UCF Named Top Producer for Fulbright Students for Second Year

Eleven UCF alums have earned Fulbright awards — marking the second highest number of recipients in university history. UCF has been recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a Fulbright Top Producer twice in the last four years. UCF is also a Fulbright leader among Hispanic-Serving Institutions for the fourth year in a row.

The Fulbright Program encourages cross-cultural dialogue and global exchange through opportunities to conduct research, pursue graduate study, or teach English in more than 140 different countries worldwide. Students can truly immerse themselves in new environments and cultures through direct interactions and continual experiences within the community.

Here are some stories of the Knights, including three Burnett Honors Scholars,  who have earned a place in the U.S. government’s most prestigious academic exchange program.

Christina Bertrand ’23

Degree at UCF: Psychology

Fulbright destination: Brazil

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goals: Further education in cultural psychology

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Do not be afraid to ask for support and assistance. Be sure to utilize resources at UCF, such as the Office of Prestigious Awards, as well as outside the university. Don’t procrastinate! Be sure to start your application early, as you will need time to revise it.

“Here in the U.S., I currently teach international students under the F-1 visa who come to learn English for educational, professional and/or personal endeavors. Although teaching was not the path I thought I was going down right after graduating, discovering what it means to be a teacher [is something] I am continually learning day by day. I learn from and for my students more than they do me, and I am thrilled to bring this discernment to Brazil in 2025.”

“I am excited to have the privilege of being an ambassador for the United States, sharing the American culture from my multi-cultural perspective of being Haitian American, and being receptive and relating to the multicultural realities of the Brazilian people. I look forward to connecting with students and providing them with insight from my country that is well known in the media, but is different from a mundane native perspective, like my own.”

Olivia Bitcon ’24

Degree at UCF: Physics (astronomy), Burnett Honors Scholar

Fulbright destination: Germany

Fulbright role: Open study/research award

Career goals: Post-doctoral or faculty position at a research university

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Start early! When applying for something so competitive, it’s easy to think you might be wasting your efforts, which only amplifies when classes start and you have competing priorities.

“The research that I’m interested in involves the use of data from various astronomical objects, specifically pulsars, and different pulsars can be seen from different parts of the globe. For the best results, we need as many of these pulsars as we can get, which calls for international cooperation. That’s what inspired me to apply for Fulbright in the first place. I chose Germany because I am interested in the history and culture, and I found a professor in my sub-field who [is] willing to work with me.”

“My Fulbright grant will place me at the University of Münster. Though Münster is a relatively large city in Germany, approximately one-fifth of its inhabitants are students. Each day, I will be working — and perhaps more importantly, living — with predominantly German students. The time I spend with fellow students inside and outside the academic setting would be my primary means of acting as a cultural ambassador. As someone who has never left the U.S., I have a sincere interest in sharing my culture and values, as well as experiencing new cultures and environments through interactions with others.”

Irene Corona ’23

Degree at UCF: Health services administration

Fulbright destination: Mexico

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goals: Diagnostic medical sonography

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Don’t be intimidated by the prestige of the Fulbright award; believe in yourself and make use of the resources available to you. Be patient during the Fulbright application process as it takes time.

“Growing up in a bilingual household and a bicultural community, my identity is highly influenced by both Mexican and American traditions and values. I also recognize the misunderstandings that occur between Americans and Mexicans related to differences in language and culture. Through teaching English and sharing my unique experience as an American, I look forward to bridging gaps between the two countries, recognizing our similarities and embracing our differences.”

“Outside the classroom, I look forward to engaging students and other community members by starting and leading a film club dedicated to showcasing films that depict [the] first-generation and Mexican American experience. The films will be thought-provoking and expose students and the community to English from different settings. After each film, I plan to engage students and community members in conversations by asking about their opinions on the movie and what they would have done differently as a character or a producer of the film.”

Taylor Haycock ’24

Degree at UCF: Political science, Burnett Honors Scholar

Fulbright destination: Germany

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goals: Foreign service officer

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: The Fulbright application requires a good amount of self-reflection. Be patient with yourself and give yourself plenty of time to get through the writer’s block that many Fulbright applicants experience in drafting their essays. Your hard work on the application could pay off and grant you a Fulbright experience. Never forget that!

