Four Austin College students have been selected as Fulbright Semi-Finalists by the Fulbright National Screening Committee.
Marissa Graf of Austin, Texas, is a Semi-Finalist for an English Teaching Assistantship in Colombia. She is completing majors in English and Spanish along with a minor in art. Her career goals are to become a travel journalist or to work in publishing or book editing—or do all three.
Marissa said she pursued the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Colombia because she has a passion for service and wants to use her skills to help others achieve their own goals. She also has a personal interest as her mother’s family is from Colombia and she grew up hearing stories about life in Colombia. “I love learning about other cultures, and I believe that teaching English in another country is where my skills would best be utilized,” Marissa said. She completed her Austin College degree in January 2022 and may get a jump on traveling while she waits to hear from the Fulbright organization.
Sarah Harper of Sulphur Springs, Texas, is a Semi-Finalist for an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany. At Austin College, she is completing majors in psychology and German and a minor in creative writing. Her career goal is to become a clinical psychologist.
As a student of German, Sarah said she has a great love and interest in the culture and history in Germany. Also, as a tutor in Austin College’s Scarbrough Center for Writing for nearly three years, she developed an interest in helping others express themselves through their words and be confident in their writing. “I cannot think of a better marriage of these interests than a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship,” Sarah said.
Katie King of Woodway, Texas, is a Semi-Finalist for an English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. She is completing a major in political science and a minor in Spanish. King has been active in Austin College’s Pre-Law Society and was chosen as a Sumner Scholar and a Hertog Scholar for her work in political science and public service. Her career goal is to become a lawyer. She chose to apply for the Fulbright position because of her love of different cultures and languages.
Trevor Slansky of Denver, Colorado, is a Semi-Finalist for an English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan. He is completing a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in English. His goal is to become a successful author and/or an influential environmental thinker and policymaker.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.”