Jillian Olson
AMES, Iowa — An Iowa State University student was selected as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jillian Olson, senior in psychology and Spanish from Mahtomedi, Minnesota, will teach English in Taiwan.
During this experience, Olson will learn the Mandarin language and the Taiwanese education system by serving as an English teacher in elementary and middle schools.
During her time at Iowa State, Olson has worked as a writing tutor in the ISU Writing and Media Center and completed a teaching internship with Breakthrough Twin Cities in St. Paul, Minnesota, during which she helped teach literature and poetry to traditionally underserved high school students. She also studied abroad at the University of Extremadura in Caceres, Spain.
After completing her Fulbright program, Olson plans to pursue a master’s degree in higher education student affairs in order to serve as an academic advisor specializing in helping international students.
Olson is one of approximately 2,000 U.S. citizens who will pursue graduate study, conduct research and teach English abroad for the 2022-2023 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Recipients are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to forge lasting connections between the United States and other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered at Iowa State through the Nationally Competitive Awards office. Iowa State students and recent alumni interested in applying for the U.S. Student Fulbright Program can find more information at https://www.nationalawards.iastate.edu/fulbright. Applications are open and the campus deadline is Sept. 12.
