Fulbright Application: A Bridge Between Who You Are and Who You Could Be
Ever since I first visited the United States in 2018 on a different State Department Exchange Program, I fell in love with the country. I fell in love with the freedom that it encompasses — the freedom to be who you are and the unwavering ability to express yourself. I was touched by the eagerness of Americans to help me — in shops, on the streets, in the subway…even if they did not know me, and I found myself wanting to learn from the U.S. model and wanting to take these feelings of acceptance, freedom, and safety with me back home. My appreciation for the United States intensified during the five weeks that I spent in the country during the summer of 2018 as one of five Lebanese students selected to be part of the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Religious Pluralism.
During my undergraduate degree in Lebanon, I gradually fell in love with the field of Conflict Analysis and Resolution and knew, wholeheartedly, that this was what I wanted to pursue my M.A. in. Unfortunately, this field is not offered at universities in Lebanon but this is where Fulbright came in. I realized that Fulbright would be an amazing opportunity to pursue my passion, but also to learn more from the U.S. expertise particularly regarding this new and growing field, and to implement my knowledge once I return home.
Of course, I knew how competitive Fulbright was, and truth be told, I was nervous about applying because of how selective it is. Even as I filled out the application, even as I received an email for the interview after a few months, and even as I did my TOEFL and GRE and selected my four universities, I kept telling my mom that if it does not work out, I will re-apply the subsequent year. This was not a lack of confidence on my part; it rather stemmed from my knowledge that many qualified individuals had applied for the prestigious scholarship and only a selected few would receive it. I also knew people who applied multiple times.
Writing the application took time; I remember I did it in multiple sittings. The best tips I can give prospective applicants are to open it as early as possible and to gradually work on filling it out. Give time for your essays; write them, leave them for a few days, and come back to edit them. Make sure that you represent yourself properly, that you tell the person who will be reading them who you are, what you have done, why you believe you are suited for the scholarship, what you hope to achieve through it and through the new knowledge that it will provide you, and how you can contribute to strengthening the ties between your home country and the United States. Do not forget that you are an ambassador of your country here in the States. Be careful of the word limits and be sure to tell your story; we all have a story to tell. Most importantly, reread the essays multiple times and make sure that they look professional.
When seeking out recommendations from your professors or your employers, make sure to ask them before you send a request to them through the system. The way I see it is that a system-generated email is like an unexpected phone call. Imagine you were in their shoes and one day you got a phone call asking you about your employee or student; you would be confused at first why that person is calling you. This is why you should email them or meet with them beforehand and tell them that you are applying for Fulbright and that you would like them to be one of your recommenders, if possible. Make sure to mention that the email will be sent from the application system so that they know what to look for. Also, give them ample time before the deadline; remember that they have jobs, meetings, and other students who need recommendations, among other things.
If you make it to the interview stage, congratulations! If not, then be persistent; U.S. exchange programs take persistence and perseverance. You might not receive a certain grant the first time, but you might receive it on your second or third try. Consider not being shortlisted as an incentive to work harder and to learn more. It does not mean that you are not good enough; it simply means that there is a limited number of scholarships and that other applicants might be more experienced than you are, BUT next year YOU might be the one who is more experienced than others!
Once you do get to the interview stage, as cliché as it sounds: be yourself. Let your passion come to the surface. People can tell when you are being genuine; explain to your interviewers why you are enamored with the work that you do and your desired field of study. Make sure to capitalize on your personal advantages and to stress the ways in which you can be an ambassador of your country in the United States.
For me, it has now been close to four months since I came to the United States as a Fulbrighter. I am currently finishing up my first semester in Greensboro, North Carolina, attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. My time here so far has flown by so quickly; it has been utterly surreal and magical. I love the nature and serenity that I have found in Greensboro, particularly at Lake Brandt. I treasure the international friendships that I have made and the people whom I have met so far through extracurricular activities and volunteering. Leaving your home country is not easy; you feel that you have left a part of yourself behind, but knowing that you will come back after your journey, and knowing that you will be academically, personally, and professionally stronger once you do come back, makes it worthwhile.
Last but not least, the people that you will meet also make all the difference. I am talking about the people who are excited to welcome you to the United States and to help you, the people who will be telling you that they feel honored to meet you and to be in your presence, that they appreciate you and your work, and that bring you Thanksgiving food because even though they cannot invite you to their homes amidst a pandemic, they still want you to experience some aspects of an American holiday.
Fulbright is a chance to grow academically, personally, and professionally, and to spread more good around me. It is an opportunity to represent my country and to help reinforce ties between the United States and Lebanon. It is also about self-empowerment and being able to empower others around me. It takes courage to embark on a Fulbright journey, and even more courage to do so in the middle of a pandemic, but it is one of these journeys that keep on giving; the more that you give to your American community, the more that you reap in terms of growth, knowledge, and happiness. The experience will sometimes put you at the edge of your comfort; however, this is where and when growth happens. The best way that I can describe Fulbright is that it is the bridge between the person that you are now and the person that you could become. Indeed, Fulbright is more than a program; it is an identity that you learn to embrace, to honor, and to treasure; an identity that makes you want to work harder, to do more, and to be more, in order to live up to its purpose and to keep its legacy alive.
Christelle is a Fulbrighter from Lebanon. She is studying Conflict Resolution at UNC-Greensboro.
