Sociology major Christina Ibarra has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to Mexico. The ETA program places selected participants in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to local English teachers.
Chosen from applicants across the U.S., Ibarra will represent the country as a cultural ambassador helping to enhance mutual understanding between Americans and the people in Mexico.
“It is very rewarding to know that I was chosen out of not just undergrads, but people with their masters, possibly those with their Ph.Ds. for this program so it’s very prestigious and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to do work in Mexico,” said Ibarra who hopes to volunteer at an agency dealing with immigration rights and education reform during her stay in the country.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
