Alumni Spotlight- Clemente Garcia III
Clemente Garcia III (UT 2014) recently received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to the Netherlands from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. We spoke with him to find out more about his research and his hopes for more Terry Fulbright awardees.
From the press release:
“Clemente will conduct research in multilingual education and assist in English instruction at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) as part of a project to better understand the successful implementation of language equity and multilingualism in Dutch public schools. With these findings, Clemente will return to Texas where he will continue to champion for better bilingual education practices while pursuing Graduate’s studies in linguistics… Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.” (Source: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office ) Read the full press release>>>
Our Interview
Clemente, what are you up to right now?
I purchased a one-way ticket to Taiwan a few weeks before graduating in hopes of finding work as a teacher. With a little luck and help from various Facebook groups, I had several interviews lined up. I eventually chose a bilingual school, where I teach second grade math, English, science, and art. I didn’t know if I could count on receiving the Fulbright, so I originally planned to stay here for two years to experience first-hand how another country approaches bilingual education, while studying another language myself. Parting with my kiddos will be tough, but I’ll have the pleasure of seeing them off to third grade, and I will leave with so many wonderful memories.
with students in Taiwan
Why Linguistics?
I’ve always been fascinated by language and the brain’s ability to acquire it. I grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Houston and remember asking my friends how to say different words and phrases in their languages. I’ve always enjoyed learning and I view language (even your native language) as something you can learn continuously. It’s such an integral, living part of the human mind when you think about everything it allows us to do. We communicate ideas, process our own thoughts, and even turn language into art through song and poetry. It allows us to connect with others as well as ourselves. I just love it!
Do you have advice for anyone who is considering research in general?
As far as advice, I think as long as you have a passion everything else will slide into place. If you’re considering conducting research with an academic body, rely on their resources to help you plan the details out. I went into the application process with so many ideas and wasn’t sure which direction to head in, but I am now receiving the logistical help to see my ideas come to fruition.
Wuji Tianyuan Temple
What are your goals and how will this award and your research help you achieve them?
My first goal is to gain more exposure to the academic world. Being a first generation college student at the undergrad level was daunting; I don’t expect navigating the graduate channels to be much easier. Like the Terry Scholarship did for me, I’m confident that the Fulbright Award will only open more doors, some that I don’t even know exist yet. I’m still not completely sure what conducting research will entail, but I know it’ll be a valuable learning experience and one that will serve me well into my future. Most importantly, my long-term goal is to get into education policy on a larger scale, especially in terms of bilingual education. As a student teacher, I was able to see how these programs weren’t always aligned, even within the same school district. Unfortunately, zip code still largely dictates the type of education we can expect, and I want to push for reform.
At the end of the Fulbright year, I’ll be presenting my work at a conference attended by academicians from both American and European public education. Besides the public speaking skills, I hope to receive valuable feedback, and learn about various graduate’s programs that I can consider applying to after completing my time with Fulbright.
Can you tell us what you’re hoping to tie into the work you’ll do once you return to the U.S.?
Included in my responsibilities with Fulbright I’ll be teaching English part of the time at a vocational high school that specializes in refugee programs (and conducting research the rest). My undergrad degree is in Applied Learning and Development with teacher certification. I have a passion for teaching, especially serving underprivileged populations. This particular school placement will allow me to see how another country approaches multilingualism in public education. The Netherlands is consistently ranked as having some of the best public education in the world, and I’m eager to experience first hand what has led to this distinction and how I can incorporate these aspects into my own classroom.
As the demographics of our state and nation continue to change, I think it’s vital to look toward countries that have a favorable approach to multilingualism, especially if we want to prepare our future generations for an ever-increasing global society. Since vocational tracks at the high school level are relatively uncommon in the US, I’m excited to see how this type of schooling serves the needs of the community. Perhaps I can be inspired by this method of education as well.
Study Abroad in Turkey
How did you find out about the Fulbright Award?
I learned about the Fulbright Award through pure fate. While studying abroad in Turkey a few years ago (a huge thank you to the Foundation for funding that semester) I became close friends with another exchange student from New York. Last summer, I sent a message to see what she was up to, and that’s when she first told me about Fulbright. Knowing my interests, she encouraged me to apply for the following year. I’m still pretty amazed by how I came across the Fulbright Award. I heard about it from her with just enough time to begin putting my application together.
What would you like other students to know about Fulbright?
I really just want other students to know that it is available. My Fulbright Advisors explained that so many awardees come from upper-middle-class families and have been on a “conveyor belt” to college their entire lives. I only learned about Fulbright through a friend that fits the typical description of a recipient. Ultimately, I hope that more people like myself and other Terry Scholars are able to hear about opportunities like Fulbright and break through the barriers of exposure.
For further information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright
