Four Austin College 2016 graduates will serve as U.S. ambassadors and teachers around the globe, having received prestigious grants to spend most of the next year teaching English and sharing U.S. culture and ideas. Each will be teaching English to students, hoping to see the bright light of understanding and comprehension in the eyes of their students—understanding each has gained in another language.
Ayelia Ali of North Richland Hills, Texas, will spend a year in Malaysia, having received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.
Kameron Kubacki of The Woodlands, Texas, will spend the year in Niedersachsen, Germany, also courtesy of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.
Gabrielle Margocs of Austin, Texas, will be assigned to Choshi, Japan, through the Japanese English Teaching program (JET), teaching English at junior high schools.
Greyson Sanders of Springfield, Ohio, has been assigned to the Academie de Versailles in the Teaching Assistant Program in France, funded through the French Ministry of Education.
Each of the awards has an extensive and very competitive application process.
Studying abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, in Spring Term 2015, Ayelia was part of a French-speaking community and came to appreciate the varying cultures and customs she encountered. Upon returning to the U.S., she participated in an AmeriCorps summer program where she worked with low-income children in Dallas—and found herself learning Spanish from them. Through this, she said, “I really understood that being a teacher is first and foremost being a grateful student.”
Ayelia said she is drawn to the ETA program in Malaysia for several reasons. “I am a Muslim who has lived in the East and West, with firsthand experience in adjusting to a different culture and language. Because English has been a second language for me, I want to draw on my own experiences with my students in the classroom,” she said, adding that she plans to use games, storytelling, and cooking as a means to make language learning “as hands-on and concrete as possible.”
Having completed a major in public health at Austin College, Ayelia also is interested in learning about the health care delivery system in Malaysia in regards to the elderly, rural population, indigenous groups, and the poor. Depending on her placement and available opportunities, she would like to volunteer with a local palliative care organization and gain insight from healthcare workers on the care of the increasing aging population. Using my background in public health, I want to work with the local school’s health services in increasing awareness among children on matters such as nutrition and personal hygiene.
Having emigrated from Pakistan to the U.S. as a child, Ayelia experienced a duality of customs and cultures growing up. She said she was never comfortable with the two facets of her identity until her study abroad experience. When questioned about her nationality, her answer of American always followed with questions about the color of her skin. Those moments, she said, helped her gain a better sense of her own identity.
Following Fulbright, Ayelia plans to pursue a career in global health after earning a master’s degree. She completed majors in international relations and public health at Austin College, graduating cum laude.
Cameron Kubacki, Fulbright grant
Cameron began studying German in high school and the challenges of the program piqued his interest. He planned to take a few German courses at Austin College, but found himself “hooked,” and added a German major to his education plan. As a junior, he spent the academic year in Munich, Germany, and took advantage of the opportunity to explore much of the country during his stay.
“Getting the chance to study at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich was a life-changing experience,” Cameron said. “I had the chance not only to study German but also to work on my business administration major as well.” Interacting with business students in their native language increased Cameron’s language confidence and skills and led to his development as a more social person. “I had been very shy before going to Germany, but studying abroad helped me step out of my shell and grow as a person,” he said. “It’s interesting that I had to go to another country to discover something so important about myself!”
His growth is not too surprising considering he was in German during very impactful times, such as the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks and the influx of Syrian refugees into German—with divided opinions swirling around him. “I have never experienced a more active population of outspoken and intelligent youth than I did in my time in Munich,” he said.
While in Germany, Cameron became part of a rock band and recognized the power of music to engage students and help them learn English vocabulary and culture. An Eagle Scout, Cameron had discovered in high school his strength in leading and communicating with younger students, and he recognizes that he will use many of the same techniques in his teaching in Germany.
Cameron completed majors in business administration and German while graduating magna cum laude from Austin College. After his Fulbright experience, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in German and in business and a career in business. He expects the Fulbright experience to hone his skills and prepare him for the rigors of graduate study as well as the environment of a multinational corporation.
Gabrielle Margocs, JET Program
Though Gabrielle had interest in Japanese culture, it was not until she enrolled at Austin College that she determined to learn more about the country. She decided to minor in Japanese and participated in a 2014 January Term course in Japan, studying at the International Education Studies Tokyo Center, staying in homes with Japanese families, and enjoying excursions to significant sites.
Next, Gabrielle took on a semester abroad in Tokyo. “I found Japan a place of opportunity; every day I had the fortune to learn about its beautifully rich history, society, and culture,” she said. Even so, she knew she saw only a sampling of Japan, and through the English Teaching Assistantship, she expects to continue learning as she offers learning opportunities to others. She does not want her students to be hesitant to learn English, as she was to learn Japanese. She wants to create a safe and inviting atmosphere that will allow any Japanese student interested in English and Western culture to take their chance to learn and “through the shared experience contribute to further international exchange.”
“I believe this ability to share with others—to connect over commonalities and differences alike through teaching—will transform my personal and professional life,” Gabrielle said. “Professionally, I will employ communicative and educational techniques to produce media about Japan for others to learn from. In daily life, I will encourage others to take their chance to embrace Japanese and foreign studies, to make more connections between people and their cultures around the world. The further I can send my experiences to motivate the exchange and bridging of cultures, the more rewarding my JET experience will be.”
“I’m going into this experience not just as an assistant teacher, but as a student as well. As I will do my best to teach others English and American culture, I am determined to learn more of Japanese language and culture to further my future opportunities regarding work and life within Japan and beyond! It’ll be an adventure.”
Graduating summa cum laude from Austin College, Gabrielle completed a major in media studies and a minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures.
Greyson Sanders Teaching Assistant Program in France
Greyson Sanders studied French since middle school and had no intention of continuing that at Austin College beyond meeting his language requirements. “My first-semester French professor turned that idea on its head,” he said. “For her, every little French fun fact, each bit of information, or trick for grammar brought the possibility of engaging students and ‘hooking’ them on the language and culture. In essence, she allowed the possibility of learning to catch a spark in each of student. I hope to bring this same attention to possibilities and potential ‘spark-lighting’ to the classroom.”
Greyson hadn’t traveled to France before applying for the assistantship, though he spent five weeks honing his French skills and exploring culture in Canada at University of Quebec in Chicoutimi. There, he also participated in a theatrical performance there that exposed him to a wide variety of vocabulary as well as articulation and pronunciation. He hopes to involve theatre and a variety of games in his teaching.
The appointment in France will not be his first teaching experience. He had volunteered as an after school and weekend tutor and enjoyed seeing the understanding that his students gained.
Greyson majored in French and theatre while earning his Austin College degree, cum laude. He will teach for seven months. Each year over 1,100 American citizens teach in public schools in France in in overseas departments of French such as Martinique and Guiana.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.