HWS News
12 April 2024 Bott ’23 Earns Fulbright to Taiwan
Economics and Asian Studies double-major Grace Bott ’23 has been accepted into the U.S. Government’s flagship international exchange program.
Grace Bott ’23 is the recipient of a 2024 U.S. Student Fulbright Award to Taiwan where she will serve as an English Teaching Assistant. Her position will begin in August.
Bott says she applied to the program because of her love of language and teaching and the opportunities they offer to cultivate “a global perspective on life.” At HWS, she has explored the history and politics of Taiwan through her coursework, continued her nearly 15-year study of Mandarin Chinese, navigated cultural exchange while abroad in Seoul, South Korea, and mentored classmates and Geneva students as a tutor.
“To be a language teacher means to share your knowledge of not just vocabulary and grammar but the culture and history of where the language is spoken,” Bott says. “I want to challenge myself by teaching and mentoring students in Taiwan as they figure out their futures and themselves. I am excited about this opportunity and ready to embrace change and adapt to a new environment.”
Currently serving as an intern for the HWS Department of Math, Bott received a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate from the TEFL Academy in October. A Dean’s List student, she was inducted to Phi Beta Kappa, as well as Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society in economics, and was a member of the Laurel Society. She is a recipient of the Blair C. Currie Prize in Economics and the President’s Civic Leadership Award. She participated in last year’s Senior Symposium, was a member of Kinetic Dance Collective, Tutor Corps and the Math Club, and served as co-president and treasurer of the Asian Student Union.
Beyond her engagement with students in Taiwan, Bott plans to explore local culture by joining a folk dance team and volunteering at cultural festivals. In exploring the experiences of “being Asian in America and American in Asia,” she hopes that her time in Taiwan will help her “connect more to my identity and learn more about my place in the world.”
Following her Fulbright experience, Bott plans to pursue a graduate degree in economics, focusing on research in poverty, economic development and immigration. She hopes to use her language skills and knowledge of American, Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean cultures to increase the understanding between all countries.
“I want to make a difference in my community, and a Fulbright Grant will provide me with an unforgettable, immersive experience to build a home and be a positive change wherever I am in the world,” she says.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. Government’s flagship international exchange program, providing full research grants and English Teaching Assistantships awarded for graduate study, research or teaching opportunities in more than 140 countries.
HWS students interested in applying for Fulbright awards should contact the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education at cso@hws.edu.
