The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has formally recognized Siena as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution based on the number of Saints selected for prestigious Fulbright awards.
The rigorous application process is completed over six months, and on average, only one in five applicants will be awarded a Fulbright scholarship. For any college, one award winner is an accomplishment worth celebrating; this year, Siena boasts three. In recognition of the feat, Siena has been honored, for the first time, as one of America's top producing institutions.
More than a decade ago, Br. Brian Belanger, OFM, Ph.D., director of the center for International Programs, first began to promote Fulbright opportunities on campus. Matt Schiesel '15 was among Siena's first Fulbright award winners, and over the past two years, the associate director of Study Abroad & International Fellowships has scaled up Siena's commitment. In all, the College has received 12 Fulbright U.S. Student Awards since 2011, enabling grantees to teach or pursue graduate studies abroad.
As for this year's award winners:
Valentina Doren '22 is a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Telavi, Georgia teaching English at Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University.
"In terms of personal ventures I’ve been able to do; I helped out with a youth rugby team in a nearby village with kids around 8-10 years old. It is co-ed since they are so young and are such a small group. Working with them has probably been the most rewarding experience I’ve had. The smile on their faces made my whole week, hell, even my whole month! Matt Schiesel saw that I had it in me to do this. I am forever grateful to him for that. Or else I wouldn’t be where I am now."
Emma Willette '23 is completing a Fulbright Study/Research grant in Belfast, Northern Ireland this year, which fully funds a Master's in Global Security and Borders at Queen's University Belfast.
"I am enjoying my second semester even more than my first is because I am working as an independent researcher from Queen's University Belfast with Diverse Youth Northern Ireland (DYNI) to evaluate and provide a briefing report on their youth-led mental health initiatives. Siena had a key role in helping me gain the experience, knowledge, and opportunities to consider applying for Fulbright. Matt was incredibly supportive and helpful every step of the way, and it is genuinely the out-of-classroom opportunities that the international office helps to facilitate, like studying abroad, that widened my horizons to possibilities outside the United States."
Sam Hearn '23 is a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Smolyan, Bulgaria.
"My work has me living on the side of a mountain, overlooking the town, viewing breath-taking sunrises/sunsets, and looking into Greece only a few kilometers away. I am so grateful for the support and mentorship of the Fulbright Bulgarian Commission, building on the incredible mentorship and support I had at Siena from President Seifert, Fr. Bob Sandoz, Jerry DeFrancisco, and Matt Schiesel, among others. The commission's support has helped me to grow both personally and professionally in profound ways. The commission recently nominated me for the EU-US Young Leaders Conference next month in Brussels discussing the 'security implications of climate change.' Having been selected, I will be one of 25 Americans in attendance, both leading panel discussions and discussing policy and leadership solutions to combat climate change with other Americans and Europeans. The wonderful professors/instructors and mentors at Siena have not only helped prepare me for my work here in Bulgaria, but have also helped make it even more meaningful in my ability to maximize impact in my role."
"The top-producing distinction is an incredible feat and recognition for Siena. Since we've made the dedicated commitment to promote and prepare our students, dozens of Saints have applied, faculty advisory committees have been established each year, and annual writing workshops support students through the application process. This designation shows how far we have come and what more we can do in the future. Prestigious fellowship programs like Fulbright offer students a range of valuable intercultural and professional skills, and as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted in his letter to the college, it demonstrates Siena's "dedication to promoting global engagement and mutual understanding among the peoples and nations of the world."
Matt Schiesel '15, associate director of Study Abroad & International Fellowships
