This year, we would like to celebrate our three successful Fulbright Scholarship winners at Ball State University in the Department of English! The Fulbright Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and was designed to aid in the mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and citizens of other countries, to promote world peace through education and understanding. Fulbright winners go abroad for 10-12 months for fully-funded experiences.

 

Roman Hughes

Roman just graduated with an M.A. in English studies, and he will be teaching college-level English in Poland! He previously completed a bachelor’s degree at Ball State in English with a concentration in creative writing in 2024 and has taken every opportunity to grow as a teacher throughout both degrees, including teaching first-year English courses for the Department of English for the past few semesters.

Roman visited Poland very briefly in high school and is thrilled to return. “Poland is a country with such rich history and culture, so I can’t wait to explore what each unique region has to offer,” he said. “I am particularly excited to see all of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Poland, including Malbork Castle, which is the largest castle in the world.”

This reward is especially gratifying for Roman, as he previously applied for a Fulbright ETA and made it to the semifinalist stage but was not selected. He explained, “To receive the Fulbright award is such an honor and truly years in the making. It’s a reassurance that all the hard things were worth it and that people who don’t even know me see my potential, which feels amazing.”

After the Fulbright, Roman intends to pursue a PhD and then a career in academia.

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Jack Tagle

Jack graduated in May with a major in English, and he will be teaching English in Thailand! In addition to teaching, Jack also hopes to contribute to afterschool activities and intern at an educational facility.

“I am most excited about the everyday, transformative moments in the classroom as learners and I grow together–experiencing sparks of realization and recognizing connections across our seemingly different lives,” said Jack. “As teaching is a collaborative space, I look forward to learning directly from the various perspectives of my students. The most exciting opportunity I look forward to as a teacher, however, is watching my learners grow–having those ‘ah-hah!’ moments and seeing a world beyond their own.”

This award has meant a lot to Jack. He explained, “Becoming a Fulbright finalist has been a miracle, and to me, a miracle is another name for hard effort. This award is a testament to the faith my communities instilled in me as a future educator who empowers others navigating multicultural spaces.”

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Em Allen

Em is an Honors College graduate with a major in English and concentration in literature. She also minored in economics and women and gender studies. Em was selected as a recipient of a Fulbright to pursue a master’s degree in English literature at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. While there, she plans on comparing the expression of experiences during the Troubles in Irish Sign Language (ISL), British Sign Language (BSL), and literary works. She is interested in how storytelling can circumvent surveillance and describe trauma.

Em said, “I am most excited about the opportunity to work with the faculty and with the Deaf community in Northern Ireland. I am excited to improve my own Irish and British sign language skills through immersion!”

Speaking about what this award means to her, Em continued, “This award has shown me the value of staying determined and continuing to be passionate about literature! The application process has also shown me that new and innovative approaches to literature and language are still extremely important in academia.”

After the Fulbright, Em intends to pursue a PhD and then a career as a professor of literature.