Spanish major Calyn Lutz ’19 has been announced as Lebanon Valley College’s third Fulbright finalist, marking the second consecutive year that at least three LVC students have received the award.

Lutz will spend a year in Mexico as an English teaching assistant through the Fulbright Program, the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. She joins fellow Fulbright finalists Alexa Kanakry ’19, who will be in Spain, Rachel Duong ’19, who will be in Brazil, and Matthew Torrence, who will be in Malaysia.

Lutz had an up-close view of the application process last year when her then-roommate Audrey Reiley ’18 won a Fulbright award to teach English in Malaysia. Lutz said her semester studying abroad in the Dominican Republic clarified her goals and inspired her to apply to the Fulbright program herself.

“I was fully immersed in the language and culture of the island, and it changed how I saw the world around me,” she said. “As soon as I returned, I knew I wanted to travel abroad in the future. As a Spanish major with a certification in K-12 Education, I thought the Fulbright program would be an amazing opportunity to do what I love while experiencing life and culture in another country.”

Mexico is a new area of exploration for Lutz. The history, art, and culture of Mexico, along with its relationship with the U.S. is part of what sparked her interest. Her 1,000 hours of field work in Spanish education was another driving factor. To be placed in Mexico, Lutz had to show advanced Spanish proficiency.

“During my student teaching experience, I have worked with many students who are first- and second-generation immigrants from Mexico,” she said. “I want to better support and understand my future students in the United States, and I believe Mexico would give me the experience I would need to do so.”

While Lutz is still waiting on her final placement information for Mexico, she is excited about her proposed supplementary project of teaching baton twirling. She has been the featured twirler in the Pride of The Valley marching band all four years at LVC.

At the conclusion of her Fulbright year, Lutz plans to either pursue a career as a Spanish or English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, or attend graduate school to study international education.

LVC has now had nine Fulbright finalists since 2016 and earned recognition as a top-producing Fulbright institution by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

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