Student Involvement Connects to Fulbright Grant Success for Recent Graduate

Courtesy of Stephanie Galen

Stephanie Galen will spend the 2018-19 academic year teaching English in Bulgaria as a Fulbright Grant recipient.

Stephanie Galen didn't travel far to enroll at the University of Arkansas, but her decision to become a Razorback is taking her around the world.

Galen, B.A.'18 and a Bentonville native, chose the University of Arkansas because of the Honors College's commitment to helping students study abroad. During her time at the U of A, she received scholarships to study in both France and Japan. An economics major and French minor, Galen also interned at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Then, she learned about the Fulbright Grant program and its mission of diplomacy through education.

Even with a strong academic and study abroad background, Galen knew that she needed more when she decided to apply for a Fulbright grant, which has about a 20 percent acceptance rate. "Campus involvement and student leadership opportunities immeasurably prepared me to submit a strong application for a Fulbright grant," Galen said.

Galen was involved with Associated Student Government throughout her college career. She was selected for the Freshman Leadership Forum her first year, then served in the ASG Executive Cabinet, most recently as chair of the Safe Ride Program. She also served as a student advocate with the Razorback Action Group within ASG, advocating for student concerns at the local, state and national level. Her campus involvement extended beyond ASG to the Volunteer Action Center Literacy Program and University Symphony Orchestra as well.

With all of her academic and co-curricular experiences at the University of Arkansas in mind, Galen began the lengthy Fulbright Grant application process. She wrote essays, gathered letters of recommendation, sat through faculty interviews, and ultimately landed a Skype interview with the Bulgarian Fulbright Commission in February. In April she received the good news that she was awarded a Fulbright Grant for the 2018-19 academic year.

Galen will spend her Fulbright year in Silistra, Bulgaria, on the Danube near the Romanian border. She will teach English as a Second Language and coach an English debate team at Atanas Burov Secondary Vocational School of Economics, Administration and Service. As she prepares to leave Northwest Arkansas for longer than ever before, she reflected on her campus involvement experience.

"My entire college career was a balancing act and at times I was overwhelmed by coursework, but it was absolutely worth it in the end (and along the way)," Galen said. "Not only did getting involved on campus teach me valuable time management skills, it added value to my degree. Activities like ASG allowed me to develop my leadership skills in a way that I never would have experienced if I have exclusively taken classes."

Associated Student Government is a program in the Division of Student Affairs. 

About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports students in pursuing knowledge, earning a degree, finding meaningful careers, exploring diversity, and connecting with the global community. We provide students housing, dining, health care resources, and create innovative programs that educate and inspire. We enhance the University of Arkansas experience and help students succeed, one student at a time.