CONWAY, Ark. (November
28, 2016) – Hendrix College graduate Justin Murdock ’16 recently accepted a Fulbright
English Teaching Assistant program assignment in Uruguay.
“I applied for
the Fulbright opportunity because it seemed like a perfect way to make genuine
cross-cultural connections over an extended period of time while learning more
about teaching and education,” said Murdock, a chemistry and Spanish major. “I
chose Uruguay because I was fascinated by the Uruguayan literature I had read
during my studies, and I want to learn more about the country.”
“Additionally, in
the Uruguayan ETA program, Fulbrighters actually spend significant time both in
the city and in rural areas, allowing one to see a more comprehensive view of
the nation than one could obtain by only living in one location during the
grant period, which further solidified my choice,” he said.
As an English
Teaching Assistant, Murdock’s classroom time will be spent in conversation
practice, grammar lessons, or lessons about culture in the United States.
“Outside of the
classroom, I will be immersing myself in the community, hopefully by joining a
community choir, and likely taking courses at nearby universities,” he said. “I
am particularly interested in learning about how science education takes place
in Uruguay, and I look forward to finding opportunities for first-hand study.”
After the
Fulbright, Murdock hopes to continue exploring the education field through AmeriCorps
service.
“Ultimately, I
plan to use my experiences in Uruguay to help more effectively reach students
in the U.S.,” he said.
Murdock is the fourth
Fulbright recipient from the Hendrix Class of 2016:
- Megan
Hull ’16, German and international relations double major, received a Fulbright
English Teaching Assistantship to Germany.
- Grace
Oxley ’16, art and English double major, received a Fulbright English Teaching
Assistantship to India.
- Rachel
Zweig ’16, chemistry and mathematics double major, was selected for a Fulbright
U.S. Student Award to do chemistry research at the Spanish National Research
Council in Madrid, developing and analyzing new solvents for carbon dioxide
removal from flue gas.
In 2011, The
Chronicle of Higher Education named Hendrix one of the
country's top
producers of student Fulbright Scholars.
About Hendrix College
Hendrix College
is a private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1876 and
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884, Hendrix is featured in Colleges That
Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges and is nationally recognized in numerous
college guides, lists, and rankings for academic quality, community,
innovation, and value. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.