Recent graduate Abigail Jarrett, C’25, is the recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award. Jarrett will travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina this October and spend nine months living and teaching there as a Fulbright awardee.
“I’m thrilled to have received the Fulbright ETA in Bosnia and Herzegovina! I will be immersed in a culture, language, and people that I love while exploring a rewarding new career path. It will be an adventure,” shared Jarrett, who received the good news earlier this month.
Jarrett, an English major with minors in philosophy and communication, was introduced to the culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina after befriending Bosnian coworkers at a summer job at the Utz Factory in her hometown of Hanover, Pennsylvania. During a semester in Dublin, she visited the small, southeastern European nation and fell in love.
As a senior, Jarrett worked with the Office of Competitive Fellowships and her professors to navigate the intensive application process for the prestigious Fulbright fellowship.
“The Mount faculty, especially Professor of Spanish Literature and Culture and Director of the Office of Competitive Fellowships Christine Blackshaw, Ph.D., and Associate Professor of Education Michelle Ohanian, Ph.D., have been my cheerleaders throughout the Fulbright process and the last four years,” she noted. “Without my professors, I would never have had the courage or skill to even apply for a Fulbright.”
Jarrett stated that she is most excited to live on her own in a new country, to explore and make memories, in addition to improving her Bosnian language skills.
“It will be frightening at times, but never dull. I’m prepared to take it all in stride, and by the end of the year, I’ll take home some truly memorable experiences and a boatload of confidence.”
Students interested in learning more about the Office of Competitive Fellowships can visit the program’s webpage.