’m hoping this will help me better acclimatize to the new environment and help me connect with my students on a deeper level,” he says.

A Flagship Program

Operating in more than 160 countries worldwide, the Fulbright Program is the flagship international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. Recipients of Fulbright grants, which are named for former U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.  Fulbright alumni have distinguished themselves in numerous fields and include 59 Nobel Prize winners; 84 Pulitzer Prize recipients; and 37 who have served as a head of state or government.

To learn more about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, visit https://us.fulbrightonline.org/

To attend a campus Fulbright U.S. Student Program Information Session, visit https://www.montclair.edu/study-abroad/2019/04/05/fulbright-funding-for-research-studying-or-teaching-english-abroad/

Story from University News