Eight Saints applied for Fulbright scholarships this year, the highest single year submission for Siena, ever. The process to apply for the prestigious grant takes between five and six months. Each Saint had their own motivation. For Corinna Hofler '23, it all began with a deep dive into her ancestry.
Gange Hrolfr 'Rollo' Ragnvaldsson, who was either Danish or Norwegian, was a 9th century Nordic Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, today a region in northern France. The offspring of Rollo became known as the "Normans," and their descendants came to power throughout Europe. Corinna traced own heritage back through the centuries... all the way back to Rollo.
"I never had a chance to really engage with my culture, as my mother is far removed from her Scandinavian heritage. The Norwegian way of life – particularly their ideas of "kos" (which translates to 'make yourself coz') – aligns well with my own worldly outlook, and I hope to strengthen my bonds with my ancestors and learn more about my Norwegian culture through Fulbright."
Corinna has applied for an English teaching assistant grant in Norway. She currently works in Siena's Writing Center and helps students expand and strengthen their relationship with the English language.
"I love helping others develop their writing, and I am eager to bring my Siena learning experience into my classroom in Norway. After Fulbright, I plan on attending graduate school to receive my master's and Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition. My goal is to instruct university students on lesser-taught topics such as creative prose, using inspiration from my undergraduate minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies."
The other Saints who recently 'Hit Submit' on their Fulbright applications:
Emma Willette '23, study/research grant for a master's degree in Northern Ireland
Jillian Fiddler '23, ETA grant to Norway
Klaudia Poplawski '23, ETA grant to Poland
Nathan Simons '22, ETA grant to Bahrain
Nick Rizzi '23, ETA grant to Croatia
Sam Hearn '23, ETA grant to Bulgaria
Valentina Doren '22, ETA grant to Georgia
The applicants for these highly competitive grants will find out in late January whether or not they've reached the semifinal round. Award winners will be notified in March and April.
