Oberlin Celebrates This Year’s Fulbright Winners

Oberlin’s tradition as a top producer of Fulbright students continues this spring, with a dozen students and alumni being awarded English Teaching Assistant (ETA) or Study/Research (S/R) awards. These accomplished individuals will travel internationally to experience a cultural exchange that spans language, education, history, and more. 

Oberlin provides students with assistance in Fulbright applications, which includes multiple information sessions, one-on-one meetings, access to faculty and staff experts trained to read Fulbright applications, all-day essay support in Oberlin’s Writing Center, and the ability to submit essay drafts for unlimited revisions.

The Fulbright Program is a distinguished academic exchange program, established by the U.S. government in 1946. Since then it has provided more than 400,000 talented students, scholars, and professionals the opportunity to advance knowledge, education practices, and industry through international exchange and collaboration.

This year’s Fulbright winners can’t wait to see what’s in store for them.  

As a Hispanic studies and politics major, Anna Benjamin ’26 is using her fellowship to kickstart her career aspirations. “I want to be a policy analyst, specializing in education or immigration policy,” she says. “Being an ETA will bolster my knowledge of international education systems… and help me build invaluable skills to become an internationally-oriented policy maker.”

Amelia Friess ’26, who graduates in May with double majors in biology and voice, looks forward to immersing herself in Czech culture: “Pursuing a Fulbright ETA aligns with my goals of becoming both a performer and arts educator. Because vocal music is often performed in foreign languages, serving as an ETA will better equip me to guide students in understanding and singing in other languages. I hope that my time there will help me become a teacher that shares new musical traditions and encourages students to explore all musical styles.” 

Joel Tang ’24, a college music major while at Oberlin, will use his Fulbright award to teach English in South Korea and says he is excited to “interact with the soul of the nation, the communities that make up what Korea truly is outside of what we see through their media internationally.”

Derya Taspinar ’25 will teach English in Spain to support her career goals: "This experience will allow me to work closely with youth in multicultural and multilingual settings while developing skills that are essential to my future work in psychology. Teaching in an immersive environment will strengthen my communication, cultural awareness, adaptability, and ability to build trust and engagement."

Ariana Ofori ’26 is set to work with students who have completed apprenticeships and help them hone their language skills for their careers. "I am especially excited to share my passion for teaching amongst my students, encouraging curiosity and fostering a space for lifelong learning," she says. 

In addition to teaching English in Taiwan, Momo Suzuki '20 is excited to get to know students and become "a part of the community in many ways," they say. "I want to volunteer on farms and learn ancestral agricultural practices, talk to elders at farmers markets, and learn more about regional cooking."

Maya McDermott '26 hopes this fellowship will help prepare her for a new chapter in graduate school: "With Fulbright, I hope to deepen my understanding of how a different country approaches issues such as education, governance, and social equity."

Congratulations to all of the the Fulbright fellows from Oberlin:

Anna Benjamin ’26, ETA (Spain)

Nissa Berle ’24, S/R (Canada)

Katia Chapin ’26, S/R (European Union)

Lucas Daley ’26, S/R (India)

Amelia Friess ’26, ETA (Czech Republic)

Nathaniel Liu ’26, ETA (Taiwan)

Ariana Ofori ’26, ETA (Switzerland)

Eleanor Richards ’26, ETA (Madagascar)

Dalia (Andy) Roshal ’26, ETA (Germany)

Momo Suzuki ’20, ETA (Taiwan)

Joel Tang ’24, ETA (South Korea)

Derya Taspinar ’25, ETA (Spain)

Maya Miller '26, S/R (Ireland)

Thorin Finch '26, S/R (Ireland)

Sophia Cartsonis '24, ETA (Taiwan)

Maya McDermott '26, ETA (Argentina)

Note: This story will be updated as further details are released. 

Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit fulbrightprogram.org.