Liberty seniors earn Fulbright grants to teach in Turkey, Senegal

Two Liberty University seniors, Daniela Hong and Madison Wilhelm, have been named finalists in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the most widely recognized and prestigious international exchange program.

Hong will graduate in May with a B.A. in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language and will be stationed in Turkey with Fulbright. Wilhelm, a double major in global and intercultural engagement and interdisciplinary studies, will be teaching in Senegal, West Africa.

Both finalists, awaiting official placements at their host countries, will be teaching assistants and cultural ambassadors.

Hong and Wilhelm worked tirelessly for months, drafting their applications, seeking feedback from Liberty’s dedicated Fulbright committee, and refining their proposals before submission last summer. Both said they are excited to represent Liberty and the Fulbright program with these unique opportunities.

“Through this process, I learned so much about how invested the people around me are,” said Hong, who is currently fulfilling her student teaching requirements through Liberty Christian Academy (LCA). “I can’t think of any other school environment that would have (a Fulbright committee) where professionals are rigorously reviewing your application to make sure that you’re representing the school and representing yourself in the most honorable and best manner possible. I just felt so honored and proud of Liberty that we have such caring professors.”

Wilhelm said she appreciated the way Fulbright Program Advisor and Scholar Liaison Edna Udobong brought her Christian faith into the application process. “I thought it was really cool because most universities would never acknowledge that,” she said. “Fulbright is also a great opportunity to live out my faith by serving others and learning about other cultures.”

Wilhelm said her global studies internship in the Middle East last year, where she taught English at a community center, nurtured her desire to make an impact overseas. She also said Senegal is a good fit because she grew up studying the country’s official language: French. She has visited the country twice, both for weeklong service projects.

“When I was praying through where to go, God kind of reminded me of how much I loved Senegal when I went there before,” she said. “I’ve learned French since I was in middle school, so it kind of felt natural (because) I practiced French when I was there before, and it was easy to communicate with people. So, I decided to apply for Senegal, and I’m really excited to learn more about their culture.”

After visiting Turkey on a cultural ambassadorship trip in 2018, Hong knew she wanted to return. She said her interest in global education and intercultural engagement — and Turkey’s emphasis on its people learning English — prompted her to tailor her Fulbright application toward the Middle Eastern country.

“I fell in love with the culture, the language, and especially the people,” Hong said. “They’re so hospitable. … I really hope to learn a lot from the professors and the teachers there and to see what the real strengths of global education in the classroom are and how we can come together as teachers to bring new technologies and different cultural perspectives to build a better classroom in the TESL environment.”

Wilhelm and Hong said the extensive Fulbright application process taught them diligence, patience, clear writing skills, and how to promote their accomplishments. But most importantly, it taught them to rely on God’s timing.

“The most valuable thing I’ve learned through this lengthy process was that waiting and patience is such a virtue in itself,” Hong said. “Now that I look back on it, I had grown so much in just the process of waiting, not to mention the process of writing the application and receiving so much support from faculty members. … I just want to encourage other students who are juniors right now or sophomores, to really consider (applying for Fulbright). Even if they’re not TESL or in education, the amount of skills that you will gain throughout the process is just so worth it.”

Beyond the honor of representing Liberty as Fulbright finalists, the pair is most looking forward to being witnesses in their communities abroad through their actions.

“The most meaningful opportunities to connect with people happen while sharing everyday life,” Wilhelm said. “I’m excited to build relationships, share experiences, and engage with the community in Senegal.”

For more information on applying to the Fulbright Program, visit Liberty.edu/Fulbright or contact Edna Udobong at eudobong3@liberty.edu.