Julia Munslow (`18C) Fulbright ETA, Malaysia

Award

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship

Award supported

One-year English teaching placement in Malaysia

Undergraduate major(s)

English and Creative Writing

Currently

Employed as a Special Projects Editor at Yahoo News. She launched their TikTok account and grew it to 1 million followers in under a year. Additionally, she works on Gen Z content strategy and news programming, among other things.

Q: What experiences at Emory prepared you for the Fulbright award? 

A: I took an intense course load coupled with extracurriculars. In particular, my experiences at The Emory Wheel and in the IDEAS Fellowship taught me leadership skills and exposed me to a diverse set of beliefs and perspectives.

Q: What memorable or interesting things happened during your Fulbright fellowship experience? 

A:  Some of the most special memories happened outside of the classroom when I was able to bond with students and teachers in social settings, learn about their cultures, and share my own. 

In addition, I directed and created a national conference focused on identity and storytelling for secondary school students. That conference, "Saya Malaysia//Kita Malaysia," caught the attention of Malaysia's queen. At the end of the year, I had the chance to deliver a speech in front of the king and queen on behalf of the ETAs about our grant year experience in Malaysia. 

Q: What advice would you give current applicants, or to students considering applying for a nationally competitive award?

A: Be yourself, and trust yourself. First, determine what you want from an award, and then select the one(s) you want to apply to. Put your best self forward, and lean on the guidance of Emory professors, friends, and family who know you and your ambitions well. Research the history of the award, and take note of your experiences and tailor them to the award criteria. Throughout the process, remember: It can be easy to feel like an imposter, but you deserve these opportunities. Finally, if you're selected, talk to alums who can help you prepare for the award experience.