History graduate earns Fulbright grant to teach in Malta

Three weeks before being confirmed as a finalist for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Liberty University history graduate Aleah Schrock was mapping out her plans for law school. She had been accepted to Notre Dame Law School, but to her surprise she received a 10-month Fulbright grant to teach English at St. Thomas More College Preparatory School, in Malta, a small island in the Mediterranean. She deferred her spot at Notre Dame to Fall 2024.

“I’m hoping to do immigration law and work with refugees as an attorney, so I’m excited for the experience that I’m going to gain (in Malta), specifically that cross-cultural engagement that I think will really build some skills necessary for my future career,” she added. “The Fulbright grant just opens a lot of doors. It looks really good on a résumé, so I’m excited to see if that will end up creating more opportunities for me in the future.”

Schrock, originally from Ohio, studied abroad in Rome in 2021, serving at Centro Agape, a refugee center that offers English classes. She hopes to pursue similar service opportunities in Malta, outside her Fulbright, by volunteering at a refugee organization. She said her community service was highlighted on her Fulbright application.

“One thing that Liberty students have that a lot of other students don’t is a commitment to service, and that’s a big part of the Fulbright mission: serving others and using your skills to foster better relationships between countries,” she said. “I’m sure that there were more overqualified applicants who applied to the same program I did. … And so, I genuinely think it was the service and then being able to write a good application.”

Schrock expressed gratitude for Liberty University’s Fulbright Committee, her professors, classmates, roommates, and faculty in the Department of History, namely Dr. David Snead, her research mentor who closely advised her during her tenure as a student and wrote many recommendation letters for her applications.

“I was not surprised when she won the Fulbright,” Snead said. “I’m thrilled for her, and I’m thrilled for us. … She’ll do very well in that environment. She’s a gifted writer, presenter, researcher, but then she has this humility about her that just makes her stand out. She is one of the most well-rounded students I’ve ever had.”

Schrock said she is excited to take the next steps in her career but will miss her Liberty family.

“The most important thing about Liberty is the people — the people I’ve met have probably been the most impactful in shaping me into the person I am,” she said. “I obviously enjoyed my classes and the opportunities I’ve had to study abroad. … (Liberty) challenged, encouraged, and developed me more fully as a person. … I don’t think I could have gone somewhere else. I think Liberty faculty are the kindest group of people on the planet.”

Schrock earned her Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in government, international studies, and global studies. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and was one of over 28,000 graduates in the Liberty’s Class of 2023.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship application is now open. To learn more about the scholarship and how to apply, contact Professor Edna Udobong, Liberty University’s Fulbright Program Advisor at eudobong3@liberty.edu.