Joel Tang '24 Wins Fulbright Fellowship to South Korea
The young alum from Houston, Texas, will teach English in rural communities.
May 19, 2026
Communications Staff
Photo credit: Serafina Yan
Joel Tang '24, who majored in musical studies and minored in East Asian studies at Oberlin, received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to South Korea. He plans to teach English in rural communities and hopes to organize a poetry/songwriting club at his host school.
What are you looking forward to the most?
Interacting with the soul of the nation, the communities that make up what Korea truly is outside of what we see through their media internationally.
How did Oberlin shape or influence you to pursue the Fulbright?
As an East Asian Studies minor, I’ve always been interested in interacting with Asia post-graduation. Also, Oberlin’s stellar Study Away office gave me the resources to learn about Fulbright!
How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your post-college life and career goals?
My goal is to become an internationally recognized singer-songwriter, and that takes cultural sensitivity and language fluency. I am pursuing this fellowship to aid in my goal of becoming a polyglot, which will help me connect to the Korean audience in ways that English may not.
To learn how Oberlin can help you apply for opportunities, like the Fulbright Fellowship, visit CELA.
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