Friday, June 10, 2022
by Editorial Team
Emma Astad ’21 has joined Catherine Hiebel ’22 and Melina Boutris ’22 as one of Southwestern University’s newest Fulbright award recipients. Astad, a biology major and Spanish minor, will serve as an English teaching assistant in Galicia, Spain.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the federal government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Since 1946, the program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
“Diplomacy is more important than ever given the state of global affairs, and to be part of that bridge and part of those diplomatic efforts is exciting,” Astad says. “It also fits into my future goals as I become the person I aspire to be.”
In addition to the two award recipients, Emma Astad ’22 and Christina Manzanares ’15 were named Fulbright U.S. Student Program semi-finalists.
“The Fulbright is among the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world,” says Associate Professor of German Erika Berroth. “Our applicants this year were smart, engaged, and passionate, and they communicated their stories and aspirations well. Preparation for the Fulbright starts with day one in college, and our finalists and semi-finalists were intentional about seeking opportunities where they could act as teachers, mentors, or guides for younger audiences throughout their college years.”