Kelly Tempest (English ’12) has been awarded a Fulbright Teaching Assistant Scholarship to teach English in Morocco in 2012. Students are chosen based on academic merit, teaching experience, French language capability and leadership potential.
Tempest started working with the Center for International Programs about a year ago to put together the application, which included recommendations, a personal statement, a statement of grant purpose, a language evaluation, and, finally, a panel interview on campus last fall.
Tempest is currently completing her M.A. in English and is also a teaching assistant in the department. She grew up in Poughkeepsie, attended the University of Virginia for undergraduate work, but returned to the Hudson Valley.
“I am looking forward to meeting some great new people, improving my French, learning some Arabic, adjusting to an entirely different way of life, challenging my misconceptions and working to change the world for the better,” said Tempest.
Tempest will be working 20 hours a week assisting professors in English education, and plans to use the rest of her time volunteering in the community, which the Fulbright ethos especially encourages.
“I plan to work on learning Darija, Moroccan Arabic, to help me communicate with people, and I will try to find a women’s group or a youth group in my city to volunteer with,” said Tempest.
Tempest was drawn to the Middle East because she feels it is one of the most “significantly misunderstood regions for most Americans.”
“I expect life as a young American woman in a Muslim country to be a challenge, but that is exactly what I was looking for when I decided to apply,” said Tempest.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.”
“This is really wonderful, said Thomas Olsen (English), chair. “It’s an honor to her, to the program and to the campus.”
Written by Colin Vallee ’11
Communication & Marketing Intern