Alexis Pitchford will be finished with her master’s degree in educational psychology from Ball State University in July 2022. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in psychology of human development from Ball State University in December 2021. While at Ball State, she remained very active on campus through organizations such as the Make-A-Wish foundation. In addition to elementary teaching experience, she worked as a tutor at the Ball State Writing center for several years. She has also worked as a private tutor for seven years. After her undergraduate work, she secured a job as a third-grade teacher. In her free time, Alexis loves spending time outdoors. She chose Greece due to its rich cultural history, and immense role in the development of modern education. Alexis is very much looking forward to gaining a global perspective on education and exploring all that Greece has to offer.

Anna Marti (she/her) graduated from Wesleyan University in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Education Studies. She recently completed an honors thesis in these majors that explored intimacies between deaf and indigenous peoples and histories on the island Martha’s Vineyard/Noepe through two nodes: sign language and education. At Wesleyan, she worked as an Interviewer for Admissions, Writing Mentor for the Writing Workshop, Student Fellow for the Center for the Humanities, and Teaching/Course Assistant for American Sign Language. During her summers as a college student, she worked as a paraprofessional, classroom assistant at the American School for the Deaf, and intern for an educational non-profit, called Writing Through, based out of Cambodia. Through her studies and experiences, she has learned how to listen to students’ stories and help them find the language to express themselves. This Fulbright ETA program at Athens College - HAEF will allow Anna to unite her passions for fostering educational and language access and using community building as a conduit for social change.

Dalton recently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Classical Languages at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. During his undergraduate studies, he was involved with the leadership team for Macalester’s first-generation, low-income student support group, QuestBridge, serving as its president in the 2019-2020 academic year. He also volunteered as a tutor with the St. Paul Public Library system, teaching English language and literature to learners of all ages, many of whom were immigrants and refugees new to the United States. These experiences were fueled by a deep commitment to educational equity, and he hopes to continue putting this value into practice while completing his Fulbright fellowship at Athens College – HAEF. In his free time, Dalton enjoys talking about his home state of West Virginia, writing both creatively and critically, and reading the plays of Shakespeare and other early modern dramatists (yes, for fun).

Emily Parks graduated from the University of Miami with a dual degree in English Literature and Art History and a minor in Creative Writing. Throughout her college career, she focused on analyzing the impact of globalized relations through material and written cultures. In addition to studying abroad in France, she furthered her international interests by specializing in Mesoamerican, Chinese, and European archaeology, art history, and literature. She has a deep passion for culture and education, and fused these interests by previously working at the Children's Museum Houston. In her free time, Emily is an artist and dancer, and enjoys expanding her classical training through global dance forms. She is excited to return as a second-year fellow at Athens College, and to continue to foster cross-cultural connections with her students while sharing her experiences as an educator in Greece.

Grace Skarzynski graduated in May 2020 from Geneva College with a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in management, as well as a minor in psychology. In May 2022, she graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a master's degree in student affairs in higher education. She has extensive experience working in higher educational functional areas such as admissions, academic advising, enrollment management, international education, student conduct, and tutoring services and academic support. She is excited to take this love of working with students to Greece where she plans to engage students in cultural exchange and academic growth.

Isabel Flanagan graduated from the University of Georgia in May 2021 with a B.S. in Elementary Education, earning a TESOL certificate and ESOL endorsement. Additionally, in December 2021 she received her MEd from UGA. During her undergraduate studies, she was fortunate to work with a variety of students in diverse settings, from Pre-K to 4th grade. She was a member of the Student Government Association as a Senator for the Mary Frances Early College of Education. While in Athens, GA, Isabel spent much of her time volunteering and engaging with her community. On campus, she worked with UGA Miracle, an organization that benefits the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Isabel served as a Family Relations liaison, functioning as the main point of contact with the children and families impacted by CHOA. She also worked for an EdTech start-up, Ringle, teaching English to business professionals based out of South Korea and Australia. Since her graduation, Isabel has been working as a first grade teacher in her hometown of Augusta, GA. Having practical experience in Georgia public schools, she uncovered a passion to create and reform educational policies and programs that will provide equal opportunities for access, especially to marginalized communities. Isabel has a student-centered teaching philosophy that incorporates ideals from democratic education and restorative justice practices; she aims to make inquiry and critical thinking top priorities in the classroom during her time at Athens College. In Greece, she is eager to learn new effective teaching pedagogies from her colleagues and Fulbright Fellows. Furthermore, she cannot wait to experience the birthplace of democracy and theater as she aims to build intercultural connections through these pillars.

