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Jessie Bingaman, from Arlington Heights, Ill., and majoring in Spanish, Chinese, and Asian Studies, has been selected for a 2016-7 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan. She will share U.S. culture and language through a one-year placement at an elementary or junior high school. Jessie will undoubtedly draw on her previous experience teaching English skills as an instructor at a summer language camp in Beijing, China and as a tutor in the Writing Center. She also has served as a tutor for Carthage students learning Spanish. The Fulbright placement will be a return abroad for Jessie, who spent her junior year studying first in Lima, Peru and then in Nanjing, China. She previously had participated in Carthage’s J-term service-centered course in Nicaragua as well as a J-term course in Guatemala.

Jessie is one of four Carthage students to receive a Fulbright Fellowship for the 2016-2017 academic year. Evan Weyrach ’15 and Michelle Nuetzmann ’16 received an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany. Taylor Kloha ’15 received an English Teaching Assistantship in the Czech Republic.

On campus, Jessie is an Assistant Hall Director and member of numerous academic honorary societies. She is a member of Circle K International, which she represents in Student Government, has presented at Carthage’s DREAM diversity conference, and also is the founder and coordinator of Carthage’s Culture Fest. While in Taiwan, Jessie plans to continue her association with the Kiwanis International service organization through an active Taiwanese chapter. She anticipates that engagement with local people in Taiwan will give her opportunities to further improve her Chinese language skills and learn more about the cultural differences between Taiwan and China. After the completion of her teaching assistantship, she is considering pursuing a graduate degree in educational leadership or working for the U.S. State Department. “I see my time in Taiwan as being one filled with opportunity for me, my students, and the community,” Jessie wrote in her Fulbright application essay. “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.”

Congratulations to Jessie Bingaman on her Fulbright placement!

About the Fulbright Program

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills. It is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and teaching in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools worldwide. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and fellowships are available to American students wishing to spend a year or more abroad after college to teach, conduct scholarly research, or engage in creative projects. Carthage students interested in the Fulbright opportunity should contact Prof. Dan Choffnes, Fulbright Program Adviser.