Name: Caitlin McAteer ’14
Areas of study: Anthropology (with minors in French and mathematics)
Hometown: Westminster, Colo.

With my Fulbright grant, I will be: I will be a teaching assistant in Morocco, where I will assist with English classes in a university setting within an urban environment. Education efforts that promote female empowerment in a culturally respectful way is an absolute passion of mine, and I plan to use my free time while in Morocco working with educationally-focused nonprofit organizations to make their programs more efficient and effective.

I’m excited about this because: Attaining a Fulbright is something that I have wanted and been working toward for the entirety of my undergraduate career. To be accepted is an absolute dream come true. While in Morocco, I look forward to perfecting my French and breaking down stereotypes of Americans and people living in Islamic countries. I’m also excited about engaging with students outside of the classroom to form meaningful friendships, increase cultural awareness and build an appreciation for diversity.

TCU prepared me for this because: It is almost difficult to recognize my freshman self. When I entered TCU, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and was meek, quiet and afraid to share my mind. I am now confident with my future career in nonprofit management and will work to build sustainable and efficient programs. I know my values, am always willing to share my opinions and am willing to invest a lot of work for a cause that I am passionate about. This transformation happened because of my classes in anthropology, the emphasis on global citizenship throughout the university, many conversation-based classes with my peers in Honors and because of mentor figures, such as Dr. Lisa Vanderlinden, Dr. Marie Schein and Dr. Ronald Pitcock. They’ve shown me that I am capable of making an impact. I am excited to embark on an adventure of a lifetime and act as a representative for both my country and my Frogs!