Three Kennesaw State Alumni Receive Fulbright Awards

Press release from Kennesaw State University:

Aug 3, 2021

Three Kennesaw State alumni receive Fulbright awards

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Aug 3, 2021) — Jaylen Jackson developed a love of languages as a Kennesaw State University student,
and now he has received a Fulbright grant to continue toward his career goal of teaching
English as a second language to adults.

“Being a Fulbright recipient gives me a great opportunity to get experience and pursue
my dream,” said Jackson, who will serve as an English teaching assistant at a university
in Brazil for one year starting in March. “I know that a Fulbright is difficult to
get, so I’m honored to be part of it.”

Jackson, who graduated last year with an integrative studies degree, is one of three Kennesaw State alumni recently awarded a Fulbright to study or teach
abroad.

Jaylen Jackson (Integrative Studies ’20)

Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award, Brazil

Jaylen Jackson credits the first Spanish class he took at Kennesaw State with sparking
his interest in learning and teaching languages. He furthered that pursuit by taking
a study abroad trip to Peru as well as participating in an online language exchange
program in which he had conversations with a student in Mexico who practiced speaking
English while Jackson spoke Spanish.

“Everything I needed was easily accessible at KSU, and I always had the greatest teachers
and the greatest experiences no matter which class I took,” Jackson said. “I was fortunate
to have so many good influences throughout the Foreign Languages Department and the Education Abroad Office.”

In Brazil, Jackson will assist in teaching English to college students while also
giving them an understanding of American culture. Jackson has completed his first
year of a master’s degree program in applied linguistics, which he will resume after
his year in South America.

Kaylee Walker (Communication ’16)

Fulbright Study/Research Award, Spain

Studying for six weeks in Italy as a KSU student ignited Kaylee Walker’s passion for
learning about other cultures and assisting people through international initiatives.
On that trip, she met fellow Owl and future husband Perry Watkins, and the two of
them have served together as Peace Corps volunteers in Panama, English teachers in
Thailand, and currently as full-time staff at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington,
D.C.

“My first time abroad really sparked something in me to want to learn more about other
cultures, on a deeper level,” Walker said. “Fulbright really resonates with us because
it has similar characteristics as Peace Corps in that it’s not only going and living
in another culture, but it’s creating those cross-cultural interactions of building
friendships and teaching people about our culture while learning about theirs.”

Walker will spend two years in Spain conducting research about refugee populations
while earning her master’s degree in global and international studies from the University
of Salamanca. Her study will compare the immigration and asylum policies of the United
States and Spain, focusing specifically on why so many refugees from Central and South
America have migrated to Spain in recent years.

Perry Watkins (Psychology ’14)

Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award, Spain

Psychology graduate Perry Watkins received a Fulbright award to teach English to students in
Spain. However, he has opted to accept a similar opportunity from a program through
the Spanish government, the North American Language and Culture Ambassador Program,
which will enable him to be in Salamanca with his wife.

Also, by taking the other offer, Watkins will remain eligible to apply for a Fulbright
toward the master’s degree in international education he plans to pursue. Educating
and helping others has been Watkins’ focus since he first traveled abroad, during
the summer after his sophomore year at Kennesaw State, accompanying his mother when
she served as a translator in Guatemala.

“Education is my passion,” Watkins said. “Receiving the Fulbright, with everything
it embodies – international education, community engagement, cultural exchange, working
collaboratively with teachers – is an amazing feeling.”

– Paul Floeckher

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.

This press release was produced by Kennesaw State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.