6 St. Edward's Students Win Fulbright Awards in 2019-2020
Six graduates of the St. Edward’s Class of 2019 are winners of Fulbright awards, a highly selective scholarship and grant program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. As Fulbright Students, they’ll engage in teaching and learning during a year of cross-cultural exchange, while acting as ambassadors of both the U.S. and St. Edward’s.
Five of our Fulbright recipients will work as English language teaching assistants in Germany, the Czech Republic and Taiwan. And one will participate in a specialized binational internship in Mexico. All will contribute their ideas, talents and education to the communities they serve.
Meet these Hilltoppers! Find out about their experiences at St. Edward’s that led to their Fulbright award ─ and their goals for their year abroad.
Promoting Mutual Understanding
Lilli Hime ’19, English Writing and Rhetoric
My Fulbright Goals in Taiwan
“I want to foster a reverence for language among my students by using creative writing to help them explore their identities, culture and place in the world ─ and to understand the diversity of American communities and their own. And I look forward to improving my Mandarin so I can get closer to my dream of being fluent one day.”
My Hilltop Experiences
- Founded AmericaIWill, a campus organization that empowers students to be agents of social change in their communities
- Interned at the Austin Chronicle’s LGBTQ section to increase representation of the local LGBTQ community
- Served with Campus Ministry in Puerto Rico’s reconstruction efforts
- Spent a summer in China studying intensive Mandarin and Chinese poetics through a St. Edward’s Summer Academic Excellence Award
Making Meaningful Connections
Logan Stallings ’19, Graphic Design and English Writing and Rhetoric
My Fulbright Goals in the Czech Republic
“I hope to make lasting connections and international friendships, and gain a new sense of adaptability. I’d like to start a book club in the small town where I’ll be teaching and focus on comparing narratives across cultures. My biggest goal is to contribute to openness and friendliness.”
My Hilltop Experience
- Served as a teaching assistant and a research assistant to the Graphic Design department
- Contributed her writing, editing and design talents to a variety of student and university publications, interning as the editor-in-chief of New Literati, as an editor for Arete, and as a student designer for SOURCE and the McNair Scholars Journal
- Studied architecture and design in Copenhagen, Denmark, through a St. Edward’s Summer Academic Excellence Award and a Gilman Scholarship
Finding Common Ground
Jade Patterson ’19, Accounting
My Fulbright Goals in Germany
“I am excited to be on the front lines to improve intercultural understanding through teaching. Coming from a small town in rural Texas, I’m eager to contribute a piece of my hometown’s culture, whether it’s sharing old western tales or the obsession with high school football that brings so many Texas communities together.”
My Hilltop Experience
- Served as Secretary of Senate and a Senator for the Student Government Association and a founding member of the German Club (Deutschklub)
- Interned at the Texas State Capitol and volunteered at the Bullock Texas State History Museum and the LBJ Presidential Library
- Studied in Germany for six weeks through Duke University and conducted research on German memory-culture regarding the country’s cultural reconciliation with World War II
Learning Through Collaboration
Frida Melgar ’19, Global Studies
My Fulbright Goals in Mexico
“As a Binational Internship Program grantee in Mexico City, I look forward to gaining a more in-depth understanding of the private sector and international business between Mexico and the United States. My goal in my internship with a business or NGO is to learn as much as possible, contribute and make a difference.”
My Hilltop Experience
- Active with the Latin American Student Alliance, the Service Break Experience program and Students for Sustainability
- Interned with the Global Engagement Office on campus and with a refugee and immigrant center in Austin
- Volunteered in Ecuador with an NGO and taught English in Spain
- Spent a semester in China studying Mandarin through a Boren Scholarship
- Completed a summer study at the London School of Economics and Politics
Using Language to Empower
Rachel Leader ’19, Sociology
My Fulbright Goals in Taiwan
“I want to help my students see language as a way to share their story and identity, and to feel empowered by learning language and believing they can do anything they aspire to do. I believe this cultural exchange will broaden my perception of community and help me be a more engaged community member ─ wherever I am.”
My Hilltop Experiences
- Active in four Service Break Experiences as a participant and a leader, and in the McNair Scholars Program
- Served as the education coordinator for the Equity and Justice Council on campus
- Interned with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Minorities for Equality in Economy, Education, Liberty and Justice Center in Austin
- Studied abroad for a semester in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which included field studies with indigenous communities to learn about their cultures
Immersing Fully in Another Culture
Christian Notte ’19, Religious and Theological Studies and Interdisciplinary European Studies
My Fulbright Plans in Germany
Notte spent a semester studying in Germany at one of our 20 partner universities. In addition to teaching English during his Fulbright year, he plans to lead outdoor groups in exercise activities and biking.
My Hilltop Experience
- Served as an ESL tutor and after school program leader
- Studied for a semester at Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany
- Conducted summer research in Altötting, Germany, for his honors thesis on religious pilgrimages and the current state of German Catholicism
Top Producer of Fulbright Students 11 Years in a Row
St. Edward’s has been named a top producer of Fulbright U.S. Students among master’s-granting institutions for 11 consecutive years, and a #1 producer for two of those years. Since 2008, 70 Fulbrights have been awarded to our students to teach and conduct research in 18 countries. Here's more about this prestigious award.
