Baylor Fulbright Recipients

Transcript

Derek Smith:
Hello, and welcome to Baylor Connections, a conversation series with the people shaping our future. Each week we go in depth with Baylor leaders, professors, and more discussing important topics in higher education, research, and student life. I'm Derek Smith, and today we are learning more about Baylor students who have earned a prestigious Fulbright award. On the heels of recognition as a Fulbright top-producing institution, Baylor University is celebrating this spring a school record. 16 students and recent alumni have been selected for Fulbright US student grants. The grants are from the US government's flagship international education exchange program, and they'll allow students, including our guest today to pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad. And on today's show, we are visiting with two recipients, Madelene Do and Jacey Jamison, along with Andy Hogue, associate dean for engaged learning and a Fulbright advisor at Baylor.
Madelene Do graduated in May earning a degree in health science studies on the pre-medical track at Baylor. Active in academic and service oriented activities, she served in leadership for the Vietnamese Students Association at Baylor, earning an office of Multicultural Affairs Award for her work. Through her Fulbright Award, she'll teach English and engage in bilingual study techniques to encourage multicultural exchange in Vietnam. Jacey Jamison will graduate in December, earning a degree in elementary education. At Baylor, she's involved in academic and service organizations, and she'll travel to South Korea through her Fulbright award. There, she'll teach English and coordinate cross-cultural activities through American folk tales and storytelling. And in the future, Jacey plans to pursue a career in higher education.
Well, it's an exciting time, and it's great to have you all on here. Andy, we've had you on before. It's great to have you. But Jacey and Madelene, first off, congratulations on your award, you and your fellow students, and thanks for joining us on the program today. Wonderful to have you all here. And as we're talking here in May, Jacey and Madelene, you have a lot that you're preparing for, a lot on the horizon. Madelene, I'll start with you. As you think about heading to Vietnam, how quickly are things moving, and what's on the horizon as you look past commencement?

Madelene Do:
Good question. So it's a lengthy process. I think that because there's a lot of parts to it, it seems like it's coming really fast. I leave in August, but it feels like I'm leaving in the next week with just how much I'm preparing and how much communication there is back and forth with the embassy and with my family. But it's a very exciting process, and I personally cannot wait. And so the sooner that it comes, the better for me.

Derek Smith:
So you're leaving in August, and how long will you be there?

Madelene Do:
I will be there for approximately 10 months.

Derek Smith:
Approximately 10 months. That's great. So you're heading there in August. Jacey, is that the same for you as you think about South Korea?

Jacey Jamison:
For me, I'll be headed to South Korea in January of 2025, and I'll be there for 11 months.

Derek Smith:
Be there for 11 months. So after you graduate in December, you'll turn around and head out there. Well, that's very exciting. Congratulations to both of you. Again, a part of a school record of 16 of your fellow Baylor students or recent grads have earned these very competitive and prestigious awards. And Andy, I think most people when they hear that Fulbright name, they know it's prestigious, they know it's meaningful, but maybe not a lot beyond that. So could you take us inside, what are Fulbright grants and why are they so meaningful?

Andy Hogue:
You're right, Derek, they are prestigious and they are highly competitive. Those things are true, but I think it's important to know just a little bit more about what these awards are, what they're designed to do. It is, as you have mentioned, it's the US government's flagship educational exchange program, so that's a big deal. This is sort of the best opportunity on offer through the US government to be involved in educational exchange. The chief aim of this, this is a program of the US State Department, so it's diplomatic in nature. So the chief aim is to improve the relationships between the US and about 140 other countries around the world. And it does this through educational exchange in a couple of ways. One is there's actually what's called the Fulbright Scholar Program that is designed for university professors to go and be involved in educational exchange, whether that's teaching or conducting research internationally.
And then there's the Fulbright US Student Program, which is what Madeleine and Jacey have won, and our winners 16 winners have been awarded, and that's a program that involves two models of educational exchange. So there's called the Study Research Award where students will go and be involved in either a research project with international collaborators in their host country or will be involved in study where they're enrolled in a graduate program, for example. Then there's also what's called the English Teaching Assistantship, which will involve the Fulbright grantees going to take part in an English instruction in a classroom as a teaching assistant to the full-time English instructor there. And so during their grants, the Fulbrighters will live and work with people in their host country. They'll share the daily kinds of experiences that by designer are there to lead to learning and exchange. And that's really the key term, the cultural exchange, the cultural diplomacy.
These are the key terms of Fulbright. It's designed to facilitate that kind of direct everyday kind of interaction in really highly individual ways so that in the classroom with the students that Madelene and Jacey will be involved with, they'll build relationships and interact in those individual ways, but it's also out in the broader communities where they'll live, even in the homes where they will visit and the sort of routine tasks, like buying groceries and getting your hair cut. It's designed to facilitate relationships so that there can be greater understanding between the United States and the host country. And that's just a sort of beautiful picture of what diplomacy can be. We think of it as something kind of state dinners and these sort of grand events. But diplomacy is relational. And if you think about it, this is a really big responsibility that our Fulbright winners are taking on to go represent the United States as these cultural diplomats.

