Bilingual educator to teach English at Peruvian school
Linfield University‘s Iván Galicia Sixto has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, he will support the teaching of English in Peru during the 2024-25 academic year. The Linfield student will earn his bachelor’s degree from Linfield in May 2024. He is majoring in Spanish and secondary education with an ESOL endorsement. He previously attended the Academy of International Studies in Woodburn.
“As a first-generation student, this feels unreal,” he said. “My parents did not even complete their elementary education, so this accomplishment represents years of overcoming obstacles. However, I am proud to say that, even with the challenges and barriers of being the first, I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my school, community and country. This opportunity serves as the first step for my professional career as a bilingual educator and a representative of the United States.”
For Galicia Sixto, this experience will be one of connecting with his past, while preparing him for his professional future.
“I look forward to learning about the diverse cultures of indigenous communities as my family is also from an indigenous community in Mexico. I also look forward to the relationships that I will build with the staff, community members and other Fulbright Scholars,” he said. “But more importantly, I look forward to meeting my future students and helping them improve their language skills while engaging in cross-cultural conversations.”
Engaging with community in Oregon and Peru
Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. In his time at Linfield, Galicia Sixto has not only maintained a strong GPA and earned Dean’s List recognition, but he has also actively participated in multiple school activities. He is a member and previous coordinator for the Linfield University Latinx Adelante club and is a peer mentor for the Ford Family Foundation Scholarship program and the First Scholars Program (supporting first-generation college students).
As part of his Fulbright experience, Galicia Sixto will serve the local community in Peru. He plans to be involved with Voluntades, a non-profit that builds self-confidence of those living in vulnerable living situations.
“For my host country engagement project, I will be volunteering at a non-profit organization that aims to support people from vulnerable communities, particularly working with children and older citizens who need emotional and social support. This organization focuses on providing wellness resources that promote empathy and self-confidence,” he said. ” Through my volunteering, I will be able to serve as a resource and help people find happiness and inspiration in life.”
Linfield’s history with the Fulbright awards
More than 2,000 Fulbright U.S. students pursue graduate study, conduct research,or teach English in schools abroad each year. They are recognized alongside more than 800 faculty, researchers, administrators and established professionals who teach or conduct research annually through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbrighters form ongoing research collaborations and lay the groundwork for future partnerships between institutions.
Linfield has a long history with the Fulbright Awards. Since 1946, 43 students or recent graduates have participated in the Fulbright program. Linfield’s student Fulbrighters have conducted research and taught English in 24 countries. Recent awardees include Salma Galván Pelayo ’23, Hanna Shields ’22, Nick Zdroy ’22 and Anne Christine Walkup ’21.
In addition to students and graduates, Linfield also has multiple faculty members who have been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar and Visiting Scholar grant. This includes David Sumner, professor of English and environmental studies, and Dawn Nowacki, professor of political science and director of competitive scholarships.
About the Fulbright Program
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections and work to address complex global challenges. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state or government, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and non-profit sectors.
Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which has operated in over 160 countries worldwide. In the United States, the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.
