The outstanding academic and extracurricular performances of two Saints will result in exceptional post-graduation experiences once they collect their diplomas.
Cynthia Isaac Douge ’23 (above) has been accepted to the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), hosted by Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States. Sam Hearn ’23 has been named Siena’s third Fulbright scholar this season. He’s headed to Bulgaria where he’ll serve as an English teaching assistant.
Douge, who will receive her bachelor’s degree in psychology, was looking for a fascinating post-graduation experience that would put her love of (and minor in) French language and culture to positive use.
Like so many other college students, her original plans to study abroad were derailed by the pandemic. She was able to squeeze in a J-term in Prague in the Czech Republic this past January with her roommate and some close friends, which she said was “amazing.”
That experience overseas only increased her desire to keep studying and exploring in other lands. She checked out different options through Siena’s Center for International Programs, and TAPIF appealed because of her love of the language.
“My French professors here at Siena were also really excited about my decision to apply for TAPIF so having them support the idea was a great motivator,” she said.
TAPIF offers American citizens the opportunity to work in France for seven months, teaching English to French students of all ages. Each year, about 1,500 Americans teach in public schools across all regions of metropolitan France and in the overseas departments. Douge’s exceptional application resulted in her posting to Reims, (unofficial capital of the Champagne wine-growing region).
In addition to her acceptance to TAPIF, Douge recently received another piece of very good news: she was accepted into her dream graduate school, New York University, to earn her master’s degree in psychology.
“NYU is my dream school and is extremely competitive to get into, so imagine my surprise when they accepted me,” she said.
She had already put down her deposit to enroll this fall when she received the offer from TAPIF to go to France. Luckily, she was able to defer her enrollment for a year, and will begin her studies at NYU in the fall of 2024.
“My parents and siblings were beyond excited that this worked out because they did not want me to miss the opportunity of going to NYU!” she said.
Meanwhile, France. Douge is looking forward to enhancing her French language skills and learning more about the culture.
“I have always wanted to live in a different country, and it’s crazy that I get to do that at such a young age! I will be living life like an adult over there so it’s scary but also very exciting. I can’t wait to make memories and meet new people!”
After a months-long and highly competitive application process, Hearn got news this week that he will live and work in Smolyan, a ski resort town near the southern border with Greece. In addition to teaching English to middle and high schoolers, he will also coach a high school debate team for a national tournament and apply his Siena-honed skills as a peer mentor.
He chose to apply to Bulgaria for its location at “the crossroads of the world,” a nation steeped in the historical and cultural influences of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He’s hoping to immerse himself in his host country while serving as an ambassador for his homeland.
A former Communist-controlled nation that is now part of the European Union, Bulgaria is experiencing many of the political and business-related growing pains plaguing other post-Soviet republics.
“I’m hoping to share knowledge of the American strengths of liberty and freedom, that all nations can aspire to, and help champion those values as well as explore the culture and history of one of the world’s oldest nations.”
Hearn is graduating from Siena this May with a B.A. in political science and internal relations, and has already begun work on his MBA here. He’ll depart in August for Bulgaria, and has already had his first team meeting via Zoom with the 30 other American students headed for various locations in the eastern European country.
Hearn is Siena’s 12th Fulbright since 2011; this is the first time since 2015 that the College can boast three recipients in one year.
Interested in exploring award possibilities to study and teach abroad? Stop by Siena’s Center for International Programs.
“As a Siena Fulbright alum [Poland, 2015-2016], it gives me such great joy to see Sam and Cynthia head overseas next year to begin their professional journeys,” said Matt Schesel ’15, assistant director. “Teaching abroad is a phenomenal opportunity to build your independence, reflect on your own goals, explore another culture, and add a really unique skill to your resume. Added to this, Sam and Cynthia diligently committed to their application processes and the time and effort they put in clearly showed. Any student interested in following their footsteps need only to stop by our office and start planning!”
