2024 Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors

jacqueline.aguirrede@fulbrightmail.org

During her Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in South Korea, Jacqueline was placed in Mokpo, a small, aging marine town located on the southwestern coast. She led English classes for over 400 elementary students of various grade levels, as well as after-school English teacher workshops that focused on the discussion of socio-cultural issues present in both South Korea and the United States. Outside of instruction hours, she immersed herself in Mokpo’s community by joining CrossFit and boxing classes to relieve stress and improve her Korean language skills. For Jacqueline, the highlight of her Fulbright grant was designing her own class activities that strengthened her students’ language and cultural abilities through art. Her students had the opportunity to design their own Halloween store and ugly Christmas sweaters, while she shared the Mexican American traditions she celebrates during these holidays. She also introduced the Spanish language to her fifth-grade class by teaching songs like “Feliz Navidad.” Jacqueline’s Fulbright experience enhanced her interests in public diplomacy and education. She currently works as an instructor in an after-school program, where she teaches dance classes and STEM curricula to middle school students. Jacqueline is a Rangel Fellow and intends to pursue a graduate degree in international communication to serve as either a consular or public diplomacy officer in the U.S. Foreign Service. 

Ask Me About:

• Being a first-generation college student
• Coming from a low-income background
• Latinx identity abroad
• Seeking counseling services abroad
• Joining a local sports club 

esther.almazan@fulbrightmail.org

Esther conducted her Fulbright “Performance as Research” project in collaboration with the University of Galway’s Irish Studies and Theatre departments. Her Fulbright research explored the connections and commonalities between Native American and Irish people and their survival of hardships through difficulties such as colonization, suppression of culture/language, and population loss. Drawing on this research, Esther collaborated with theatre artists in Galway to devise, write, and produce a theatrical piece. The resulting production was accepted into the 2023 Galway Theatre Festival. She furthered her research by generating audience responses to the production and using them as devised content in the performance. In the rural Irish community where she lived, Esther assisted her neighbors with organizing a community theatre and supported them with workshops and training. She remains in frequent contact with her Irish collaborators. Esther is currently working with ChildsPlay Theater in Arizona to develop an original script with the youth of Tohono O’odham Nation at San Xavier. She plans to continue her work creating theatre with collaborators in small communities. 

Ask Me About: 

• Mexican American identity abroad
• Performance as research 
• Finding collaborators 
• Life in rural Ireland 
• Being a non-traditional student

austin.connors@fulbrightmail.org

During his Fulbright research year, Austin studied Paraguayan politics and policies. He explored the relationship between the country’s industrial potential and its predominant political party with a focus on Paraguay’s electricity, which is generated exclusively from hydroelectric sources. Austin also continued thesis work on Paraguay’s historical relationship with the United States. Specifically, he recovered the nearly forgotten story of 19th U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes’ 1878 arbitral award, which finalized a territorial dispute between Paraguay and Argentina in favor of Paraguay. Austin traveled to 14 of 17 of Paraguay’s departments. Austin presented his work at an academic conference, through publication in journals, and in an interview on national news. He also helped facilitate his host institution’s English conversation club. Austin is currently an active-duty U.S. Army officer and plans for a career in international relations. 

Ask Me About:

• Applying as a member of the military/armed forces
• Making friends abroad 

geghie.davis-tillie@fulbrightmail.org

Geghie (Alayna) Davis-Tillie earned a master’s degree in design with a specialization in UX/UI from Northumbria University in England through the Fulbright program. Her thesis focused on making physical spaces more accessible for individuals with sensory processing differences through improved UX practices. This neurodivergent approach sought to foster inclusivity within UX practices, an area where she continues to drive positive change. She is also a first-generation college student from East Tennessee. As President of the Fulbright Association Chapter Fulbrighters with Disabilities (FWD), she champions inclusivity and strives to provide equal access to Fulbright opportunities. Geghie is a human-centered product designer whose personal experiences as someone with disabilities and Appalachian heritage have shaped her perspective and her commitment to accessibility. Her design philosophy is grounded in empathy, authenticity, and the aspiration to make a positive impact through every creation. In addition to her design work, Geghie serves as an adjunct professor at Pellissippi State Community College, mentoring and teaching UX/UI. 

