Did you know that UMBC has been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution? If you’re interested in applying for a Fulbright U.S. Student award to teach English, conduct research, or pursue graduate studies overseas, join us for a conversation that will address questions you may have, such as: How do I decide which country and/or award type to apply for? What are the steps of the application process? What activities should I get involved with now to have a competitive application? What should I emphasize in my application essays? What are the grantee’s day-to-day responsibilities in their host country?

The UMBC Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Program Presents

An Insider's Guide to Fulbright for English Teachers

Dr. Brian Souders, Fulbright advisor
Christina Crawford, Fulbright alumna
Leah GInty, Fulbright alumna
Mike Schapiro, Fulbright alumnus

Wednesday, April 7
7:00-8:00 pm
Online - Eastern US Time

Dr. Brian Souders has worked with hundreds of UMBC students on their applications for Fulbright and other prestigious scholarships. He has also served on the executive board of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors, the professional organization of fellowship advisors. He attended two intensive Russian-language study programs in Moscow, and worked for a year in Tallinn, Estonia as a research affiliate with the Estoniana Academy of Sciences under the auspices of the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) graduate fellowship program.

Christina Crawford will be graduating in May 2021 with her MA TESOL degree (with thesis) and graduate certificate in Instructional Systems Development. She works for the Department of Social Services at the Center for Family Success in Baltimore County as the Adult Education Instructor and Coordinator of the ESOL and Employment Readiness program. From 2014-2016 she taught English under the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program in Austria and continued teaching in higher education and K-8 until relocating to the US in 2020. In the world of TESOL, she is interested in program development, teacher training, and educational policy and equity.

Leah Ginty is an alumna of the 2019-2020 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. As an English teaching assistant in Benin, she co-taught English lessons with local teachers in secondary schools, English clubs, and U.S. embassy-sponsored programs. Leah earned an M.A. in TESOL with PreK-12 certification from UMBC in 2019. In 2016, she earned an M.A. in French Literature from Boston College, where she had been a French teaching fellow and research travel grantee. She graduated from UMBC summa cum laude in 2014 with a major in MLLI (French), a certificate in Gender + Women’s Studies, and a minor in music.

Mike Schapiro has a M.A. in TESOL from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and Bachelor's degrees in Spanish Language and Literature and Communication from the University of Maryland College Park.  In Spring 2020, he completed a scholarship with the U.S. State Department's Fulbright Program in Colombia, South America, during which he taught English to vocational high school students.  He has also taught in Costa Rica, community colleges, and the Washington University of Virginia.  Currently, he is teaching math to ESOL students at White Oak Middle School in Montgomery County.  In addition, Mike teaches ESOL to Spanish-speakers for the nonprofit Identity and teaches math to fifth grade ESOL students for the George B. Thomas Saturday School program. 

Free Registration

Free registration by email to TESOL@umbc.edu