Graduate wins Fulbright Teaching Assistantship to Germany

May 20, 2009

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate Candace Smith has been chosen as one of 140 recent U.S. graduates to receive a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany.

Smith, a 2008 graduate from Delavan, has been working for AmeriCorps in Milwaukee as a one-on-one tutor in the Boys and Girls Club's early childhood literacy program. She received her degree with a double major in English and German.

The Fulbright program places students in dozens of countries around the world to teach English and share knowledge about the United States. The host country provides the student with international travel expenses, a living stipend and, in some cases, tuition assistance.

"Candace was as diligent and determined an applicant as I have seen," said Matthew Lange, professor of languages and literatures. "She is uniquely qualified because she is a double major and wrote a terrific proposal. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and had the full support of both her faculty and those on the committee who evaluated her work."

Smith, whose award begins in September 2009 and will run through June 2010, will be working in a gymnasium, much like a high school, in Germany. Her specific location has not been determined.

She said the Fulbright "allows me to serve as sort of a U.S. cultural ambassador to Germany while also being able to immerse myself in German life and culture. This opportunity is very exciting for me as it brings me back to Germany and allows me to speak German on an everyday basis, something I look forward to very much."

"Candace possesses every quality a Fulbright recipient ought to have," said Lange. "She;s intellectually strong, engaging, outgoing, self-motivated and willing to meet challenges."

While at UW-Whitewater, Smith spent a year studying in Germany. She served as the activities director for the German Club and became president in her senior year.

Smith said she's honored to be chosen for the Fulbright program.

"I'm grateful that I came from such a great program here at UW-Whitewater," she said. "I'm fortunate to represent my university and look forward to creating and implementing new programs for the German students to learn English."

UW-Whitewater alumna Laurel Radomska, who graduated in 2005 with a degree in English and German education, won a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship to Germany for the 2005-06 school year.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. It is designed to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of other countries.

For more information, contact Matthew Lange at 262-472-1065 or at langem@uww.edu.