S POT L II GH T Fulbright Program Opens Door to International Study and Research for Baylor Journalists
For four Baylor journalism students over the last six years, journalism led to life-changing experiences abroad through the Fulbright Program. The department’s most recent Fulbright scholar, Brent Salters, prepares to start his Fulbright term teaching at a university in Moldova. “I am teaching English and communication skills, while representing the United States as a cultural ambassador,” Salters said. He said his foundation as a Baylor student led to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “As an incoming freshman, I was determined to become a doctor. Now,I’m teaching classes at a university in Moldova. There were obviously some big changes that took place during my four years at Baylor,” Salters said. He did the public relations track as a journalism student. Now he hopes to become a public relations professional for an international corporation or government entity someday. What better way to learn about international work than through this selective program? The Fulbright Program allows competitive professionals to travel abroad to teach in a university setting, study and conduct research in their field. The program gives out 8,000 grants annually to U.S. citizens. It’s extremely competitive, as many people apply in hopes of getting to participate. It’s an accomplishment that Baylor journalism prepared so many students to participate in the Fulbright Program. Senator J. William Fulbright started the program in 1946. It now operates in over 155 countries. Former Fulbright scholars have won Nobel Prizes and Pulitzer Prizes, making the program one of the most highly respected. The application is a rigorous process. Salters said, “I actually spent more months preparing my
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application than I will spend during my Fulbright term in Moldova.” He says he only had to write two statements in the application process. It took him ten months to write and revise these statements. All this time was worth it though. He earned a spot in the exclusive program, working as a Fulbright English teaching assistant. His Fulbright term will end June 2014. Salters is gaining a unique education through this program. “A person can read many books and acquire knowledge of a country, but true understanding isn’t gained until he or she is transplanted and immersed in that culture,” he said. This experience is an exciting application of what Salters learned in the journalism department at Baylor. Salters believes in what Baylor Journalism is doing to prepare students for the future. He encourages students by saying every assignment is making them into better journalists. “From meticulous fact checking to staying up through the night working on projects, know that each assignment is making you an unparalleled journalist,” he said. He believes Baylor faculty is unlike any other. “At every turn, remember an entire university and journalism faculty will support and ‘guide us as we onward go,’” he said. Salters attributes his success to the education he got at Baylor. Because of his foundations, he’s ready to expand his knowledge in a new culture.