Two Whitworth Students Selected as 2022-23 Fulbright Scholarship Finalists
Both students were awarded the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant programs place grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in the classrooms.
Meghan Kunz
Kunz, a secondary education and history/social studies major with a minor in German, is from Snohomish, Wash.
“I am honored and excited to have been nominated for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Grant in Germany,” Kunz says. “This is an incredible opportunity to engage with language teaching and learning, build connections, and participate in a cultural exchange. I am so thankful for my family and the Whitworth faculty who have supported and encouraged me throughout this journey and for Fulbright for providing me the opportunity to serve as a cultural ambassador.”
Upon her return to the United States, Kunz hopes to teach middle school or high school German and history in Western Washington.
Aaron Slape
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Aaron Slape is a secondary education and English double major from Adna, Wash.
“I am honored to receive this Fulbright Taiwan 2022-23 English teaching assistantship,” Slape says. “In Taiwan, I will be in a classroom helping teach students English for the school year. The opportunity for cultural ambassadorship will further my worldview and future vocation as an educator. I am beyond excited to experience a completely new place, building community and friendships along the way.”
Slape would like to begin a teaching career in the Pacific Northwest and eventually pursue a master’s degree in English, education or school counseling.
The Fulbright ETA program additionally offered Whitworth communication major Lydia Kramer ’22 with an alternate position to teach in Cambodia.
In partnership with more than 140 countries, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities in all academic disciplines to graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad.
“The U.S. Fulbright program is an unparalleled opportunity for our students to utilize the fruits of their mind-and-heart Whitworth educations as cultural ambassadors abroad,” says Jessica Clements, associate professor of English and Fulbright advisor. “These exceptional humanities students will not only teach English but also offer their unique talents as they empathetically engage their host communities, experiencing firsthand what it means to build mutual understanding in a diverse environment.”
More than 2,200 U.S. students and 900 U.S. college and university faculty and administrators are awarded Fulbright awards annually.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu
