2019-20 Fulbright: Allison Black

A freshman-year goal refined through a summer internship has helped the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Allison Black earn a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant position to teach in Slovakia.

“Receiving a Fulbright grant is a dream come true,” Black said. “I’ve had aspirations to apply for and receive a Fulbright award because I felt it is an outstanding accomplishment.”

A Lincoln East graduate and member of the University Honors Program, Black is pursuing majors in economics, political science and sociology, with minors in English and mathematics. Her interest in global culture has driven extracurricular involvement with the university’s Intercultural Leadership Certificate Program and volunteering as an English tutor for refugee high school students. Black also served as a global ambassador for the Argentina Friends of Fulbright, assisting 23 students from the South American nation.

During summer 2018, Black served as an intern in the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in Washington, D.C., assisting federal authorities with issues related to the Slovak government. She was further drawn to the region after noticing a shortage of American bureaucrats with knowledge of the language, culture and politics of Eastern Europe.

“I felt driven to learn about Slovak language and culture,” Black said. “My goal is to employ newfound knowledge and skills in a career as a public servant to better serve and build more effective international connections between the United States and Eastern European countries.”

As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, Black hopes to build relationships with Slovakian students, teachers and community members. She also hopes to build upon her experiences with refugees and policy work, volunteering with a Slovak nongovernmental office to provide pro-bono work with Roma refugees.

The experience will also assist Black as she plans to attend law school and pursue a dual-degree focused on international criminal law and security studies. Ultimately, she hopes to build on her international experiences and seek a career in international law enforcement.

Established in 1946 and funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright program is designed to foster understanding between the United States and other countries. The U.S. program provides recent graduates, graduate students and young professionals the opportunity to conduct research, study or teach in one of 160 countries. Students such as Black are awarded a Fulbright based on academics or professional achievement, and demonstrated leadership potential.

Black is one of six Huskers to receive Fulbright awards this year.