Liberty Student Katarina Bouton Receives Fulbright Scholarship

When Katarina Bouton first came to Liberty University, she did not know what she wanted to do, let alone that she would one day become the first Liberty student awarded with a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant.

Bouton described her journey to receiving the national scholarship to teach English in Spain as one act of God after another, and attending Liberty was just the first step.

“I am a very indecisive person, and yet going to Liberty was the easiest decision I ever made, and it was the best decision I ever made, and I felt so much peace about it that I didn’t even apply to another school,” Bouton said.

Many of her family members attended Liberty to run cross-country and track, which is one of Bouton’s passions, and she knew she wanted to go to a Christian school. What she did not know was how much of an impact it would have on her future.

Bouton said that her time at Liberty was when her faith really became her own. She was grateful for the environment and the people that God had placed in her life to strengthen her faith as she asked the questions, “Is God real?” and, “What makes Christianity the truth?”

“I grew so much in my faith,” Bouton said, “I was pushed beyond what I thought I was capable of doing. It was the ride of a lifetime, but I wouldn’t be where I am without having gone to Liberty.”

But Bouton said that she was mostly impacted by her professors, who guided her as she struggled to decide what to do with her future.

Early on, she realized she had a heart for working with people, but she bounced back and forth between medicine and foreign languages, before deciding on teaching English as a second language.

“I can’t say enough about the professors in the modern language department,” Bouton said. “Just how much they encouraged me and pushed me beyond what I would have gone for myself.”

Including the Fulbright.

Fulbright is a highly competitive federal program which operates in over 160 countries and is designed to build relationships between the United States and people in those countries.

At first, applying for the award was not even on Bouton’s radar. Being an honors student, she had heard it promoted several times and just brushed it off. It was not until her modern grammar professor, Dr. Paul Mueller, approached her about applying for it that she gave it a second thought.

“She is not at all self-serving or proud, and that is why I think I suggested she go for it, because I don’t think she would have thought of it for herself,” Muller said.

He was right. Bouton said that it was only after he mentioned it to her that she went to an informational meeting. After talking with Liberty’s Fulbright program advisor, Edna Udobong about how competitive getting the Spanish Fulbright trip would be, God sent the perfect opportunity for Bouton to enhance her portfolio.

A fellow classmate told her about an LU Send trip to Guatemala, which she also brushed aside until she just so happened to be riding a bus alongside the professor leading that same trip. It was not until later that night that she realized it was him and took the hint from God. She emailed him and was in Guatemala the next summer.

From there, it was just one thing after another of God opening doors to make it possible.

However, winning the international education exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government was no small feat. Bouton said she spent months working on her application.

“I don’t think anyone knows how much time and tears I put into this process,” Bouton said. “I put my heart and soul into it.”

Thankfully for Bouton, the hard work paid off. She is now confirmed as an official Fulbright award winner and will be working in Asturias, Spain, for 9 months teaching English as a second language. She will leave in the fall to begin her work with Spain’s Commission for Cultural, Educational and Scientific Exchange.

Bouton said it was unusual telling the story all the way through because she is not usually a talkative person. And Muller agreed.

“She was never really loud,” Muller said, “She just quietly out-performed everybody else.”

Muller said there is a need for more students like Bouton to represent the U.S., people who are not seeking press with their actions but deserve it.

“Mild waters run deep,” Muller said. “She doesn’t seek attention, but whatever she does, people will see and say, ‘There is an example to follow.’”