O'Hanlon earns Fulbright to Bulgaria

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O’Hanlon earns Fulbright to Bulgaria

Rachel O'Hanlon
Greg Nathan | University Communications
Rachel O'Hanlon

UNL psychology major and Japanese and sociology double minor Rachel O’Hanlon, a graduate of Lincoln East High School, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Bulgaria for the 2014-15 academic year.

O’Hanlon has been awarded an English Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Bulgaria. In addition to her teaching, O’Hanlon said she hopes to share American culture with her Bulgarian students and learn about Bulgarian culture in return. O’Hanlon has not yet been abroad and said she chose Bulgaria because it is the crossroads of Europe. She said the diversity found in Bulgaria reflects her personal values of honoring diversity, individuality and education.

“Rachel will serve as an excellent cultural ambassador as a Fulbright scholar,” said Sarah Gervais, UNL assistant professor of psychology. “She has demonstrated a keen intellectual curiosity and respect in all of her academic encounters, and she will no doubt carry this over to her studies in Bulgaria.”

Outside of her teaching duties, O’Hanlon said she plans to start a community garden so that she can learn more about Bulgarian agriculture. She said she is excited to work with students to make a living cultural project. O’Hanlon will film her community garden project and showcase Bulgarian culture when she returns to the United States.

O’Hanlon said she will use the experience as training for a future in teaching English Language Learning high school students or working as a mentor for exchange students at a university. She will achieve an ELL certificate after her year in Bulgaria.

O’Hanlon’s is the fifth Fulbright announced to UNL students this spring. Others include:

The Fulbright Program, established in 1946 and funded by the U.S. Department of State, is designed to foster understanding between the United States and other countries. The U.S. Student Fulbright program gives recent graduates, graduate students and young professionals the opportunity to conduct research, study, or teach in one of the 155 designated countries. About 8,000 grants are awarded annually, and about 1,600 of those grants are awarded to U.S. students.

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