by Celina Dietzel '17

Three Knox students and one recent alumna were chosen for Fulbright awards to complete teaching assistantships and research for the 2017-2018 school year.

Emily Malec '16, Cortney Hill '17, Raeann Boero '17, and Dakota Stipp '17 are among a select group of U.S. citizens who have been chosen to teach, conduct research, and provide expertise abroad through the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Malec, an Asian studies major, will be teaching English in South Korea. Hill, a political science major, and Boero, an anthropology and sociology major, will both be teaching English in Malaysia. Stipp received an award to complete research at Queen Mary University in London, but has chosen instead to attend the Master of Fine Arts program in Sound Design at The Yale School of Drama at Yale University.

Mariangela Maguire, Interim Director of the Gerald & Carol Vovis Center for Research & Advanced Study, noted the significance of these awards.

"Nearly 6,000 people apply for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program each year and about 25% of applicants receive an award. Participating in the Fulbright program is a tremendous opportunity to live and work in another country, to be fully immersed in another country, and to contribute to mutual understanding across cultures," she said.

During their time at Knox, the students who will be teaching abroad pursued a variety of opportunities:

• Emily Malec served as co-president of Japanese Club. She was a teaching assistant for the Carl Sandburg Literacy Coalition as well as at Knox and GHS North. She studied abroad in Japan during Fall 2015 and completed an ASSET research project. 
• Cortney Hill studied abroad in Beijing, China, was a member of Live Lit Club, and the co-chair of the Senior Gift Committee. He was an RA at Knox, interned with Tri States Public Radio, and taught at Knox's College 4 Kids. 
• Raeann Boero completed an internship in India. She also played the trumpet in the Knox Jazz Ensemble and New Orleans Jazz Combo, and was a member of APO. She currently works at the Kleine Center for Community Service and CASA of West Central Illinois.

Maguire mentioned some of the benefits the Fulbright program can provide students.

"Students with this experience will have stronger graduate school, fellowship, and employment applications, they'll make numerous international contacts, and gain entry into the strong Fulbright alumni network," she said.

The Fulbright operates in more than 160 countries and is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. Fulbright recipients address critical global challenges in various subject areas, such as sustainable energy and public health, while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States and the world.

Fulbright awards are funded by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Applicants are chosen according to factors such as the quality of their proposal, their academic record, and their personal qualifications.

Knox College has a long history with the Fulbright program. Since 2006, 22 Knox students have been selected for Fulbright awards. Overall, dozens of Knox students, faculty members, and alumni have received Fulbright fellowships and scholarships.

Pictured above: Emily Malec '16, Cortney Hill '17, Raeann Boero '17, and Dakota Stipp '17