Derek Smith:
Thank you, Andy. That paints a great picture of what Madelene and Jacey and the other winners are going to get to do. Fulbrighters, I like that term. Jacey and Madelene are Fulbrighters now. And Jacey, I want to start with you just by asking, as Andy just described that opportunity, it's formal in the classroom, it's informal in relationships, what are you most excited about embarking for you in January in South Korea on that exchange he just described?

Jacey Jamison:
Yes, what I'm looking forward to the most is seeing what the educational scene is like in another country. Right now I'm interning in a local elementary classroom here. And just to see how the differences between American schooling and South Korean schooling is something that I'm really looking forward to.

Derek Smith:
What about you, Madelene?

Madelene Do:
I think similar to Jacey, I am very interested in seeing how Vietnamese students go about their learning process. As a Vietnamese American myself in the American school system, I've learned things another way and I've approached things in a specific way in America. And I think it would be very interesting to see how Vietnamese students are able to respond and kind of compare and contrast ways that I can connect material together versus how they connect material together. And so I think it's just a great opportunity to get to know Vietnamese students and know the community more, but also share tips and tricks and strategies of how to learn effectively together.

Derek Smith:
It's very exciting. Well, we're looking ahead here, Madelene, and I'll start with you on this question. But I also want to look back just a little bit, because this is obviously something you both put a lot of work into to receive. Madelene, how long has the Fulbright been on your radar, and how long have you been working towards it?

Madelene Do:
I remember learning about the Fulbright because I had heard some upperclassmen being awarded either the ETA or the study awards, and I was really intrigued of the idea of getting to go abroad and really immerse yourself into a host country and their community. And so whenever I got the email about interest meetings, I immediately jumped on the opportunity because I thought that that was maybe something that I would want to do. My opportunities leading up to that interest meeting, being in a cultural organization and being on that leadership, but also taking up mentoring opportunities as well, I feel like the award was very much what I wanted to do in the future, in the near future. And so it had been on my mind probably six months to a year before that interest meeting. And so that opportunity and familiarizing myself with that opportunity right after that interest meeting, I knew that that was something that I really wanted to do and I really wanted to invest my time in to prepare carefully.

Derek Smith:
You had to invest your time to apply. How intensive of a process is that?

Madelene Do:
I think without the amazing help from Baylor University, it would've been a lot more intimidating, but Baylor University has so many resources and assistance in the process, so I never felt really scared or stressed about having to prepare the most perfect essay and the most perfect material, because Baylor stressed that it was more so being authentic and getting to show the true reason why you are applying for an award like this. And I think that really shows in the awardees and shows in how dedicated we are to that process. And so it is objectively, I think, really intensive, but when you have a support system like those in the Office of Engaged Learning, it makes things a whole lot easier.

Derek Smith:
Great. What about you, Jacey? What was that process leading up to the reception of the award like for you?

Jacey Jamison:
For me, I knew that I wanted to teach English in another country after I graduated. So whenever I found out about the Fulbright student program, I immediately got on finding out when I could apply and what the process looked like. And Baylor really did help a lot going through the essay writing process and even the interest meetings, deciding what country we were looking at applying to. It was a lot of help. And for me, the application process was not too nerve wracking because my writing advisor really helped me a lot throughout the way and I felt like the entire time I was supported, so I was kind of just patiently waiting to hear back.