Jadyn graduated from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College in June 2020 as a valedictorian. She holds a B.A. in English and a certificate in publishing. As an undergraduate, she interned at Penguin Random House, Jill Grinberg Literary Management, and Story Pirates, where she helped manage the influx of 15,000 stories submitted by children annually. Jadyn received her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2015 for designing and running creative writing workshops for middle school students, and has tutored both national and international students on everything from public speaking to Shakespeare’s comedies since. She is an ongoing volunteer for Scan the World, where she learned how to photograph ancient and neoclassical statues for the organization’s democratized archive of 3D artifacts, and taught her peers to do the same. She is also a freelance writer, a co-founder of the Wingdings and Dingbats writing group, and the owner of Book of the Island, a folded book sculpture shop on Etsy. Jadyn is excited to return to Athens College for a second year. She is looking forward to continuing collaboration with her talented colleagues, witnessing students excel inside and outside of the classroom, and experiencing more of Greece’s inspiring cultural heritage.

Kristina Davis is a first generation college student who graduated from Creighton University with a B.S. in Psychology and Medical Anthropology. During her undergraduate studies, Kristina worked as an English as a Second Language tutor at the Educational Opportunity Center and a peer mentor/ tutor through TRiO's Student Support Services. She also spent time volunteering at the Siena Francis House serving individuals suffering homelessness and through the Schlegel Center for Service and Justice on the University's campus. Kristina's current position is as an English Teaching Assistant at Athens College and her goal is to spend the year completely devoted to the learning of others. She is thrilled to be an influence on the education of her students and to be able to share her experiences with them on an everyday basis. Kristina looks forward to being immersed in Greek life and taking the time to learn about her students' passions and culture.

Laura Kate Magnuson graduated from Boston College in 2021 with her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Applied Psychology & Human Development. As an undergraduate at BC, Laura Kate was an upper elementary student teacher in Boston Public Schools as well as surrounding suburban districts. In May of 2022, Laura Kate graduated with her Master’s of Education in Special Education for Extensive Support Needs. While pursuing her master’s, Laura Kate taught in the preschool classroom at the Campus School at Boston College, a school serving students with multiple disabilities and medical complexities. Laura Kate also spent five summers teaching at a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood center, where she learned the importance of the experimental nature of learning and play. Laura Kate has a passion for social studies education, and she particularly enjoys designing engaging lessons that incorporate literacy and current events. Laura Kate looks forward to examining the Greek education system and learning more about how other countries strive to meet the needs of all children. She hopes that living and teaching in a foreign environment will broaden her experiences and bring new perspectives that will help her grow into a more culturally responsive educator.

Maddie graduated from Connecticut College in 2022 with a B.A. in Classics and Philosophy. For the past four years, she has interned and volunteered at the New London County Historical Society where she worked on developing educational curricula, building exhibits, writing grants, and teaching the children’s summer camp. She also interned for three summers for NDH Law, a boutique civil rights firm. In college, she participated in the Ultimate Frisbee team, Hillel club, and Walter Commons Language Challenge, and served as a house floor representative and Jewish Learning Fellow. Additionally, Maddie studied abroad three times in college. She studied classics and modern Greek twice in Athens, Greece. During the pandemic, she completed a virtual Latin program in Rome, Italy. As an aspiring public historian, Maddie believes that it is essential for her to understand as many dimensions of the educational field as possible as she prepares to make decisions on how people should be educated about history. She looks forward to developing interactive English lessons for students that are connected to Greek history. In her spare time, Maddie enjoys running, taking road trips, listening to music, and spending time on her uncle’s boat.

Mai Mageed graduated as a University Honors Scholar from New York University in 2022, with a concentration in Censored Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. As an undergraduate, she dedicated herself to giving a platform to those who have been silenced, which she incorporated into her studies by focusing on works of literature and art that have been censored or banned throughout history. Her education expanded and became international during her final semester, when she studied abroad in Florence, Italy. During that time, she volunteered at Le Curandaie, an organization and storefront dedicated to aiding local mothers. To prepare for this time abroad, she studied Italian for two years, in addition to the English, Arabic, and American Sign Language she already spoke. Back in New York, she worked for several years as a writing tutor at her university’s Writing Center and volunteered at 8 Ball Community Center as a radio host. Beyond literature, her interests include social activism, national parks, astrology, seventies music, and nineties films. She cannot wait to teach and be taught during her time in Greece.

Paola Luchsinger graduated from Bard College with a degree in Spanish Studies in 2020 and during her undergraduate degree also obtained certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Over the last year she has worked as a Spanish-English Interpreter with experience in the medical and legal fields. She is beyond excited to embark on this life-changing opportunity and create meaningful connections with the Athens College community.

Peter Stern recently graduated from Oberlin College with a dual degree in Cinema Studies and Creative Writing. During his college career, Peter worked as a Teacher's Assistant for the Creative Writing department and facilitated weekly workshops for underclassmen students. He also dedicated three years to his role as a consent trainer for the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, where he led weekly two-hour trainings dedicated to sexual-harm prevention and bystander intervention strategies. Beyond his campus community, Peter has experience working as a summer school teacher. Pre-pandemic, he co-led the first-grade enrichment course at Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences, and directed youth theater at the University of California, Los Angeles. Peter is looking forward to making new connections, expanding his worldview, and exploring the historical landmarks and customs that he has been studying since elementary school.