Lebanon Valley College students have received a school-record four Fulbright Program grants this year. Matthew Torrence ’19 learned in early May that he received an English Teaching Assistant position in Malaysia. He is the tenth LVC student to be named a Fulbright finalist in the last four years.

Torrence joins fellow Fulbright finalists Alexa Kanakry ’19, who will be in Spain, Calyn Lutz ’19, who will be in Mexico, and Rachel Duong ’19, who will be in Brazil. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

“I applied because I enjoy traveling to new places and want to use my passion for teaching to inspire a new group of students as well as build new relationships,” said Torrence, who has visited Montreal and the Dominican Republic.

“Going to these two places has given me the chance to experience new cultures, try savory food, and visit cultural as well as religious landmarks,” said Torrence, who looks forward to exploring the same in Malaysia.

Torrence, who just earned his degree in early childhood education and special education, selected Malaysia based on recommendations from past Fulbright recipients, and because of his experience as a captain on the LVC men’s lacrosse team.

“Malaysia places a high emphasis on their extracurricular opportunities after school,” he said. “Sports taught me self-discipline, teamwork, communication skills, and sportsmanship. I hope to bring these core values over to the students in Malaysia.”

Along with the friendships and lessons learned through lacrosse, Torrence also credits his time as a peer mentor and vice-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for developing his leadership skills and making him more well-rounded.

At the conclusion of his Fulbright year, Torrence plans to teach and coach lacrosse.

Students interested in applying for the Fulbright Program or other fellowships should contact Dr. Philip Benesch at benesch@lvc.edu or 717-867-6326.