Gooch, Peacock Awarded Fulbright Scholarships
Alma College seniors Alyssa Gooch of Vermontville and Rebecca
Peacock of Grandville have been awarded prestigious Fulbright
scholarships to teach and work in Malaysia.
Gooch, an education major, will teach conversational English to middle
school children while also conducting a research project based on
discovering different impacts on student learning.
“When I received the letter informing me of my acceptance, I was
unbelievably surprised and honored,” said Gooch. “It is an amazing
opportunity, and I feel very grateful to have even been considered.”
A graduate of Charlotte High School, she is the daughter of Joe and Teresa Gooch.
Peacock, who has a double major in English and theatre, also will teach
English language skills to Malaysian students and intern with the
Women’s Aid Organization of Malaysia to help expand abuse prevention
programming for students and community members. She will leave for
Malaysia in December 2008 and stay for one year.
“I will be teaching English to high school and college students at a
school for about 20 hours a week and spend the rest of my time
interning with the Women’s Aid Organization,” says Peacock. “I’ve never
been to Malaysia. I’m nervous but so excited.”
A graduate of Grandville High School, she is the daughter of Jim and Diane Peacock.
Gooch and Peacock become Alma College’s 11th and 12th Fulbright Scholars in the last six years.
Recommendations from the National Screening Committee of the Institute
of International Education, the coordinating body for the Fulbright
U.S. Student Program, are made on the strength of applicants'
self-designed programs to be conducted in specific countries. The
applications are forwarded to the Fulbright commissions in the
projects' countries, which select recipients from all candidates
applying in those countries. The J. William Fulbright Foreign
Scholarship Board makes the final selections.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Student Program is
designed to give recent baccalaureate graduates, master's degree and
doctoral candidates, and young professionals and artists opportunities
for personal development and international experience. A scholar
receives expenses for one year of study.
Alma's Nationally Competitive Scholarship Committee helps finalists
search for appropriate postgraduate scholarships and review the
proposals and applications. Alma's committee identifies and nurtures
exceptional candidates for nationally competitive scholarships, grants
and awards.
Posted: Thu, April 17th, 2008 at 7:54AM
