JACKSON, Tenn. — April 24, 2018 — At first, Janey Berends wasn鈥檛 going to apply for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program award.
鈥淭hat sounds too hard,鈥� she thought to herself. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to mess with it.鈥�
But then some friends and faculty members encouraged her to give it a shot. She filled out the lengthy application, answered the necessary questions and hoped for the best.
Then she got the good news. Berends, a 51社区 senior who will graduate next month, became the first Union undergraduate student ever to receive the prestigious Fulbright award. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, record of service and leadership potential in their fields.
As a recipient of an English Teaching Assistant award, she will spend a year in Peru helping students learn to speak English. The award will cover all her travel and living costs.
鈥淭here will be a head teacher there, but I鈥檒l be there to assist and do whatever they want and help the students practice English conversation with a native English speaker,鈥� she said.
A native of Hudsonville, Michigan, Berends is majoring in Spanish and applied linguistics. She鈥檚 waiting to find out if her time in Peru will start in August or in March.
Scott Huelin, director of Union鈥檚 Honors Community, said that Berends has broad horizons. While many of her peers were contemplating whether they would return home or stay in Jackson after graduation, Berends decided to try to see the world.
鈥淛aney鈥檚 willingness to take on the challenge of living and working in a foreign culture for a year is most impressive,鈥� Huelin said. 鈥淭he opportunity to live and work in Peru will give her the chance to learn and grow in a way that few first-job-out-of-college experiences will.鈥�
Berends said she鈥檚 not entirely sure what she wants to do after her time in Peru, but she鈥檚 hoping the experience will provide some clarity about her future. Whether it鈥檚 teaching, social work or administration, she鈥檚 passionate about education and expects to be involved in the field in some way. She thinks that intercultural competency will only help make her more effective in whatever role she chooses.
鈥淚鈥檝e been very thankful for the amount of support I鈥檝e gotten from the faculty here,鈥� Berends said. 鈥淚 got a lot of encouraging words. I still can hardly believe it.鈥�
The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation by the United States Congress to the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Two Union faculty members have previously received Fulbright awards 鈥� David Austill, professor of accounting and business law, and Jean Marie Walls, professor of language. A graduate student, Kathy Tucker, in Union鈥檚 Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies program, also won a Fulbright and spent time in Bolivia creating workshops for teachers.
Fulbright awards are highly competitive and very prestigious, Huelin said, noting that Berends鈥� achievement reflects not only on her but also opens the door for other Union students in the future.
鈥淗istorically, once a college or university has its first winner of a prestigious national fellowship, that makes it easier for subsequent applicants,鈥� he said. 鈥淯nion is no longer an unknown entity in these national competitions thanks to Janey鈥檚 success.鈥