Ask Me About:

• Being a first-generation college student
• Being abroad with disabilities
• Being a community college student

Aida.dodoo@fulbrightmail.org

As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, Aida Dodoo taught over 900 students at the country’s third largest high school. Outside of the classroom, Aida integrated herself into the anglophone world of Madagascar, through programs affiliated with the U.S. Embassy and English teaching institutions. Drawing upon her work in Salisbury University’s fellowships office as a student, Aida promoted EducationUSA and assisted students who were applying to study at schools in the United States. While in Madagascar, she founded Blossom, a Malagasy Girls’ Club. This club provided a free safe space for girls of all ages to gain personal and professional development, study powerful women, and practice English speaking skills. Currently, Aida is back in the classroom as an educator, expanding on the pedagogical skills she developed on Fulbright. She also volunteers with Women in Monitoring and Auditing Global Elections to promote gender equality globally. 

Ask Me About:

• Being abroad with a disability 
• Muslim identity abroad 
• Volunteering to advise host-country students through EducationUSA

juan.gonzalez@fulbrightmail.org

As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Argentina, Juan taught conversational English to university students from indigenous backgrounds at two institutions in the northern province of Tucumán. He led small group discussions, personal development activities, and tutoring programs. As his side project, Juan co-directed a community production of Grease, using the arts to teach the English language. For Juan, the highlight of his Fulbright was the opportunity to work with students from marginalized communities. He focused on confidence building, goal setting, and helping students to believe in their full potential regardless of social and economic barriers. Juan had taught English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Western Samoa and used this experience to hone his skills as an ETA. Since participating in Fulbright, Juan worked as a Residence Director for Semester at Sea, a global education program for students traveling to ten countries in four months. Currently, Juan works at the nonprofit Life Pieces to Masterpieces in Washington DC, providing opportunities for Black and Brown boys and young men to change challenges into possibilities. He hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Education with a focus on access to global education experiences for Black and Brown men.  

Ask Me About: 

• Being a first-generation college student
• Mexican American identity abroad
• Coming from a low-income background
• LGBTQIA+ identity
• Being a minority abroad
• Study abroad
• DEI programming
• Research on U.S. Black and Latinx men in education 

carlo.juntilla@fulbrightmail.org

Carlo Juntilla served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Taiwan, working with students from grades 1 to 6 at Dazhi Elementary School in Taipei City. In this role, he collaborated with local teachers, strengthened his own teaching practice, and developed a new approach to culturally responsive teaching. Carlo drew on his previous experiences as a public school teacher in California to develop a series of professional development seminars for his fellow ETA grantees. Outside of the classroom, Carlo played an active role in Fulbright Taiwan's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee. As co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee, he led a team to design, facilitate, and implement DEI initiatives for his fellow Fulbrighters. After his grant, Carlo transitioned to a career in education policy. He currently serves as a policy aide to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren in Washington, D.C. In this role, he works on Senator Warren's education, appropriations, and oversight portfolios. He collaborates with the Senator and stakeholders to identify funding priorities, draft legislative proposals, and author oversight documents to review federal programs, including those under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education. Carlo hopes to continue to use his previous classroom experiences to inform his career in education policy. 

Ask Me About:

• Careers in policy 
• Transitioning from a teaching career
• LGBTQIA+ identity abroad 
• Being a first-generation college student 
• Overcoming imposter syndrome  
• Asian American identity abroad 

rachael.lau@fulbrightmail.org

Rachael Lau was a Fulbright Student Researcher in Kathmandu, Nepal studying both landslides and earthquakes with the National Society for Earthquake Technology, Nepal (NSET) and the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk (IOE) respectively.  While at NSET, her research focused on the use of remote sensing, specifically Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), and on modeling deep-seated landslides to mitigate the impact landslides have in remote regions. While at the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Rachael oversaw and developed research related to earthquake early warning in Kathmandu alongside 18 students from Duke University and IoE. Research ranged from low-cost sensor development and infrastructure safeguarding to seismic wave modeling, culminating in a research symposium held in March 2023 with members from both Duke and IoE presenting their work to the general public. Additionally, she worked with IoE students to develop earthquake education tools and programs for government schools around Kathmandu. Currently, Rachel is a Ph.D. candidate at Duke and plans to graduate and continue her work in disaster engineering in the Himalaya. 

