Arlington Heights Student Earns Fulbright Fellowship

A Carthage College student from Arlington Heights was awarded a prestigious Fulbright fellowship to teach overseas for a year.

Jessie Bingaman, a Spanish, Chinese and Asian studies major who graduates this year, will teach English at either an elementary or junior high school in Taiwan. Previously, Bingaman has been an instructor at a summer language camp in Beijing, China, and was a Spanish tutor for students at Carthage, which is in Kenosha, Wis. She also spent her junior year studying in Lima, Peru, and Nanjing, China, as well as doing course work in Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Bingaman, who graduated from Rolling Meadows High School, wrote the following in her Fulbright application essay:

"I see my time in Taiwan as being one filled with opportunity for me, my students, and the community. I believe that through cultural and linguistic interaction we can create deep intercultural relationships and promote better understanding between our nations. On a personal level, the experience would allow me to grow as an educator, a language learner, and a member of a global community."

The Fulbright Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, operates in more than 160 countries as the federal government's international educational exchange. Recipients are chosen on academic or professional achievement and demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

PHOTO: Jessie Bingaman (Carthage College)