With Fulbright, Lauren Martinez Pursues Passion for Teaching
Lauren Martinez '16 has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to Colombia in education from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Martinez will be teaching at Universidad Libre in Bogotá as part of a project to further English communication and writing skills.
A Latin American Studies major and Hispanic Studies minor, Martinez also has worked as a Spanish language teaching assistant at Davidson. She is a Presidential Scholar and received the Latin American Studies prize at the 2016 convocation.
"Lauren distinguishes herself by pride in her Puerto Rican heritage and a genuine vocation for service," her award citation reads.
She has long had a passion for teaching, and took a gap year to teach marginalized children in Guatemala City. Her Fulbright to Colombia will bring her new students and new opportunities to teach.
"I am excited to combine my passions for Latin America and teaching while engaging with students in a new setting," Martinez said.
Martinez is one of more than 1,900 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research and provide expertise abroad for the 2016-17 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.
Fulbrighters address critical global challenges -- from sustainable energy and climate change to public health and food security -- in all areas, while building relationships, knowledge and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States and the world.