Salve Regina students awarded Fulbright scholarships

Salve Regina students awarded Fulbright scholarships

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Salve Regina is pleased to announce that two of its students have received Fulbright awards for the 2024-25 academic year, and one student has been selected as an alternate. Kaelie Piscitello '24 and John Rangel Marte '23 have been selected for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program; Piscitello heading to Taiwan, and Marte heading to Spain. Cailin Martin '23 has been named an alternate for a Fulbright Study/Research award in the United Kingdom competition.

The three Salve students were selected from thousands of applicants competing in the Fulbright U.S. Student competition for spots in 140 countries. Students from these countries likewise compete for Fulbright language teaching assistantships and study/research awards in the U.S.

Founded in 1946, the Fulbright program is the U.S. government's flagship international exchange program which has worked to foster mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. Fulbright U.S. Students are graduating seniors, alumni or graduate students representing various areas of study, selected for their leadership potential, academic achievement and commitment to service. Applicants are selected based upon their academic and professional records, the quality and achievability of their proposals, and their capacity to engage culturally with their host communities.

The English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Programs place Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to help teach English language to students from kindergarten to university level and serve as cultural ambassadors. Recipients of Study/Research awards enroll in graduate programs overseas and/or design their own projects working with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education.

"It is a wonderful testament to these students to be selected for the Fulbright award and we are thrilled to have multiple winners in our graduating class," said Dr. Nancy Schreiber, provost at Salve. "Their applications are also a testament to the many experiential opportunities Salve Regina students have, both on campus, in the local community and globally, that help them prepare to be successful candidates for post graduate fellowships."

Kaelie Piscitello: Taiwan

Piscitello will receive a Bachelor of Science degree May 19, having double majored in Elementary Education and Special Education, with an English Language Immersion Endorsement. She will teach in Taiwan putting into practice her studies in Mandarin, commitment to English language learners and interest in comparative education. As an undergraduate at Salve Regina, she studied in Oxford, England, as part of a study abroad program and had an opportunity to observe local teaching practices through experiences in the Oxford school system.

"Studying abroad changed my mind set about education," Piscitello said. "It got me interested in not only learning but teaching around the world. I'm honored and excited to have been selected for this opportunity."

John Rangel Marte: Spain

Marte is a 2023 graduate of the Salve Regina University Business Administration program and is enrolled in the school's 5-year MBA program. Having immigrated to Rhode Island from Puerto Rico, he is a first-generation college graduate. As an undergraduate Marte studied abroad in Barcelona, where he provided English language education to Spanish middle-schoolers. He is also an active participant in Salve Regina's Pathways program, focused on guiding first-generation students and their families to high school graduation and college enrollment, and Fab Newport, an experiential learning organization serving 11 to 19-year-olds in Newport County.

"Working with students of different ages through Pathways and Fab Newport gave me great experience and confidence for my studying and teaching in Barcelona," said Marte. "All of that will help me in this next opportunity. Receiving a Fulbright scholarship is such an honor. I'm thrilled to continue contributing to the world and local community here in Rhode Island."

Alternate Cailin Martin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Salve Regina in December 2023 and will speak to the graduating class of 2024 as a Valedictorian. Should additional funding become available to the program, she would receive an award to undertake research at the University of Kent through the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, where she has been accepted to the Masters program in Conservation Biology.

Marte and Martin are graduates of Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island. Piscitello is a graduate of Sharon High School in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

"The Fulbright award offers these talented students an incredible opportunity to immerse themselves overseas for a year, directly engaging with their host country inside and outside of the classrooms," said Erin FitzGerald, director of the Center for Global Education and Fellowships and Fulbright program advisor (FPA). "In addition, as Fulbright alumni they will become lifetime members of a worldwide network of fellow Fulbrighters who support the underlying goals of the Fulbright program and are often leaders in their fields."

For more information on the Fulbright U.S. Student program, please go to its website. Salve students and graduates seeking more information about applying to the Fulbright program can contact FitzGerald at [email protected].