Derek Smith:
Well, you heard back and you got good news. What was that like? What was your reaction when you got the news?

Jacey Jamison:
For me, I was in complete shock. Honestly, I cried three times that day because I was just so surprised. I knew that I put in my best effort into the application, but I just really was not sure if that was going to be enough. So whenever I got the email, I was just very thankful.

Derek Smith:
What about you, Madelene? What was it like when you got the news?

Madelene Do:
I found out a little later, I think about a week or so after my specific award was announced, and I remember that I was in class, and I just wanted to check my email before class started. And I get this email saying that I got the award. And I think for a moment I thought that it was a joke, but then I took a minute and I was like, "Oh, my goodness." And my roommate was also in the class with me and she was like, "You got it, didn't you?"
And so at that point I was like, "Yeah, I got it." And so I took a second. I definitely had to take some breathing, I did some breathing exercises. And my roommate was like, "You should go outside, call your family, call your loved ones. This is exciting news." And so I did that, came back, and went about class kind of dividing my attention to class, but also to just this wonderful news about the Fulbright. And it'll be something that I remember probably for the rest of my life, just like the joy, the surprise, and just the thought of all my hard work and all the revising and all of the meticulous process being all worth it in the end.

Andy Hogue:
It's so fun for me to hear that, because the notifications happen electronically, and we don't get to share the moment together with the students that have worked so hard. But I will tell you from our end, in the Office of Engaged Learning, we check the portal during the months of March and April, we checked that Fulbright portal no fewer than about 15 times a day just looking for updates about students. And it's not uncommon during the months of March and April to hear just a yelp down the hallway when we get good news for students or groan in agony for the students that maybe don't win that have been finalists. So it's always fun for us to think about how the news comes to you, even though you might be sitting in class waiting for class to start, or whatever the case may be, and we derive the same... Maybe not the same, but a pretty close level of joy that you get when you get the news.

Derek Smith:
That's great. It's those normal moments when you get the news like that. It's fun to imagine. Andy, I'm curious, they paint great picture of the way that Baylor helped them in the process. What should people know about Baylor's approach to helping students pursue awards? And not just the Fulbright, it's others as well, but to pursue these and what it means to the university to do so?

Andy Hogue:
Yeah, I like to say we offer full wraparound support and we do it from end to end. And when I say end to end, I actually mean from the time a student gets to Baylor, I mean, I think about Jacey as an elementary ed major. Jacey's been in classrooms since the day she came to Baylor, whether it's observing teachers or assisting teachers or practicing to be a teacher herself, she has been in classrooms. And that's unique about a student who's studying education at Baylor, and that makes for an incredible Fulbright application. And so there are things like that that just are sort of in the DNA of certain ones of our degree programs. I think about Madelene, and I think about the ways that she's been involved with the Vietnamese Student Association and involved in developing and cultivating cultural understanding on our campus.
These are things that are broadly on offer at Baylor. Baylor is a global university, and we have students who are studying abroad. We have students, many international students who are coming to Baylor. And there are a lot of ways where there's this sort of facilitation of cultural exchange that's sort of woven into the fabric of this institution. As it relates to the specific kinds of supports on offer for these award processes, we have just a stellar team of folks here in the Office of Engaged Learning who are doing that. Dr. Daniel Binyousky is our director of major fellowships and awards. Professor Anna Beaudry is the assistant director. And then in Fulbright, we like to call it a kind of campus-wide effort. We have faculty and staff truly from across the institution who offer support in some way to that process. We have five Fulbright program advisors.
It's Daniel and Anna, whom I mentioned, and I'm a third, as well as Dr. Jennifer Good and Dr. Trey Bode, who's new to Baylor, a new faculty member who was a Fulbright ETA winner himself not too long ago. And so it's neat to have his perspective involved in advising our students, but it's everything from just sort of a broad education about what various awards are. And I think Madelene mentioned one of the ways she learned about Fulbright was hearing about students ahead of her who had won it and thinking, "Oh, this is something that I could do." We say often in our office that winning begets winning. When students see that somebody one step out ahead of them has accomplished something like the Fulbright, it sort of creates a belief that, "Oh, that's something I could do too. Oh, that's something I want to do too." And so our office is in place to help guide that process.
Again, educating about what it is, providing the structural supports to say, "Here's what the process looks like." And for many of these awards like the Fulbright, it's an October submission date, but the process begins in February. It's a many-month process of education, of trying to select the right award to apply for, of working on the materials, including the many, many drafts of the essays. Fulbright, for example, is an application with short essays. And I always tell students, if these were long essays, if they gave you more space, it would be easy. But because it's so short, you've got so many things to say about, when I think of Jacey's case, all the teaching experience that she has to bring to the table. It's hard to fit that into a compact short essay.
And so it's a challenging process, and we have just wonderful supports in place, a team of writing consultants and graduate students who help with some of the drafting process. So it's a highly developed and refined process, and we've continued to improve it year over year. We are always tweaking that process, because we're realizing we have more and more students who want to do these things and are qualified to do these things. And so we're continuing to improve it so that we can help more students like Jacey and Madelene win these awards.

Derek Smith:
Well, the proof is in the results for sure, a top Fulbright producing institution, a school record 16 this year. This is Baylor Connections. We are visiting with Andy Hogue and Baylor Fulbright recipients, Jacey Jamison and Madelene Do. And Jacey and Madelene, as we head into the final few minutes of the program, we want to hear more now about what you're going to be doing while you're abroad and really how it fits into your future plans. And Madelene, I'll start with you. Take us inside a little bit further the work that you're going to get to do in Vietnam and how you hope... how it's going to set you up for what you want to do when your time in this phase of your life is done.

Madelene Do:
I will be teaching at a high school in a region in Vietnam called Lang Son. And I think it's an amazing opportunity to not only be able to hone in on my teaching schools, but also to promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation interaction with those who have experienced a different culture as me. And in that way, it will form, I think, lasting relationships between me and the students. And that is something that I'm so excited about. And how that translates into something that I want to do in the future is I want to enter the field of medicine, and I believe that in the field of medicine, your physician is a teacher.
They will be teaching you and educating you about symptoms, treatment plans, but also they will be a person that you want to form a relationship with and you want to trust. And I feel like fostering that trust comes from successfully being able to communicate with your patients in a way that both educates them and is also culturally sensitive. And so I'm truly excited to be able to hone in on those skills and find out my strengths and things that I can work on in Vietnam and form those lasting relationships with those students so that I can hopefully be able to translate those skills into my future career aspirations.

Derek Smith:
How special is it for you to get to do this in Vietnam?

Madelene Do:
Very special. I am a Vietnamese American, but I was born in the US and I have not been able to visit Vietnam. And so having this be the opportunity for me to visit and really foster an increased cultural understanding and appreciation in myself as well as in my students, it's really a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. And I am so grateful that this has happened for me. And it's something that I really encourage for others too who might be in my position to go out there, and if this is something that they want to explore the cultural side of themselves, but also learning more about a culture that they have only begun to learn in their childhood or in their life so far, I think this is an amazing opportunity.

Derek Smith:
As you picture yourself a few months from now, getting to meet people there and doing the work you're doing, what are you most excited about? And I don't know if nervous is the right word, but what are you most intrigued to experience that maybe is going to stretch you a little bit?

Madelene Do:
I think that with every learning and teaching opportunity will come obstacles, in that you're not going to be great at everything. And I think that for me, I view that as something that's really exciting, because whether you think you are skilled enough or knowledgeable enough to teach, I feel like you are always going to be learning from your students as well. And that is something that for me, going to a different country to come face to face with is intimidating, but it's also something that makes me excited. It makes me kind of eager to start this journey. And so I believe that that's really something that the central thing that I'm going to be facing in Vietnam, but it's also something that I'm really, really looking forward to.

Derek Smith:
That's great thoughts, Madelene. Thank you. And Jacey, I have some of the same questions for you. I'll start off with that last one. When you picture yourself in January of 2025, February and beyond, what are you most excited about, and what are you nervous or just excited to see what's going to stretch you when you're there in South Korea?

Jacey Jamison:
Something I'm excited about is learning the Korean language. With the South Korean teaching English Fulbright, they actually will put us through a six-week intensive language course before we do start teaching. So I'm looking forward to just learning the Korean language and seeing how that's going to help me as I continue to live in South Korea.

