Three Fulbright scholars who graduated from St. Edward’s University in 2013 will be teaching English abroad in Germany, Kosovo and France. The Fulbright is a prestigious grant that funds a year of experience abroad under an umbrella of categories.

The three St. Edward’s recipients from the 2013-2014 cycle, Patrick Dunlap, Sofia Martinez and Katherine Saint John, all received the English teaching assistantship Fulbright grant.

“Most successful Fulbright applicants have GPAs of 3.7 and above and experience abroad or second language proficiency. Students applying to be Fulbright English Teaching Assistants also have been Teaching Assistants, Supplemental Instructors, tutors or [have] taught English as a Second Language (ESL),” Caroline Morris, the director of Fellowships at St. Edward’s, said.

Katherine Saint John, who graduated with a major in history and minored in education and German, has been placed in the German state of Sanchsen-Anhalt.

“During my time, I hope to travel around Germany and Europe as much as possible and learn more about the German school system,” John said. “I hope to improve my German and teaching skills [and] gain a better understanding of German culture and history.”

John previously studied abroad in Germany through a St. Edward’s summer program, with the aid of the Academic Excellence Award. Like John, Martinez also had previous experience studying abroad. Martinez went on a faculty-led study abroad program in Angers, France.

Morris said that the majority of students who apply for the Fulbright award study abroad beforehand.

“The best way to convince a selection committee you can thrive in another culture is to have done so already and reflect on what you learned from that experience,” Morris said. “But, if you have not had that opportunity to study abroad [another way to be a great candidate is to]…actively engage in challenging community experience at home that has taught you about crossing culture lines of any kind.”

Both Martinez and John said that the resources St. Edward’s offers, including the faculty and staff, helped them prepare for the application process and beyond.

Martinez was especially thankful to Morris’ help during the application process. She also stressed that the application was worth taking the time to complete.

“Don’t let the extensive application process deter you from completing it,” Martinez said.

John had advice for students hoping to apply for the Fulbright grant.

“From my own experience I would say two things: one, make sure you are willing to commit to living in a foreign country for a year, and two, in your application statements, emphasize that you want to be there to learn more about your host country and its culture,” John said.

Morris encouraged students interested in applying to truly apply themselves in class, study other languages and go abroad. She also suggested other ways to stand out.

“It also helps to have done undergraduate research which might [be] working in a lab in the natural sciences, presenting a paper at a conference in the humanities or participating in a group show in the visual arts,” Morris said. “Meeting with the Director of Fellowships in your first year [also] helps map out a plan to be as credentialed as possible by the time you apply senior year.”

The application deadline for 2014-2015 is Oct. 15.