Aileen Monks of Bellmore Earns Prestigious Fulbright Scholarship

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Six University of Scranton graduates earn 2011/2012 Fulbright scholarships.

SCRANTON, PA (06/14/2011)(readMedia)-- Aileen M. Monks of Bellmore is among the six University of Scranton graduates awarded a 2011/2012 Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship – the U.S. government's premier scholarship program for overseas graduate study, research, and teaching.

Monks, who earned a bachelor's degree in 2010 from Scranton and her master's degree in 2011, was awarded a Fulbright-Nehru English Teaching Assistantship to India.

"As Fulbright scholars, our graduates will focus on research and teaching projects ranging from studying the successful sustainable technology cluster of the world's first carbon-neutral development in the desert outside Abu Dhabi to teaching English as a second language to middle schoolers in Delhi." said Susan Trussler, Ph.D., Fulbright program advisor and associate professor of economics/finance at The University of Scranton. "But of equal importance, each of these six graduates will immerse themselves in the local communities and continue their remarkable records of service by volunteering as coaches, small business advisors, and moderators of student clubs in their respective host countries."

For six consecutive years, The Chronicle of Higher Education has listed The University of Scranton among the "top producers" of Fulbright awards for American students. Since 1972, a total of 134 University of Scranton students have received grants in the competitions administered by the Institute of International Education.

Other members of the University's class of 2011 earning Fulbright scholarships are: Rebecca Bartley, Jamesburg, N.J., Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Malaysia; Melissa C. Beltz, Eagleville, Fulbright/Pädagogischer Austauschdienst English Teaching Assistantship to Germany; Kaitlyn L. Doremus, Tobyhanna, Fulbright/Pädagogischer Austauschdienst English Teaching Assistantship to Germany; and Philip J. Kachmar, Kingston, Fulbright Scholarship to the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. The sixth graduate is Gian Peter Vergnetti, Brooklyn, N.Y., a member of the University's class of 2008, who received a Fulbright to the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Fulbright program is perfect for Monks.

"I agree with the Fulbright's mission of cultural exchange. Also, being an education major, it allows me to spend this time doing what I love most – teaching," said Monks, who earned her bachelor's degree from The University of Scranton, magna cum laude, in 2010 in elementary education and special education, and her master's degree in English as a second language in 2011.

As a Fulbright scholar to New Delhi, India, Monks will teach English to 10- to 14-year-old students at the Navyug School. She also plans to develop a cross-country or track team at the school and to volunteer for the Kiwanis Club there.

Monks spent a semester circumnavigating the globe through the University of Virginia's Semester at Sea program in 2008, through which she visited Puerto Rico, Brazil, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Japan and Costa Rica. This program gave her a taste of many different cultures, but left her with the desire to "experience one culture on a deeper level," said Monks.

"I wanted to teach in India because I fell in love with the Indian culture and people while there during my semester abroad with Semester at Sea," said Monks. "Everyone I encountered was kind and caring and I immediately felt at home. "

A dean's list student, Monks was a member of Kappa Delta Pi (national honor society for education).

At Scranton, Monks served as a tutor for an afterschool program and was active in the Environmental Club and as a fall move-in volunteer. She was a member of the varsity cross-country team in 2006. She was also among the students who participated in a service trip to Katrina Construction Relief and Soup Kitchen in Biloxi, Miss.

Off campus, Monks served as coordinator for the recycle club for Pocono Elementary Center and volunteered for the Bellmore Kiwanis Strawberry Festival.

Monk's future plans are to work as a special education life skills teacher in a progressive school district that serves students in need.

A graduate of Mepham High School, Bellmore, N.Y., she is the daughter of Diane and John Monks of Bellmore. She has an older sister, Jessica, and a younger brother, Brian.

Digital Image:

Six University of Scranton graduates earned Fulbright scholarships for 2011, bringing the total to 134 for University of Scranton students receiving grants in the competitions administered by the Institute of International Education (Fulbright) and International Rotary since 1972. Standing from left are: Susan Trussler, Ph.D., Fulbright program advisor at The University of Scranton, and Fulbright scholarship recipients Gian P. Vergnetti, Philip J. Kachmar, Aileen M. Monks, Rebecca Bartley, and Kaitlyn L. Doremus. Fulbright recipient Melissa C. Beltz was absent when the photo was taken.