“I lived in Germany for four years as a military kid before moving to Florida. Then in my junior year of college, I studied abroad in Hamburg, Germany, for seven months. As a kid, I loved my experience and when I returned as a student, that love was cemented. The landscape, the language and — most of all — the people enticed me to look for ways to return to the country post-grad. I first taught English as a foreign language during my sophomore semester at UCF, and after an exciting adventure into my own language, I wanted to continue teaching it. The Fulbright ETA Grant was the intersection of these interests. I could live and work in Germany doing something that I love, while simultaneously furthering my own study of the German language.”

“I am most looking forward to meeting new people! From my fellow Fulbrighters to my future roommates to the students I will be teaching, there are so many opportunities to engage with both like-minded people and those with a completely different worldview. There is so much to learn, and I like to think people are the best teachers!”

Channah Lohman ’23

Degree at UCF: Anthropology

Fulbright destination: South Korea

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goals: English instructor/art exhibitionist

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Give yourself plenty of time to work on your application and essays. When you write your Fulbright essay, make sure it doesn’t sound like a resume or every other Fulbright essay about topics like cultural immersion or a love for the world. Use personal experiences and developmental writing strategies to build a profile of yourself.

“With a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a minor in communications, I have focused my trajectory on cultural education. In 2016 I traveled to Japan in partnership with Kansai University’s English-Speaking Society as a conversation partner. For two weeks, I integrated with a team of Americans to host Japanese students on English learning activities while learning to love the cleanliness, modesty and dietary standards of our hosts. Korean language and culture, however, remained my passion. In 2022 I received the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) for a two-month intensive language program in South Korea. There, I connected in person with the Korean culture, language and classroom. I also gained a student’s perspective on language learning as my Korean level rose.”

“I thought the Fulbright would not only let me continue the path begun with CLS, but would also open doors to opportunities for working in Korea. I believe the Fulbright is the best way for me to get the experience necessary to be truly proficient in both the [Korean]culture and language. I also know I love teaching and feel comfortable with the flow of Korean life as I experienced it.”

Cristina Maldonado ’24

Degree at UCF: Early childhood development and education

Fulbright destination: South Korea

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goal: ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) director

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Be genuine in your interest and story of why you are applying to the Fulbright program.

“When I studied at UCF, I had never heard of Fulbright. It wasn’t until I took Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Issues in Second Language Acquisition with Dr. Christina Torres, assistant professor of Modern Languages and Literatures at UCF, that I heard about the program. She inspired me to look into it and teach beyond Florida. I know I have an interest in learning about other people and their cultures, so I thought why not learn about other cultures and teach at the same time? Had it not been for Dr. Torres, I would have never considered leaving the United States.”

“​​I most look forward to my personal growth as I experience a culture vastly different from mine. I was born and raised in South Florida and grew up in a Mexican-Honduran household. I am fluent in Spanish and English but know no Korean. Being immersed in an entirely new culture will be a welcomed challenge.”

Mär Martinez ’20

Degree at UCF: Studio art and art history

Fulbright destination: Turkey

Fulbright role: Open study/research

Career goal: Full-time artist and researcher

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Find and stay in frequent contact with a trusted mentor who understands part of your journey and can help you build the most successful application.

“Through the Fulbright Open Research Award, I aim to study Turkish rugs in person and create a series of life-size sculptural paintings that respond to the process and visual endurance of the art of carpet weaving, while researching the extensive textile archive at the Sadberk Hanım Museum in Istanbul. When visiting the university, I will learn contemporary carpet design as well as technical weaving so I can create paintings inspired by the weaving process.”

“I’m beyond excited to have this opportunity to spend nine months in Turkey because of the Fulbright Research in the Arts Award. I have traveled all around the U.S. on residencies, but I’m excited to spend this extended time abroad to work on my craft. I was originally drawn to the weaving process because my family brought heirloom hand-woven Turkish rugs with them when fleeing Syria. I view the physical act of weaving thread endlessly upon itself as a metaphor for cultural resilience protected by withstanding visual vocabulary about the post-immigration experience. I am excited to learn more about the weaving process and its rich history and create a body of paintings based on my research.”

Parker Smith ’21

Degree at UCF: English – creative writing

Fulbright destination: South Korea

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goal: International college professor

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: In your essays, describe how you’ve been involved in bettering your community as this can help depict your skills as an aspiring cultural ambassador. Additionally, don’t be scared to discuss your interests in your essays as they will help you stand out.

