Fulbright ETA distinguished scholarship awarded to Gregory K. Walker, WSU Vancouver graduate
MEDIA: April Seehafer, WSU Distinguished Scholarships Program, 509-335-8239, seehafer@wsu.edu
PULLMAN, Wash.—Washington State University Vancouver graduate Gregory K. Walker has received from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award to teach in Spain.
Walker, who graduated in May 2016 with a bachelor of arts degree in English, planned to travel to Spain early in 2017. He will be placed in a classroom to assist a local teacher.
As a Fulbright ETA, his charge will be to improve foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the United States while also increasing his own language skills and knowledge of the host country.
Language and Art
In his application to Fulbright, Walker described his plan to “explore the intersection between language and art” and involve his students in Spain in a club focused on discussions on art and artists and popular culture media such as comics and graphic novels.
Upon his return to the U.S., Walker intends to continue his education and earn a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Prior to WSU Vancouver, he earned an associate’s degree at Clark College, also in Vancouver.
Three WSU Fulbright’s in Past Year
Walker’s ETA brings the number of Fulbright’s earned in the past year at WSU to three; the two others are pursuing research and study in Honduras and Germany. Walker’s distinguished scholarship also brings the total number of WSU Fulbright’s to 26. Among those is another WSU Vancouver graduate, Eric Dexter, who studied in Switzerland thanks to his 2014 award.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for all students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and university, primary, and secondary school teaching worldwide. It awards around 1,900 grants annually and operates in more than 140 countries.
Of 409 applicants in the current cycle, Walker is one of 49 selected for an ETA in Spain.