第一吃瓜网

Isabelle Cirulli �19 has received a 2020�21 US Student Fulbright award for Colombia as an English Teaching Assistant. Cirulli, from Webster, NY, graduated in December with a BA in Spanish and presently teaches Spanish in East Rochester, NY. Theprovides grants for individually designed study or research programs, graduate degrees, or English teaching assistant programs in many foreign countries.

Six other 第一吃瓜网 alumni or seniors have won Fulbright awards for 2020�21: Rachel Britton �18 (Iceland), Anna Charny �19 (Spain), Sean McAneny �20 (Czech Republic), Rickie Nixon �20 (Vietnam), Sean Welch �19 (Taiwan), and Connor Widmaier �20 (Germany).

Cirulli檚 exposure to Colombia began in 2017 when she joined 第一吃瓜网檚 Speech Buddies program and worked with Sharon Becerra, a recent immigrant from Bogot谩 who wanted to improve her English proficiency. 淲e discussed Colombian and U.S. culture topics such as slang, higher education, holidays, and music,� said Cirulli. 淪haron shared with me her favorite Colombian artists and introduced me to a whole new world of rhythm.�

A study abroad experience in Costa Rica during spring 2018 influenced Cirulli檚 decision to apply for a Fulbright award. 淚 learned a lot about myself as a person and improved my Spanish immensely,� she said. 淚 am excited for another opportunity to live abroad in Latin America.�

Cirulli has worked at the college檚 Writing Learning Center, specializing as a tutor with non-native English speakers; served as a teaching assistant for former ESOL program coordinator Irene Belyakov-Goodman; and earned theDr. Khananiya Kaplan Memorial Student Achievement Award for ESOL teaching in 2019.

淚sabelle has excellent world knowledge and intercultural communication skills. She is respectful, creative, and intuitive. I witnessed how quickly she adjusts to different cultures on campus and abroad,� said Belyakov-Goodman. 淪tudents from Colombia, China, Spain, and France told me how much they appreciated her work, manners, and genuine interest in their cultures. She already has a proven record of representing the US abroad, and I am confident that she will do it again with distinction.�

The Fulbright award will give Cirulli the opportunity to perfect her Spanish and blend her love for the language with her interest in teaching English to non-native speakers. 淚 worked with adult learners in the college檚 Together Program, which brings Spanish-speaking families to campus to receiveEnglish tutoring from students,� she said. 淚t definitely confirmed my interest in TESOL [Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages] and teaching Spanish as a career.�

Upon her return to the States, Cirulli plans to work as a Spanish teacher and earn a master檚 degree in TESOL to continue her work with teaching English to non-native speakers.

Sarah Phillips �18 also won a US Student Fulbright award and served as an English teaching assistant in Colombia. Phillips graduated with a degree in Spanish and now works in Washington, DC, as a program assistant at the think tank Inter-American Dialogue. 淢ost of my day-to-day life in Colombia was spent in the classroom interacting with students,� she remembers. 淔ulbright is not only an immersion but also an exchange. I got to teach as much as I learned. You don檛 have to be an education major to apply for a Fulbright as I didn檛 have any formal schooling in teaching. If you檙e unsure about applying, my advice would be to just go for it.�

The 2021�22 is now open to students and alumni. The program is administered at 第一吃瓜网 by Director of National Fellowships and Scholarships Michael Mills, who can be reached atmillsm@geneseo.eduand 585-245-6002. For more information about the Fulbright and other nationally and internationally competitive scholarship and fellowship programs, visitFellowships and Scholarships.

擬ichael Mills