Faith Bates ’24M first became intrigued by Romanian culture through her graduate literature courses, and it wasn’t long before she found herself fascinated by the social developments taking place in Romania as well as the rapid educational reforms that were implemented after the fall of the communist regime.

Thanks to a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award, Bates will spend the upcoming academic year in Romania, teaching and assisting with practical and specialized English language and American culture classes at higher education institutions, while also serving as a resource on American culture and history and literary and nonliterary traditions.

She says she’s excited by the prospect of experiencing Romanian culture and seeing firsthand how the changes and reforms she’s read about have “shaped the arts and humanities as well as student learning.” 

“Romania is a beautiful country, and I’m incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to experience it through the Fulbright program,” says Bates, who is an adjunct professor in the Department of English.

Since 1946, the U.S. Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. 

As a Fulbright alumna, Bates will join an esteemed network that includes 61 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 40 current or former heads of state or government. 

Two additional scholars represented Monmouth in the Fulbright semifinal round: Ausirys Alviz, a doctoral social work candidate and adjunct professor in the School of Social Work, and Cierra Spruill ’24M, a graduate of the physician assistant program.