North Central College student from Joliet earns Fulbright honor

North Central College student Kristin Rose of Joliet has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.

The Naperville college has been recognized as among the U.S. colleges and universities that produced the highest number of Fulbright recipients for 2014-2015 international exchanges.

“Fulbright awards are among the most prestigious national scholarships available to undergraduate students across the country, proof that our top students and alumni can compete with the best and brightest undergrads from coast to coast—and win,” says Perry Hamalis, Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion, associate professor of religion and director of the College Honors Programs.

Rose, a graduate of Plainfield Central High School, is a College Scholar who is majoring in English studies. She tutors participants in the College’s English Language Institute and studied abroad for a semester in England. She has participated in many performances by various North Central musical ensembles and serves as music coordinator for Focus, a weekly student-led worship service.

“Working at North Central’s English Language Institute has prepared me to serve as an ETA,” Rose says. “Through teaching, tutoring responsibilities and leading conversation lunches I have learned about the unique needs of English language learners. I discovered that helping these students improve their English is extremely rewarding.”

Rose will graduate from North Central College in June and her Fulbright ETA will take her to the Slovak Republic in fall 2015, where she will teach English to high school students and engage in cultural exchange programs with the local community. Rose will receive nearly $35,000 in financial support during her 10 months of teaching.

Another North Central College student, Heidi Nelson of Carol Stream, also was awarded a 2015 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. More than 1,800 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants annually to study, teach English and conduct research. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world. Visit northcentralcollege.edu to learn more.