St. Edward's is proud to congratulate our 2022 Fulbright Student award winners!
As recipients of this highly selective grant program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, these two graduates will make an impact abroad during a year of teaching, learning and cross-cultural exchange. Our Fulbright Students will work as English language teaching assistants in Germany and Bulgaria beginning this fall. They plan to approach their host countries with an openness to learn from and contribute to the communities they serve while acting as ambassadors for the U.S.
Meet these Hilltoppers! Find out about their experiences at St. Edward’s and beyond the hilltop that led to their prestigious Fulbright award ─ and their goals for their Fulbright year.
Simmi Chadha ’19
International Business major, German minor
MY FULBRIGHT GOALS IN GERMANY
“I want to encourage the development of new perspectives, critical thinking and mutual understanding across differences by serving as a cultural ambassador, and to broaden students’ understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. I look forward to learning more about how Germany takes accountability and educates on their past, and how I can apply my experience upon my return to the U.S.”
MY EXPERIENCES ON THE HILLTOP AND BEYOND
Simmi Chadha has just graduated with her MEd in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Texas State University in San Marcos.
- Served as an Orientation leader for incoming students at St. Edward’s
- Participated in The Big Event, the largest day of service on campus
- Supported fellow Hilltoppers as a teaching assistant for a German language course
- Participated in a Spring Break Experience, where she served at an elementary school in New Mexico and worked with the Jicarilla Apache tribe
- Studied abroad for a summer at the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany through a scholarship from the Study Abroad Office. Used her German language skills to teach students English and about the diverse lifestyles and customs of Americans
AFTER MY FULBRIGHT YEAR
“I aim to work at a university in a position centered around service-learning. I strive to create a more accessible path for students to become global citizens and make meaning of themselves and the world they live in.”
Pilar Monfiletto ’22
Social Work major
MY FULBRIGHT GOALS IN BULGARIA
“My goals for the Fulbright year are to learn more about a culture that is very different from anything I have experienced in the United States. I can’t wait to make friends, teach and impact the lives of young people in Sofia, and in doing so, learn more about myself.”
MY EXPERIENCES ON THE HILLTOP AND BEYOND
Pilar Monfiletto has extensive experience working with young people, a quality that no doubt helped her earn this prestigious opportunity to be a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.
- Participated in the St. Edward’s Social Justice LLC her freshman year
- Served as the outreach coordinator for the St. Edward’s Social Work Student Association
- Worked in Austin with Generation Citizen and the Girls’ Empowerment Network
- Took on an internship and the role of producer for Generation Justice in Albuquerque, New Mexico, her hometown
- Worked as a communications intern for Youth Law in Oakland, California
- Inspired by a social-work course at St. Edward’s, “Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline,” to work with young students at risk of entering the criminal justice system
AFTER MY FULBRIGHT YEAR
“I’ve been accepted to Fordham University’s Advanced Standing Master of Social Work program in New York City. There, I will specialize in school social work and create a path for myself moving forward. After that? I know that I want to be a school social worker and help prevent vulnerable students from falling into the school-to-prison pipeline.”
Top Producer of Fulbright Students
St. Edward’s has been named a top producer of Fulbright U.S. Students among master’s-granting institutions for 12 consecutive years, and a #1 producer for two of those years. Since 2008, 78 Fulbrights have been awarded to our students. Our Office of Fellowships mentors students academically and professionally, connecting them to merit-based opportunities such as the Fulbright Program.