Rebecca Lara, of West Liberty, will receive a BA in English and creative writing from the University of Iowa in 2023, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Spain for 2023-24.
"I will serve as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in the Canary Islands, Spain, from September 2023 to June 2024," Lara said. "I will assist teaching staff in early childhood and elementary schools in English language classes and other subjects. Outside of teaching, I will host a weekly creative writing workshop and film club for secondary school students. I am also looking forward to volunteering at a local nonprofit that assists refugees."
How do you envision this will influence your life/future career?
After the Fulbright Program, Lara plans to pursue a career as an advocacy coordinator or community organizer at a non-profit whose mission is to protect and advance the power of immigrant and refugee communities.
"The linguistic and cultural experiences I will obtain as an ETA in Spain will prepare me to build strong relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and successfully create meaningful community engagement," she said.
Her experiences with Spanish courses at the University of Iowa inspired her to further explore Spanish culture and literature.
"In addition, the education courses I have taken solidified my passion for teaching and building meaningful bonds with students," Lara said. "During my first year at Iowa, I received a Gilman Award to study abroad in Valladolid, Spain. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 I was unable to participate in the program, but receiving the award encouraged me to fulfill my goal of visiting the country in another meaningful way."
She would like to thank Karen Wachsmuth and Ari Natarina for guiding me throughout the application process, she said. She also want to thank Steph Yazell, Will Coghill-Behrends, and Lily Smith for writing me letters of recommendation and for their words of encouragement.
"Lastly, I would like to thank Erica Jennings, who inspired me to teach English in Spain," Lara said.
Fulbright Scholars – college and university faculty, administrators, and researchers, as well as artists and professionals build their skills and connections, gain valuable international insights, and return home to share their experiences with their students and colleagues. Scholars come from and go to all institution types and geographic regions across the United States and around the world.
The Fulbright Scholar Program for academics and professionals awards more than 1,700 fellowships each year, enabling 800 U.S. Scholars to go abroad and 900 Visiting Scholars to come to the United States. As a Fulbright Scholar, you'll make meaningful contributions to communities abroad and at home, as well as in your chosen field. You'll also advance your career by joining a network of accomplished alumni serving as leaders and educators across the glob