Ask Me About:

• Navigating Fulbright during a Ph.D. or graduate program
• Establishing a support system abroad

savanna.lim@fulbrightmail.org

Savanna served as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) at Alanya Alaadin Keykubat University in Antalya, Turkey. She lectured for six classes and created lesson plans for engineering students that incorporated design thinking, total physical response, and activity-based learning. She also started a biweekly conversation club at the university, ran an at-large English-speaking club which was open to the local community and other foreign students, and started a design club to encourage Turkish students to use design as a way to earn extra income and practice English. Savanna attended a local Turkish class and learned about Turkish cooking and traditions through her neighbors. She enjoyed fostering dialogue about U.S.-Turkish relations and hosting American movie and culture nights for her students. This experience helped reemphasize to her the importance of framing and how she sees herself as a person of color representing America abroad, especially how she sees her privilege as an American on the global stage. Prior to Fulbright, Savanna taught Mandarin through STARTalk, facilitated a community-based project in Nicaragua, and taught English at a middle school in Taiwan. Through the State Department’s Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund, she returned to Turkey in 2023 and organized a week-long English-Arts immersion camp for middle school students. She currently serves as an executive board member of the alumni affinity group Fulbright Lotus and works as a product designer at a health tech start-up. She plans to continue advocating for cultural exchange programs and solving life’s most interesting problems through design. She speaks Spanish, Mandarin, and Turkish.  

Ask Me About:

• Asian-American identity abroad 
• Being a minority abroad 
• Creating extracurricular activities 
• U.S. Department of State Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund (CDAF) 
• Life after Fulbright 

virgil.parker@fulbrightmail.org

On Fulbright, Virgil was based at the Cross-Border Institute at the University of Windsor, where his research focused on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. He explored ways to create economic equity in U.S.-Canada trade for U.S. business owners who identify as women or are members of minority groups. He focused his research on regulatory compliance, infrastructure (physical transportation and e-commerce), and supply chains. Additionally, he explored what incentivizes cross-border social responsibility and how to better encourage the practice.  Virgil worked with the Institute to construct a survey instrument to gather information from these businesses. He connected with business owners, policymakers, and diplomats on both sides of the border, gaining a better understanding of the systems that are currently in place to diversify and enhance trade relations, and the gaps in our cross-border infrastructure. Currently, Virgil is a TV producer for News10NBC (WHEC-TV) of Rochester, NY and serves as a Global Goals Ambassador for the United Nations Association of the USA. He hopes to become a filmmaker who can use the power of storytelling to both educate and entertain people about important people and events in history. 

Ask Me About:

• Crafting a strong personal narrative 
• Taking advantage of extracurricular opportunities 
• Selecting an independent research topic 
• Being comfortable with your culture in a foreign country

amanda.pascali@fulbrightmail.org

On Fulbright, Amanda Pascali’s project was to comprehensively translate and revitalize the Sicilian folk songs of Rosa Balistreri, one of the first Italian women to use music to denounce social injustice. Pascali’s translations have been performed in collaboration with Italian musicians in an effort to preserve the melodies and meanings conveyed in Sicilian—a “vulnerable” language on UNESCO’s endangered languages list. In Palermo, she conducted outreach performances at local inner-city schools. She also interviewed community members on current social issues such as organized crime, war, labor rights, and femicide, which are the fundamental themes in many Sicilian songs at risk of being forgotten. In 2023, she won the Lions Club International award for creativity and social justice in Agrigento, Sicily. As a child of immigrants, Amanda was driven from a young age to be a messenger of her family’s stories and those of the diaspora. Following her Fulbright, she was invited to perform her translations at the European Union Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. She currently serves on the board of the music activism non-profit Music to Life, and tours professionally performing songs that speak to the experience of growing up “too foreign for here, too foreign for home, and never enough for both.” 

Ask Me About: 

• Growing up in a mixed ethnicity/religion/culture family
• Not fitting the “typical” American stereotype abroad
• Women in STEAM
• Southern otherness (how being from the south of the United States helped me better understand the south of Italy)
• Being a community college transfer student
• Being on Fulbright, having attended a Hispanic-Serving Institution 

sylvia.pere@fulbrightmail.org

On Fulbright, Sylvia Pere was embedded at the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative - Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI-ICR) laboratory at the University of Nairobi. Her research goal was to analyze the gut microbiome composition among pregnant women who have experienced preterm birth and stillbirth by identifying and characterizing the specific microbial communities present in the gut during pregnancy. Sylvia’s Fulbright research contributed to a better understanding of microbial contributions to pregnancy outcomes and identification of microbial biomarkers that serve as early indicators or risk predictors. She is currently applying to post baccalaureate programs and intends to pursue a career as a clinician-scientist.  

