When graduate students Larry Grullon-Polanco and Molly Schillig entered the Applied Linguistics program at the University of South Florida, they had no idea that Professor Matt Kessler would inspire them both to apply for a Fulbright grant to teach English abroad.
"I just remember thinking so many of our professors have done this, and this must be a good thing to try out. That was one of the big motivating factors to apply," said Grullon-Polanco.
An assistant professor of linguistics at USF, Kessler is one of many USF faculty members who have participated in Fulbright programs. He has published research on the rhetorical strategies of successful Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) applicants and continues to make an impact by identifying exemplary students to encourage toward the Fulbright application process.
"Based on my knowledge of the ETA program, and from having both Larry and Molly in class, I thought they would make excellent candidates for the grant," Kessler said.
In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals the opportunity to pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad in a variety of academic disciplines. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship places grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and provide a native speaker presence in classrooms.
"For me, I had always wanted to teach abroad," Schillig said. "The faculty having experience and talking about it to us opened my eyes to the program, and it did make it feel attainable. I had never heard of the Fulbright program until they brought it up."
Throughout three classes with Kessler, Grullon-Polanco and Schillig learned about pedagogy, curriculum design, and teaching English abroad, while gaining insight into Kessler’s own experiences teaching in Thailand through the Fulbright U.S. Student program.
Motivated by these discussions, they became interested in applying for the ETA program themselves. Kessler then connected them with USF’s Fulbright Program Advisor, Lauren Chambers, in the Office of National Scholars for further guidance.
WHAT’S NEXT
Grullon-Polanco began teaching English in Taipei City, Taiwan, in August 2024. Combining multiple passions, he has been studying Chinese for six years with Taiwanese teachers, developing close relationships and a deep appreciation for Chinese literature, religion, and history. As a volunteer and member of Tampa’s local Taiwanese Buddhist temple, he also looks forward to visiting a Buddhist temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Schillig will travel to South Korea in January 2025 to teach English in a placement designated by Fulbright. Having previously taught in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic, she looks forward to a fully immersive experience in the classroom and engaging with her host community through language exchanges.
USF students and alumni interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student program work with the Office of National Scholars on their Fulbright applications. You can learn more by visiting the Office of National Scholars website or by contacting USF’s Fulbright Program Advisor Lauren Chambers.