It was a calm day on the Capitol as Julia Connell, a recent UMD graduate with a B.A. in Government and Politics and a Global Terrorism Minor, walked back to her office after lunch. With a buzz, Connell’s phone alerted her to an email. Startled, she looked down to see it that it was from the Fulbright-Turkish Higher Education Council. Her mind immediately began to race. It had been so long since she applied to their English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Program that she forgot about the possibility of being selected.
She opened the email, read “Congratulations” and the rest was a blur. Regaining her composure, and walking back to her office, Connell’s head was full of thoughts. Soon she would travel to Turkey as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant and gain the experience of a lifetime.
Talking Turkey
Connell graduated in December 2015. During her time as a student, she remained active on campus, cultivating her varying academic and extracurricular interests. In her first year at the university, Connell was introduced to START’s Global Terrorism Minor program by a friend who thought she would enjoy the various aspects of terrorism that the curriculum covers. She applied, was accepted and started out in a new direction.
Connell took several classes on Ottoman history and Islam in Turkey, but wanted to learn more. She resolved to study Turkish culture and politics over the last century to gain a real understanding of the people and factors that have shaped modern-day Turkey. The Global Terrorism minor culminates in the student’s choice of an internship at START or an independent research project. Connell chose research and over the course of a semester, studied ethnic minorities in Turkey and Iraq comparing how the Kurdish separatists’ movements evolved in each country.
“I believe the knowledge of and passion for Turkey that I gained during my research project helped strengthen my application to become an ETA and influenced me to apply to Turkey’s Fulbright program,” Connell said.
A rare bird
Connell is the first graduate from the Global Terrorism Minor program to be selected as a Fulbright ETA. She first discovered the program by visiting the National Scholarships Office on campus. She discussed her interests in international relations, development, national security and Middle Eastern history with a counselor and ultimately decided teaching English in Turkey was the best way to broaden her knowledge and understanding of the country.
She has not yet received her home site location, but expects to find out in the near future. The program duration is nine months; Connell plans to arrive in Turkey before September and remain there until June.
This will be her first time visiting Turkey, but she already has big plans. Most notably, Connell will participate in the Vodafone Istanbul Marathon on November 15. The marathon starts on the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey, and crosses the First Bosphorus Bridge to end in Europe. She is excited to participate in the race and run across two continents in the process. This marathon is just one of the many exciting experiences Connell will have during her time as a Fulbright ETA in Turkey.
“When I return from Turkey, I may pursue a master’s in international relations, business or a related field, but I plan to continue traveling all my life,” Connell said.