Ask Me About:

• Being from the region where your Fulbright Program research is conducted
• Being a Black woman in STEM
• Applying as an at-large candidate

ksenia.polyarskaya@fulbrightmail.org

Ksenia Polyarskaya was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Kokshetau, the capital of the Akmola region of Kazakhstan and one of the coldest cities in the country. She taught Business English to second and fourth-year university students, led speaking and cultural-related extracurricular clubs, and volunteered in an English-speaking program funded by the State Department, the English Access Microscholarship Program. She also traveled across Kazakhstan to speak at rural teaching seminars for English teachers from underrepresented regions. Ksenia is currently pursuing a J.D. at Northwestern University. She hopes to combine her passion for advocacy, languages, and educational policy within the spectrum of international law. 

Ask Me About:

• Being a first-generation immigrant
• Navigating life in a new country while “blending in” 
• Coming from a low-income background
• The legal profession

jesse.rocha@fulbrightmail.org

uring his Fulbright in Brazil, Jesse researched the history of queer artist communities in Sao Paulo during the years of the Brazilian military dictatorship and HIV/AIDS crisis. Through collaboration with the Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, and numerous curators, gallerists, archivists, and artists, Jesse illuminated a history of LGBTQIA+ visual activism and community that has been overlooked by mainstream scholarship. The Fulbright experience enabled him to engage with, share, and learn from an international cohort of individuals and scholars. Through organizations like the Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo, he participated in workshops on curatorial praxis, which fundamentally altered his views on how to approach decolonization and intersectionality in his scholarship. Jesse currently works at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County. His long-term career goals are to pursue a Ph.D. and work towards making education accessible, both in academia and the museum sphere.

Ask Me About: 

• LGBTQIA+ identity abroad
• Being a first-generation college student
• Navigating foreign governmental and academic bureaucracy
• Healthcare concerns while abroad
• Applying as an at-large candidate

taliah.rodriquez@fulbrightmail.org

Taliah served as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Ghana and was placed in the city of Tamale in the Northern region where she taught English to secondary students at Ghana Senior High School. She was able to examine the Ghanaian education system and work with students from various regions. While living within the Dagbon kingdom, Taliah practiced the Dagbanli language and absorbed the culture of the Dagombas. Alongside her work as an ETA, she had the opportunity to assist with teaching workshops across the region for teachers on the topic of low-technology teaching pedagogy and advise aspiring graduate students on their essay drafting process. Outside of her teaching responsibilities, she was able to travel the country and learn about the diversity of languages and tribes in Ghana, as well as the rich history of the country. For Taliah, the highlight of her Fulbright was working (and laughing) with her debate and drama students. She learned so much from her community and loved engaging with the students and teachers at her school. Taliah is currently working in early childhood education and pursuing a graduate degree in social justice and human rights.

Ask Me About:

• Being a first-generation college student
• Latinx identity abroad

tremaine.smith@fulbrightmail.org

Tremaine served as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) at Wayamba University in Kuliyapitya, Sri Lanka. He was a part of the first cohort of scholars to return to Sri Lanka post-pandemic. During his Fulbright, Tremaine had the opportunity to work across all five university faculties to teach in medicine, business, technology, agriculture, and fisheries management. Alongside his work as an ETA, Tremaine was completing his MPA/MA in International Education at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. This helped him to create a theory of change and program logic model, as well as other programming such as panels and challenges for his Department of English Language Teaching. He was also able to share his Caribbean American culture and build community through teaching. Tremaine is now a senior manager for curriculum, learning, and evaluation at The Knowledge House, a tech non-profit in the Bronx, New York dedicated to workforce development as a means of ending poverty. He would like to continue working abroad and developing diverse talent.  

Ask Me About:  

• LGBTQIA+ identity abroad  
• Being Black in South Asia  
• Being a first-generation college and graduate student  
• Being a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer turned Fulbrighter 
• Navigating your Fulbright experience while your host country is having a political crisis 

alexandra.st@fulbrightmail.org

Alexandra served as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in the Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire. She taught at Lycée d'Excellence Alassane Ouattara, a boarding high school for high-achieving students from all backgrounds and socio-economic status. During her Fulbright, Alexandra worked closely with students and helped three students apply successfully for the U.S. Department of State’s Community College Initiative Program (CCI) scholarship. She supervised weekly English Club meetings, resulting in a first-place prize for the English Club. She served as judge for the debate team at the International University of Grand Bassam and volunteered for city-wide beach clean-ups. In the classroom, she taught classes to three sophomore and senior classes. She designed student-centered content and feedback to meet every individual's needs while fostering growth. Outside of teaching responsibilities, she traveled throughout the country with local friends and explored the beautiful nature and cities of Côte d'Ivoire. Alexandra is currently a graduate student at Georgia State University. She studies African-derived ritual language, particularly Langaj, and how it aids in the transmission and preservation of Haitian Vodou. African-derived religions are often demonized and discriminated against, and she hopes to combat Eurocentrism and dismantle harmful stereotypes and notions of Africans and African-descended peoples worldwide. Alexandra also works as a research assistant on the “Race, Justice, and Africana Religions” project. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in anthropology and aspires to be a linguistic anthropologist. 

