The Fulbright grant pays for soon-to-be graduated students, as well as young professionals, to travel the world and give back through research, volunteer work and teaching.

Three Colorado State University students were awarded Fulbright grants, and will now work as teaching assistants and conduct research in various countries.

Moriah Kent, one recipient, is a graduate student in the Teaching English as a Foreign Language/Teaching English as a Second Language program, and also works as an instructor for INTO CSU. Kent will be spending 10 months teaching English at a Bulgarian secondary school.

“English education is a really good way to promote understanding, exchange, global community and friendship,” Kent said. “I’ve found in my personal experience that English education does open a lot of doors for people.”

Kent encourages people to apply for the Fulbright grant because it is a prestigious honor and an opportunity of a lifetime.

“I think it’s something that more people should aspire to (apply), because I think that this grant allows you to go to places in the world that a regular job wouldn’t take you to,” Kent said. “You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

Rob Musci is a teaching assistant for the Health and Exercise Science department. He was awarded the Fulbright grant in order to conduct research. He will go to Italy to measure and compare the physical activity of approximately 170 older adults living in either Venice or Mestre. He plans to compare the levels of disability and leg strength in each city. Venice requires more physical activity because there is no motorized transportation, but Mestre is more of a modern city, according to Musci.

Musci said he has already spent time in Italy and is eager to go back and continue his research.

“I was ecstatic (when finding out about the grant),” Musci said. “Getting to live in Italy and have that cultural experience is exciting. It’s a good opportunity to get to collaborate with professors, not just in the United States, but in Italy.”

Leigha Bohn, a senior studying cultural anthropology, also received the grant and will spend eight months in Argentina helping train English teachers.

Bohn said studying abroad in Buenos Aires is what sparked her interest in this program. She said studying abroad did not quite satisfy her need to understand that country, because it was only for four months.

“I’m really excited to go back and really jump in and have that second chance (at getting to understand the Argentinian people),” Bohn said. “That’s why I want to focus my community project on cultural fluency.”

In her application for the grant, Bohn proposed a project about how cultural translation can go beyond linguistic translation. She said she hopes she can immerse herself in the culture.

“I worked with Latino immigrants, and I want to be an immigrant in another country,” Bohn said. “I want to feel those hardships. I want to take that understanding and work with immigrants when I get back.”

She said she considers being a Fulbright recipient a big honor.

“I’ve never applied for something this big and gotten it before,” Bohn said. “It showed me that if I really work hard and have a goal in mind, it’s achievable. It’s a great opportunity for students who are unsure about a career path and are looking for direction.”

Collegian Reporter Pamela Shapiro can be reached at news@collegian.com and on Twitter @pb_shapiro.