2016 graduate Anna Corner earns Fulbright France grant
Anna Corner
Anna Corner, a 2016 Scecina graduate, will head to Libourne, France, to teach English at the end of September.
Anna won one of 10 Fulbright France English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grants. The program is very competitive, with only 10 spots for 130 applicants.
The Fulbright France ETA program sends assistants to low-income schools throughout France to give students direct contact with native English speakers.
Anna is a recent graduate of Valparaiso University. Her destination in France is in the southwestern part of the country, about 21 miles east of Bordeaux. When she returns to the United States next April, she plans to use her Fulbright experience to apply for a master’s degree program in Secondary Education.
Last year, Anna was an alternate, though the program eventually was canceled.
“I am so grateful to be a finalist (this year). It’s been a long time coming!” Anna wrote in an email to Scecina.
“It really all started at Scecina when (former French teacher) Ms. (Larissa) Biela piqued my interest in the French language. Foreign language learning has a powerful way of introducing students to a giant world of people, culture, and self-expression, which is precisely why I applied to be a Fulbright ETA,” she said.
She explained a lengthy application process involving getting recommendations, doing a French language evaluation, interviewing, and writing two personal statements.
“I probably spent about three months working on my application,” Anna said. “The hard work was certainly worth it, though. As a Fulbright grantee, you have non-competitive eligibility for one year after the program for all federal jobs.’
Anna said this means her application will be reviewed and considered before anyone else’s. A lot of graduate programs will also “fast-track” the applications of Fulbright recipients.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program funds American citizens to study, conduct research, or teach English abroad in more than 150 countries. Learn more at us.fulbrightonline.org
