College of Education students Stephanie Cuomo, EDU '20, and Jackie Kausch, EDU '20, have both been named English Teaching Assistants (ETA) in the Fulbright Student Program. 

The selective program places Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to local English teachers. Both Cuomo and Kausch will help teach English language while serving as cultural ambassadors for the United States. 

Barbara Gorka, director of scholar development and fellowships advising at Temple, said the application process starts with writing a Statement of Grant Purpose, which defines candidates' plans during their time abroad. She said this statement is created with a lot of reflection, brainstorming... and sweat. 

"[It] is a marathon, not a sprint. Early in the process, we encourage applicants to meet with us, and we do a lot of talking to help students identify experiences they have had that are most relevant to the Fulbright. Then they have to start writing. After that, it's one draft after another, with additional brainstorming and discussion."

While drafting her Statement of Grant Purpose, Cuomo reflected on her experiences as a College of Education student. "I began by showcasing the variety of professional experiences I have had as a developing educator. I specified how I plan to open discussions in the classroom that would foster cultural exchange between my students and myself as a cultural ambassador for the U.S.," said Cuomo. 

Cuomo chose Colombia as her host country. Her decision goes all the way back to 6th grade when she began to study Spanish. In her senior year of high school, she participated in a two week exchange program with a student from Alicante, Spain.

"Ever since, I have been passionate about Spanish language studies," said Cuomo. She even spent four months abroad in Granada, Spain where she lived with a host family and immersed herself in Spanish language and culture. 

"I knew I wanted to continue to work towards complete fluency and vowed to find an opportunity to do so after graduation. It was in this search for an opportunity to live abroad again that I came across the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship program."

Kaush realized her values aligned best with the Greece ETA program. She believes her background in college admissions, theater, and summer camp made her a strong candidate.

"As I researched more about the program and about Greece in general, I was intrigued by the many connections to my interest in theater. I have previous experience directing children's theater, performing from elementary through high school, and seeing as many musicals as I could at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia or on Broadway in New York City," said Kausch.

As a special educator, Kausch is interested in learning more about Greece's special education system and how their teachers support students with disabilities. 

Both Kaush and Cuomo attribute much of their success as Fulbrighters to the College of Education. 

"Through both my classes and fieldwork, I have learned to value students' culture and incorporate it into my instruction," said Kausch. "This experience teaching abroad will help me understand the knowledge my students bring with them into the classroom and introduce them to my culture of the United States."

Cuomo said the College of Education has instilled in her the value of adaptability. Her courses have not only helped her develop necessary skills and knowledge to be an educator but taught her how to best apply those skills in unique contexts. 

"Through the College of Education, I have had the opportunity to work in a wide variety of educational contexts which have included a non-profit historical tours company, a middle school world history classroom, a high school English Language Learner classroom, and as a curriculum developer for a historical document database. I will feel prepared to carry this adaptability with me as I enter a brand new context in Colombia," said Cuomo.

Fellowships Advising offers students support throughout the Fulbright application process. Candidates are encouraged to participate in one-on-one advising, draft writing, application and essay workshops, monthly email guidance and are referred to Temple's Fulbright Canvas page that includes online resources. 

"To be competitive, you really need to do homework on your proposed host country," said Gorka. "In our campus interviews, it's not uncommon that there will be a faculty member who's an expert in that country on their interview panel. That faculty member might give some additional country-specific tips to make the student more aware of what to expect."

Though the competition is high, Gorka said College of Education students tend to perform well.

"Fulbright loves to see applicants who have some actual in-class teaching experience. Education students tend to bring more than that, like past mentorships with teachers, an understanding of the relationships between theory and in-class teaching, and an awareness of the challenges of managing a room full of students."

Though candidates are well prepared and supported throughout the process, there are still challenges to spending a year abroad. 

"This will be the longest amount of time I have ever been away from home, so I anticipate that being a difficult adjustment to make," said Kausch. "I will also be living in a new environment with a different culture than I am used to, which I believe will be challenging at first but rewarding in the end."

"I expect to face some challenging moments in which I may feel like my Spanish language abilities are not strong enough to fully express myself or fully understand my peers. While this challenge may be uncomfortable in the moment, I know that ultimately this will push me to become a better Spanish speaker and therefore I welcome these moments," said Cuomo. 

Gorka is confident that Cuomo and Kausch's experiences in the College of Education and in life have prepared them to tackle any challenges they may face abroad. 

"Both of them studied abroad and learned good strategies for adapting to a new culture. Both also have experience with non-native English speakers in the classroom, which is a huge plus," said Gorka. "Jackie and Stephanie have been very engaged in the Philadelphia community, beyond Temple's campus, and both are very personable. I'm sure Fulbright saw their ambassadorial potential."

If you are interested in participating in the Fulbright Student Program, contact Fellowships Advising at [click-for-email] or [click-for-email] to be placed on the Fulbright list and Fulbright Canvas page. 

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On May 5, 2020, Stephanie Cuomo received communication from the Fulbright Commission in Colombia stating her placement was no longer available. Due to global travel advisories and forced postponement of all English Teaching Assistant programs until January 2021, the Colombian Government partners no longer have the capacity to fund ETA programs or host ETAs in Colombian institutions. Cuomo has since completed a survey to receive more information about possible reassignment; however, she is prioritizing applying to teaching positions in Philadelphia.