Coveted for its prestige and opportunity, the Fulbright symbolizes the ultimate trophy for postgraduates seeking international graduate study, research or a teaching assistantship.
The Chronicle of Higher Education, which is the number one news source for college and university faculty members and administrators, ranked Fairfield University as one of the top producers of Fulbright awards for universities with a masters program. This year 19 students from the university have applied for the flagship award.
“It’s very difficult to predict how many (students) will get it. It depends on a lot of factors,” said Benedetta Maguire, operations assistant in the College of Arts and Sciences, who assists students through the application process for the Fulbright.
According to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program manual, the selection of Fulbright recipients is a three-stage process. The National Screening Committee, which meets in November and December, reviews applications and recommends candidates for further consideration. The supervising agencies abroad receive the applications of recommended candidates for further review and placement at foreign universities, but it is the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board that makes the final selection.
Maguire said that before the Oct. 21 application deadline, students met with the advising committee at the university to present a draft of their proposal and a personal statement in which they state the reason they are applying for the Fulbright scholarship.
“I had meetings with [Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences] Dean Gogol [Fulbright Program Adviser] and the committee and other advisors probably about one to two times a week during the months of September and October. It was a constant process,” said Lauren Woelflein ’06, who applied this year for the Fulbright for a teaching assistantship in a migrant community in Germany.
“It’s very demanding for both the student and the faculty,” said Marie-Agnes Sourieau, associate professor of modern languages and literature, who is a member of the advising committee that guides students through the application process.
Even though the application process can be overwhelming, the advising committee at the university, which is led by Gogol, offers support to students applying for the Fulbright.
“Faculty advisors are available at all times to read your twenty-seventh draft literally. They are just so well informed about the entire process that they provide a great support system,” said Alexis Cedano ’06 who applied to do research on the immigration policy in the United Arab Emirates.
Along with providing support, the advising committee also provides students with direction in their project proposals.
“I encourage them [applicants for the Fulbright] to get to know the country where they want to study in order to have a more engaged proposal,” said Wendy Kohli, the assistant professor of curriculum and instruction who is a member of this year’s advising committee.
Once the application is submitted, which includes three letters of recommendation, a project proposal, a personal statement and a language evaluation, students must wait for a final decision on their application that is announced some time between April and June.
“We have been working on these applications for months and so much time and effort has gone into it. Now that it is out of our hands and there is nothing else we can do but wait, it is very nerve wracking,” said Ashlee Fox ’06 whose intended topic of study is International Trade in Uruguay.
While the process of applying for a Fulbright scholarship may seem like a daunting task, students who applied this year agree it is worth the hard work.
“It’s a long process, but one that proves to be rewarding no matter what the outcome,” said Lauren Cesiro ’06, who applied this year for a Fulbright to study photography in New Zealand.
Although applying for a Fulbright is a time-consuming process and requires a lot of preparation, it is also a learning experience for students.
“The application process required extreme care and detail and allowed me to look at my own work in a completely new way,” said Cesiro. “I was able to organize my thoughts about my own work, which will help me in the long run.”
But students also had to make a variety of sacrifices during the application process.
“You have to be willing to meet with teachers to go over your proposal, meet with the dean to make sure you’re on track, and take time out of every day to keep up with e-mails and all the paperwork,” said Cesiro.
Gogol said that it’s never too early to apply for the Fulbright due to the amount of preparation and efforts it requires.
“It’s not an easy task,” said Sourieau. ” It requires a lot of determination and commitment.”
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