Tess McGrinder ’23 of Niskayuna, New York, has been awarded an English Teaching Assistantship in Spain through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Beginning this fall, the recent graduate will assist teaching staff at CPS San José in Logroño, Spain. Tess said she pursued the scholarship to be able to use the language skills she gained at UNC–Chapel Hill.
“The Fulbright in Spain seemed like a perfect step into my adult life; it’s an opportunity to employ and refine my Spanish, immerse myself in a distinct culture and geography, and learn about the education, politics, and healthcare system in La Rioja,” she said.
Tess received a bachelor’s in English and comparative literature from Carolina, with minors in chemistry and Spanish for the professions.
Outside of teaching, the alumna said she hopes to volunteer at a local clinic, learn how to play the Spanish classical guitar, and walk the Camino de Santiago. She also plans to apply for medical school during the nine-month program.
This summer, Tess will work with a professor at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland to research maternal health interventions and outcomes in midwifery.
In addition to Tess, Amalia Marmolejos ’23 and Olivia Romine ’23 also received Fulbright Scholarships for the 2023–2024 program. A total of twenty-one students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will study, conduct research or teach abroad for the academic year through the grant.