Two Ford School BA ‘21 graduates will be going to Europe this year, serving as English Teaching Assistants (ETA), thanks to the Fulbright Scholarship Program. Molly Kalb will be working in primary or secondary schools in Cyprus, while Magdalena Mihaylova will be at the Universidad de la Laguna, the oldest university in Spain’s Canary Islands.
“Part of what drew me to applying directly to Cyprus is my interest in exploring the effects the long-standing political and cultural divisions of the island have had on schools and on young students in particular. The different ethnic groups that co-exist on the island alongside the extraordinarily high number of refugees have created one of the most interesting countries in the world,” says Kalb.
She attended many schools during her childhood, including in Seoul, and had many great teachers and mentors. “I am looking forward to working with students learning how to navigate cultural and ethnic differences in their own communities.”
As a first-generation U.S. citizen, Mihaylova is interested in positive cultural exchange. Her majors were international relations and media, and she was at the Michigan Daily, so she was hoping for something in community journalism. As an ETA, she will be assisting in English and Spanish with political science classes, as well as working at the campus radio station.
“I had a great experience working in Mexico, and loved the cultural immersion,” she says. “Teaching, editing, writing, hosting conversation tables -- it’s all relevant for what I want to do.”
For Kalb, she feels her work in Cyprus will be useful when she pursues law school and a masters in international law, to be able to work on understanding and breaking down political barriers facing refugees.
“I found out the day I was taking my graduation picture at the Big House. So I looked really happy in those pictures! Then I found out that it was in the Canaries and that was an entirely new celebration. It’s super exciting,” Mihaylova reports. “I have big thanks for the Ford School for encouraging that interest in international affairs. I am very confident going into a university space, and actually helping to teach policy!”