Ask Me About:

• Being a first-generation college student 
• Being vegan abroad and maintaining a healthy state of being, both mind and body  
• Making friends abroad  
• Navigating personal boundaries in the workplace 
• Cross-cultural understandings in the host institution 

lavinia.taumoepeau-latu@fulbrightmail.org

On Fulbright, Lavinia took on the challenge of developing a culturally relevant training curriculum that would resonate with district and town officers in Tonga in collaboration with the National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDRMO). With Tonga’s increased vulnerability to natural disasters like cyclones, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, Lavinia recognized the urgency to equip district and town officers with the knowledge and capacity to effectively manage these risks and build resilience at the district and village level. She sought feedback from officers, stakeholders, and community members, ensuring the curriculum would reflect specific needs and experiences. By integrating traditional governance structures and local proverbs, she bridged a gap between modern disaster management strategies and Tonga’s cultural context. The curriculum demonstrates the importance of cultural relevance in disaster management training and education. Her dedication, innovative approach, and commitment to inclusivity exemplifies the transformative power of culturally relevant education in disaster-prone areas. Lavinia now has a registered non-government organization (NGO) in Tonga called Mo’ui Manatu ki ho Tupu’anga (MMT Society), dedicated to climate change, disaster management, and cultural preservation. She is currently working on a camp manual for the Blue Pacific Youth Initiative and Peace Corps in Tonga. Lavinia is focused on providing meaningful engagement, opportunities for exchange, and consultation services that connect the diaspora to Tonga and the Pacific region. 

Ask Me About:

• The transition from traditional governance in Tonga
• The importance of making positive connections
• Navigating new spaces 
• Applying as an at-large candidate
• Being a non-traditional student

lyndsie.whitehead@fulbrightmail.org

Lyndsie's Fulbright research examined the push-pull factors that influence sub-Saharan African students' enrollment decisions in India, including support services, financial resources, and relationships with faculty and peers. Africa currently has the youngest population in the world—more than 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africans are under the age of 30. Given the substantial number of African youth and young adults seeking skills acquisition and training through post-secondary education, Lyndsie's findings carry profound implications for the current landscape of international student mobility and access to higher education for future generations to come. Her research explores strategies for policymakers, administrators, and faculty to gain a deeper understanding of the decision-making processes of international students choosing to study abroad. This is relevant to India's National Education Policy, which emphasizes the need to enhance internationalization efforts. Lyndsie is currently a senior associate at UNICEF-USA and is pursuing her Ph.D. in higher education leadership and policy program at Howard University. Her career goals include establishing a non-profit organization that integrates insights from her research to provide leadership development, career coaching, and internship opportunities for international students. 

Ask Me About:

• African-American identity abroad 
• Being a woman of color abroad 
• Being a first-generation college student
• Education research 

nimra.zubair@fulbrightmail.org

As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Panagyurishte, Bulgaria, Nimra taught English and Business Communication at a vocational school and taught adult learners at two major Bulgarian companies, OpticoElectron and Aserel Madet. For Nimra, the highlight of her Fulbright grant was building a Balkan community through her cooking club and spending time with Bulgarians. She also hosted henna days to share her Pakistani heritage, studied Bulgarian, and trained at the local kickboxing gym. Nimra traveled to over a dozen cities in the European region in her free time, exploring new cultures and sightseeing. She graduated with her Master's in Public Administration and is currently working at the Fort Bend County, Texas Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and is planning to pursue a career in national security and public diplomacy. As a community college alum, she is passionate about connecting nontraditional students with major fellowships and actively collaborates with the University of Houston’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards to raise awareness about fellowships, such as the Fulbright Program, the Critical Language Scholarship Program, and the Boren Program.  

Ask Me About:

• Being a South-Asian/minority woman abroad  
• Being a Muslim abroad 
• Being a community college student
• Being a first-generation college student 
• Living in a small town abroad 
• Working with adult learners  
• Teaching at a vocational school 
• Working with low-level English speakers