Austin College seniors Victoria Gilbert and Elizabeth Parker have been designated Fulbright Semi-Finalists by the Fulbright National Screening Committee.
Victoria S. Gilbert is a semi-finalist for study in the Master of Arts Program in Brand and Fashion Management at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. Victoria began teaching herself Mandarin during elementary school using resources from the library. When she continued her studies she received Rosetta Stone software to further her studies, and finally a private tutor.
At Austin College, she took all the Chinese classes she could, and spent a semester in Suzhou, China, in an intensive language program.
She is determined to reach and maintain fluency as her days in China only fueled her passion for the language and culture and her interests in the fashion industry ignited. “My unconventional academic pursuits in East Asian studies, international economics & finance, and art all have prepared me for this niche area of study in fashion management and branding concentrated in the culture of East Asia,” Victoria wrote in her application materials. “These apportioned studies have enabled me to gain a well-rounded background that will allow me to engage in the promising future of creative markets in East Asia.”
“Attending Fu Jen will develop and empower me to become a productive citizen in our growing global society,” Victoria wrote in her grant proposal to Fulbright. “The university’ BFM program hosts students with creative, analytical, and visionary talents, preparing a generation of leaders to meet the demand of the changing markets of East Asia. I want to be at the forefront of that change. I strive to be a bridger—someone that unifies understandings of cultures. Fashion has been my chosen vehicle.”
Elizabeth Parker is a semi-finalist for an English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan. She recalls sitting in class during January 2020 when a headline caught her eye about a virus in Wuhan, China. Elizabeth was set to fly to Shanghai for a semester abroad program in February, and she didn’t realize then what effect that virus would have.
Her trip to Shanghai didn’t happen, but she was allowed to travel to Taiwan. Though she had prepared extensively for life in Shanghai, she was very welcomed in Taiwan. Sadly, after only a month that visit also was cut short by COVID-19, and she returned to the U.S.
That month in Taiwan changed Elizabeth’s path. She widened her studies in international politics and created an Honors Thesis in East Asian Studies focusing on the democratic growth and power of Taiwan. Her career plans for a law degree have expanded to include a joint degree program in international affairs. A primary goal, however, is returning to Taiwan with Fulbright.
“My overall goal for my time as an English Teaching Assistant is to expand my knowledge of Taiwan while displaying American culture for my students,” Elizabeth said. “If I can show them that cultural education can be passionate, insightful, and exciting, then I can help them become global citizens. I want to give them a life-changing educational experience.”
Final results will be announced later this spring.