Keystone Today

Franklin and Marshall College issued the following announcement on June 22.

Fulbright Awards have taken Franklin & Marshall alumni to more than 25 countries over the past decade. This year’s cohort of awardees will continue that globetrotting tradition. 

Seven F&M graduates have been selected for this year’s Fulbright awards. Of that cohort, six were chosen for English Teaching Assistantships (ETAs) and one for a study / research partnership.

“It is such a dream come true,” said Gabi Girton ‘22, who will teach in Lanzarote, located in Spain’s Canary Islands.  

“I pitched the idea to Fulbright: ‘I want you to put me on this island and I want to start a marine biology club and explain to kids: What are the creatures that live here? How can we take care of them? How do we protect them from pollution?’” Girton said. 

For Cesar “C.J.” Cortorreal '20, the fellowship allows a continuation of academic research initiated at F&M.

“At F&M, I started a research project about comfortability. What does it mean to be comfortable in a space?” said Cortorreal, a Teach For America '20 corps member.

“London has little pockets of Black communities. I want to tap into that community and voice their experience within the education system,” he said. 

When Cortorreal returns, he hopes to apply his Fulbright experience "to continue to fight toward educational equity, wherever that path may lead me," he said.

• Gabi Girton '22 has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Spain. Girton will teach science classes and lead a marine biology club in Lanzarote, located in Spain’s Canary Islands. Image Credit: Gabi Girton
• F&M graduate Cesar Cortorreal '20 has been awarded an academic Fulbright to complete a masters degree at University College London/Institute of Education in social justice and education. Image Credit: Cesar Cortorreal

F&M’s selectees are: 

1. Cesar “C.J.” Cortorreal '20, study/research, University College London/Institute of Education
2. Mackenzie Blackwell '21, ETA Latvia
3. Emily Ellsworth '22, ETA Bulgaria
4. Alison Geiger, '22, ETA Germany
5. Gabi Girton, '22, ETA Spain (Canary Islands)
6. Will Thoman '21, ETA Germany
7. Emma Steffan '22, ETA Slovak Republic

Three F&M alumni are designated as alternates for the program. The alternates are:  

1. Joshua Millman '22, ETA Finland
2. Paolo Caglioti '21, ETA Madagascar and ETA Mauritius
3. Maureen Adames '22, ETA Taiwan

Two current F&M students also were named awardees of Fulbright Summer Institutes, a program run by the UK Fulbright Commission and open to first- and second-year students. Those selected are: 

1. Amy Liu '24
2. Emily Myers '24

For the fifth consecutive year, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program recognized F&M among the top producing institutions. Top producing institutions are those with the highest numbers of graduating seniors and alumni awarded Fulbright scholarships for the academic year.

Original source can be found here.