Derek Smith:
I know that's a big learning curve, but you've done a lot already to get to this point. And tell us a little bit, the same question I asked Madelene. Jacey, when you think about your career goals and aspirations, what are you going to be doing in South Korea, and how do those advance you towards your goals as you advance the aspirations of the Fulbright program?

Jacey Jamison:
Yes. So in South Korea, I'll be teaching English to elementary students, and it's going to look a lot different than how I am teaching in the United States right now because South Korean students start learning English from grade three through grade six. And so that's going to help me in my career, because I do plan to teach English in another country. And just seeing the value of learning a foreign language, how that's different in South Korea is something I'm looking forward to. And I think just doing cross-cultural work will really prepare me for my future. And something that I plan to do while I'm in South Korea is holding an after-school club where I'll be teaching English through American folk tales. And so some folk tales that I hope to include are ones such as Johnny Appleseed or John Henry. And that's something I would like to do, not only to help the students with their language acquisition, but also help them learn about American cultures and just create that connection.

Derek Smith:
Well, that's fascinating. That'll be fun. I know that ties into your scholarly interests here at Baylor. And Jacey, I'm also curious, South Korea for you, how did you land on South Korea?

Jacey Jamison:
Yes, so because I knew that I wanted to teach English before, I had always looked up best places for Americans to teach English, and South Korea was always one that came up because of how welcoming South Koreans are towards Americans. And then I also am really interested in Korean culture. I've heard the language growing up from my brother who had interests in K-pop, which is Korean pop music. So I've always just grown up hearing the language, and I'm really interested in learning the language as well. But then also the food. Where I grew up in Dallas, there's a lot of Korean restaurants , and that's just always been something that I enjoy.

Derek Smith:
Well, you get to enjoy. You'll get plenty of opportunities around you there for sure to enjoy that and take in that. That sounds like a lot of fun. Well, Andy, as we wind down on the program, I want to ask you, obviously two very impressive students here in Madelene and Jacey, what would you like the Baylor family to know in general about the members of our student body who are applying for and receiving these awards and what it means to you just to get to see the work they're doing?

Andy Hogue:
I mentioned earlier that the Fulbright program is the flagship program of the US government for educational exchange, and there's immense responsibility that comes with being awarded a Fulbright. These are people who will be on the front lines of American diplomacy and doing it in these highly relational ways with everyday people in these communities. And the reason I mention that is because it's a big risk. I mean, you heard both Madelene and Jacey talk about the things that they're excited about, the things that perhaps are going to stretch them and make them nervous. It's also the case there are scores of things that are going to stretch them and they don't know it yet. Right? There are things that they're going to encounter that will be challenging and difficult, and they'll be gone for the better part of a year and sometimes more for other applicants.
It's a big risk. And that's what's so impressive about our applicants. Baylor has prepared them, truly prepared them for worldwide leadership and service. And we see that we have more and more students who are willing to take this on as an adventure. And so we have in the upcoming cycle, which we've already launched for students who apply in the coming fall, we have over 120 students who have expressed, who have begun the process. Now, not all of them will end up applying, but that is far and away, far more than we have ever had before. And so we see students like Madelene and Jacey, the 16 winners this year, the 34 finalists we had this year. These are students who are blazing a trail for students coming behind them to see opportunities like the Fulbright as opportunities to use their education for the good of the world.

Derek Smith:
Well, that's wonderful. Andy, thank you very much for sharing with us and the work you do. And Madelene and Jacey, thank you so much for jumping on the program and taking us inside this world. And I know anyone listening, we all wish you all the best of luck. Hope it's an adventure for you both during your time as Fulbrighters. And I know it's going to pay some real dividends, not just for you all, but for the students and the people you serve while you're there. So thank you so much. Congratulations again, and thanks for taking the time to share with us today.

Jacey Jamison:
Thank you.

Andy Hogue:
Thanks, Derek.

Derek Smith:
Glad to have you all with us, for sure. Andy Hogue, Madelene Do, and Jacey Jamison, our guest today on Baylor Connections. I'm Derek Smith. Reminder, you can hear this and other programs online at baylor.edu/connections, and you can subscribe to the program on iTunes. Thanks for joining us on Baylor Connections.