LEXINGTON, Ky.—Mallory Powell, who graduated with a double major in Spanish and international affairs in May, was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to study in Vietnam for the 2008/09 academic year. Powell is one of 10 English teaching assistants selected for the inaugural Fulbright program in Vietnam.
She will be in Vietnam for 11 months, where she’ll teach English to college students and students in a teacher training program, and study Vietnamese.
Powell’s interest in Vietnam was sparked in a class taught by political science professor Jeff Freyman, and study abroad experiences helped her gain the confidence to apply for the Fulbright.
“My two trips abroad were integral in inspiring me to travel more,” she said. “I went to Spain for May term my first year and for a term last year. That empowered me to take a step to go even farther away.”
A volunteer with Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Powell’s plans for the future include working with immigrants or refugees, focusing on the human side of international affairs, rather than the political.