Joanna Walton, a senior secondary education and German major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has earned a Fulbright award to teach English in Germany.

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Walton graduated from Papillion-La Vista High School. A member of the University Honors Program, she will graduate May 14. Her Honors thesis focuses on increasing motivation in foreign language classrooms. She is also a student teacher with the German program at Lincoln Southeast High School.

During a previous study abroad experience in Germany, Walton organized a trip for her friends to visit a rural German town, where they learned from locals and visited sites that tourists rarely encounter.

Upon her return to the United States, Walton plans to attend graduate school and become certified in Teaching English as a Second Language so she can work in American and German schools. She also hopes to play a role in creating new U.S.-German cultural exchanges.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to forge lasting connections between Americans and citizens of other countries; counter misunderstandings; and help people and nations work together toward common goals. Since its establishment in 1946, the program has provided more than 400,000 participants from more than 160 countries the opportunity to study; teach and conduct research; exchange ideas; and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

At Nebraska, the Office of National and International Fellowships advises and nominates undergraduate candidates for 30 supported scholarships and fellowships. To learn more, students and campus community members may contact Courtney Santos, director of national and international fellowships, at courtney.santos@unl.edu.