Kerry Burns of Framingham, Mass., Receives Fulbright Award

PHILADELPHIA, PA (05/31/2012)(readMedia)-- Spanish major and recent graduate of Saint Joseph's University Kerry Burns was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Colombia where she will teach English at the Universidad Industrial de Santander, in Bucaramanga, Colombia, during the 2012-13 academic year. Aside from her teaching responsibilities, she will pursue coursework in speech pathology and bilingual education.

In addition to her Spanish major, Burns graduated with minors in Latin American studies, linguistics and philosophy. She was a member of Delta Sigma Pi, the Spanish honor society, as well as Phi Sigma Tau, the philosophy honor society.

Although this will be her first time in Colombia, it will not be the first time she immerses herself in the South American culture. Burns spent the spring 2011 semester studying at Universidad Alberto Hurtado, SJU's sister school in Santiago, Chile. During her time abroad, she volunteered at a local high school, Colegio Manuel Vicuña, teaching English.

"When I was in Chile, I fell in love with life there and knew that I had to go back to South America," says Burns.

Burns participated in the Appalachian Experience during her freshman, sophomore and senior years at SJU and in a winter immersion trip to El Paso, Texas, in her senior year. In El Paso, she learned about immigration law and its effect on border communities. She also served as an ESL tutor at the Sisters of Saint Joseph's Welcome Center, and is the community partner coordinator for Special Olympics through Campus Ministry's weekly service program.

Upon completion of her Fulbright placement, Burns plans to pursue a career in social services. "I would love to combine my passion for Spanish and my background in linguistics - maybe pursuing graduate studies in linguistics - and eventually work with bilingual children whose challenges in acquiring two languages may be misdiagnosed as speech impediments," she says.

Burns is one of five Saint Joseph's University students to be awarded a Fulbright this year.

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Contact: Carolyn Steigleman, Director of Communications for the Haub School of Business, 610-660-1355, csteigle@sju.edu

Background: Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, Saint Joseph's University advances the professional and personal ambitions of men and women by providing a demanding, yet supportive, educational experience. One of only 152 schools with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and AACSB business school accreditation, Saint Joseph's is home to 4,650 traditional undergraduate day students, 700 College of Professional and Liberal Studies adult undergraduates, and 3,600 graduate and doctoral students. Steeped in the 450-year Jesuit tradition of scholarship and service, Saint Joseph's was named to the 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for General Community Service. The University strives to be recognized as the preeminent Catholic comprehensive university in the Northeast.