Fulbright scholar heads to Taiwan
Britney Hong ’24 will use her education degree to give students there a broader view of American culture.
At first, Britney Hong thought she would go into politics to change the world. Then she realized education was a way she could have “a more direct and personal impact on people’s lives.”
“I’ve always been drawn to education,” Hong said. “School was a place I loved from a young age because I saw its power in uplifting underrepresented communities and serving as a tool for representation.”
Growing up, she often heard stories from her parents about their limited access to education. Hong’s parents emphasized the impact of education and instilled in her, a first-generation college student, a deep gratitude for the opportunity to learn. At Carolina, Hong double-majored in in American studies and education — specifically the UNC School of Education’s human development and family science program.
“As an Asian American, I did not see many representations of teachers that looked like me in the classroom, which inspired me to tap into this field,” Hong said. “I believe that offering a multicultural perspective is key for today’s students in our evolving world.”
In August, Hong will begin her post-graduate career in Taiwan as part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational and cultural exchange initiative. The program empowers scholars to build sustainable connections between the people of the U.S. and other countries.
As part of the Fulbright program, Hong will have the chance to hone her skills learned at the UNC School of Education. She will promote cultural diversity and storytelling through language immersion initiatives while making complex topics accessible and enjoyable for young learners in Taiwan.
“During my time at Carolina, I have learned a lot of underrepresented stories in history and contemporary society, ranging from Asian American graphic novels to Black aesthetics,” Hong said. “I hope to share these stories with my Taiwanese students, so they understand that the American identity isn’t linear while encouraging them to be critical.”
The Fulbright experience won’t be Hong’s first venture abroad. In fall 2022, Hong took courses on society and human behavior and international relations during a study abroad program at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.
“Hearing the perspectives from my classmates in South Korea was really fascinating,” Hong said. “There were two Americans in the class, and everyone else was from countries including France, Switzerland, Japan. We delved into quite a few challenging topics, but it was great to see how we connected even though we all came from different areas of the world.”
This immersive venture in South Korea deeply changed her, sparking a desire to live abroad again and leading her to apply to the Fulbright program
“I was drawn to Fulbright’s dedication to international and multicultural education, which I believe is crucial in our increasingly globalized world,” Hong said. “Taiwan’s unique blend of Chinese and Indigenous influences and its recent linguistic shifts towards Mandarin and English were interesting to me, making it an ideal destination for my Fulbright journey.”