“In my childhood years, I experienced a constant back and forth between the borders of the United States as my family relocated nearly every two years to the various extremes of the country. Now, I am venturing through the world as an English teaching assistant. This process of the symbolic changing of the lens was not necessary for my parents’ careers growing up, but rather was due to my family’s desire for new experiences. Cultural curiosity remains a quality my parents instilled in me, and this very attribute propelled my interest in cultures abroad.”

Parker looks forward to using art as a medium for cultural exchange during his time in South Korea. To learn more about Korean culture, he plans to venture to local exhibits and art displays, studying Korea’s unique art forms. Inside the classroom, he plans to hold creative writing sessions using the influence of American photography and film. He describes this as the classroom cultivation of a “culture-inspired portfolio.”

Anna Tam ’23

Degree at UCF: Psychology

Fulbright destination: Taiwan

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goal: School psychologist

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Be very specific in your application and be sure to use the resources available to you through UCF and the Office of Prestigious Awards in strengthening your application and essays.

“I first learned about the Fulbright program during my third year at UCF. Growing up in an Asian-American household, I’ve always had a deep interest in cultural exchange and language acquisition. This eventually led me to pursue my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. Although I never imagined myself as a teacher, I realized that I had been assisting my mom in navigating the English language my whole life. After graduating, I began teaching English to adult Portuguese and Spanish speakers at a local language school in Orlando. What I found most fulfilling was making conversation and explaining English pronunciation rules.”

“Upon completing a Fulbright grant, I aim to transition from working with children through the English Teaching Assistantship to a career as a school psychologist. As the need for psychological services rises, the demand for school psychologists increases, especially in providing mental health services in educational settings. Teaching abroad during my Fulbright experience [will] equip me with essential skills for providing culturally responsive services to students and families from diverse backgrounds.”

Lora Tuzzolino ’24MA

Degree at UCF: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Fulbright destination: South Korea

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goal: Language professor

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Don’t be discouraged by the difficulty of the application process. If something makes you uncomfortable, that is even more reason to do it. With the resources available to you through UCF and the Office of Prestigious Awards, you have plenty of people who can help you on your way to creating a strong application.

“Fulbright is such an amazing opportunity to challenge my teaching abilities and learn more about South Korea. I come from a family of educators and would like to share my knowledge and experience across cultures. Another reason for applying was my interest in learning the Korean language. I have been interested in learning for many years now and have picked up some from various pop culture avenues, but have not been able to use the language. Moving to South Korea will provide me with the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the language and learn the nuances of Korean culture.”

“I have not even started the program yet, but there is such a strong system of support between Fulbrighters. I am already in contact with [more than] 30 other awardees for South Korea. I am super excited to meet all of them in person and grow with them. Other than that, I am just generally excited to start a new chapter of my life while learning and absorbing as much as possible.”

Isabeau Tyndall ’24

Degree at UCF: Biology — pre-med, Burnett Honors Scholar

Fulbright destination: Germany

Fulbright role: English teaching assistant

Career goal: Physician

Advice to aspiring Fulbrighters: Give yourself plenty of time for drafting your essays. Use resources from the Fulbright website and stay in regular contact with the Office of Prestigious Awards to make [your essays] stronger. Revise, revise, revise to find the best way to communicate yourself through your essays.

“I don’t have any experience teaching English, but I did study abroad in Germany for a language and culture program over the summer. It greatly influenced my application process and deepened my connection to my host country. It helped me understand so much about German society and what it means to be German. It truly helped me understand my ancestral connection to my host country as well, which was something I spoke about briefly in my application.”

“After working as an English teaching assistant, I plan to become a physician with an emphasis on education and cultural competency. In many ways, the skills required of a teacher are the same as those required of a good doctor: empathy, listening, detailed preparation and patience. I plan to integrate my teaching skills into my medical practice, fostering better communication with patients from diverse backgrounds.”

Students interested in applying for the Fulbright Program are highly encouraged to attend a Fulbright Information Session. Contact the Office of Prestigious Awards (OPA) at opa@ucf.edu with your questions about Fulbright or other international awards. OPA serves the UCF community by helping students through every stage of their application process, offering advising, preparation and material review.