By Amanda A. Taylor-Uchoa

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – JUNE 14, 2024 – Two recent UTRGV graduates have been selected for Fulbright Scholarships and will travel abroad to teach courses in English and cultural studies.

• Maya Wilson, who graduated in Spring 2024 with a BA in English, will teach English in South Korea next year from January through December.
• And Jaci Finch, who graduated with a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree in Fall 2023, will teach English, STEM, and American Culture in Estonia starting Sept. 17, 2024, through June 17, 2025.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for research, study and teaching opportunities in more than 140 countries for recent graduates and graduate students, and is funded by an annual congressional appropriation to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Jaci Finch, who graduated with a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree in Fall 2023, will teach English, STEM, and American Culture in Estonia starting Sept. 17, 2024, through June 17, 2025. (Courtesy photo)

Dr. Mark Andersen, dean of the UTRGV Honors College and the university’s advisor to the Fulbright Program, said the student program provides once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for top students from U.S. institutions to study or teach abroad.

“The English Teaching Assistant Program, specifically, which is one branch of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, provides opportunities for top students from U.S. institutions to assist teachers of English in foreign countries,” Andersen said.

“This is a highly competitive program, and only the best students are chosen. It’s an exceptionally good reflection on all that we have accomplished at UTRGV that we have not just one, but two winners this year. Maya and Jaci are both excellent students, and they both represent the best of UTRGV.”

THE AWARDEES

Wilson was elated when she learned she was awarded a Fulbright, as she had been waiting for the final decisions to be posted since she applied in October 2023.

“Reading the first line of my decision letter, and seeing the word “congratulations,” lifted this huge weight I had been carrying with me for the past months,” the Harlingen resident said. “It’s such a lengthy process, and you learn to have a new level of patience. To say that I was relieved and overjoyed would be an understatement.”

While she hasn’t been placed at an institution yet, Wilson will be an English teaching assistant in English classrooms ranging from primary to university level. Wilson is excited to immerse herself in the culture of South Korea as she teaches.

Maya Wilson, who graduated in Spring 2024 with a BA in English, will teach English in South Korea next year from January through December. (Courtesy photo)

“Because placements in South Korea are in more rural areas or regional cities, I’m hoping to experience and learn more about the community and culture of the region I’ll be living in. Fulbright is a strong advocate of community engagement, and I want to take the privilege of this opportunity to grow a better understanding of a country that I will be living in for the next year,” she said.

Finch, who is set to live and work in Viljandi, Estonia, will be working at the Viljandi Library American Center.

“I will be teaching English, STEM, and American Culture to local students. I also hope to use my time there to pursue research and studies on Estonian education policies,” the Corpus Christi native said.

While working in Estonia, Finch hopes to learn new aspects about the culture and meet new people. She believes the immersive experience will help her in her career goals of education reform.

“My dream is to pursue a career researching and reforming Texas education policies,” she said.  “While teaching in Estonia, I hope to gain perspective on how different educational systems function and earn hands-on teaching experience that will shape my understanding of the policies,” she said.

Finch is grateful for opportunities like the Fulbright, as programs like these help students expand not only educationally, but also personally.

“Through exposure to different cultures, we can grow our perspective to include the diverse experiences of others worldwide,” Finch said. “The relationships built through the Fulbright program create connections that build cross-cultural understandings for everyone involved.”

To learn more about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, visit this link.