Sarah Neubecker ’22 on her Fulbright ETA in Brazil
Sarah Neubecker ’22
Hometown: Canandaigua, N.Y.
Double Major in international relations and Spanish
Campus Involvement: Women’s Rugby team, Newman Community, Tri Delta, and Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish honor society), Lampert Institute
Fulbright ETA in Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, Brazil, from March to December 2023
What did you do day to day during your Fulbright experience?
I was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at a local university, where classes took place nightly from 6:30–9:30. Three times a week, I co-taught English classes with a professor while also hosting an afternoon English club for any interested students and professors. During the day, I visited various high schools and elementary schools, presenting topics on American culture. I also planned lessons during the day and volunteered as an English tutor for a nonprofit called EducationUSA.
How did Colgate prepare you for your Fulbright?
Colgate gave me the language skills I needed to live abroad in a Portuguese-speaking country. Through the Less Commonly Taught Languages Program at Colgate, I was able to develop new language skills and prepare for living abroad. The study skills, time management, and leadership I learned through taking Colgate classes and balancing extracurriculars also prepared me for a different and new work environment.
Do you have a favorite memory from your Fulbright experience?
My favorite memory is teaching English 3 to students I had for my entire Fulbright length. I taught the same group of students English 2 and 3, and we were able to grow close and learn from each other. Although I was a teaching assistant, most of the students were my age or a bit older and would exchange advice and Brazilian vocabulary with me as I taught them English. My last week in Brazil, they wrote notes to me, and we celebrated in class with traditional foods. (I made apple pie to represent the USA!)
What are you doing now?
Currently, I am working at a local school as a long-term substitute teacher until I begin my masters in law diplomacy program in the fall at Tufts University.
Do you have any advice for students considering applying to Fulbright?
Work closely with the ONFS. I think I had weekly meetings with Steve during my application process, with constant edits, but it really paid off. Start early, ask your recommenders early, and think about the stories you want to tell about your current experiences and the stories you’d like to create in the future.
Anything else you would like to share?
Be confident and say yes to everything on a Fulbright — it just might be a life-changing experience.