Students had the chance to learn about how they can earn their share of nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships at the Office of Fellowships on Wednesday.

The office shows junior and senior students the best ways to get that help to attend graduate school or teach English abroad. State university students, such as those from Grand Valley State University, earn about 80 percent of nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships compared to their Ivy League and private institution counterparts’ 20 percent, said Amanda Cuevas, director of the Office of Fellowships.

Wednesday’s information session taught students specifically about the Fulbright Program, an international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government to increase understanding between the U.S. and other countries.

“The main goal of the Fulbright Program is to give students opportunities to pursue graduate study and research in over 140 nations,” Cuevas said. “It is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.”

The Office of Fellowships helps students identify awards that may be good matches, walks students through the application processes and assists with personal statement and application preparation, Cuevas said. They help students apply for a plethora of awards not limited to the Fulbright Scholarship Program.

According to its Web site, the office aims “to provide excellent nationally competitive scholarship and fellowship advising services to GVSU students and alumni who show extraordinary potential in disciplines all across campus.”

Cuevas said that their fellowships office is different from GVSU’s financial aid office in that they serve all of campus like the financial aid office, but offer nationally competitive scholarships that have a more vigorous preparation.

“We match award opportunities with students who may be interested based on their career goals,” Cuevas added.

Cuevas said GVSU decided to follow a trend among other state universities when it opened the Office of Fellowships in Dec. 2009.

On its Web site, the office includes some GVSU success stories. One alum, Laura Kennedy, received the Fulbright scholarship to teach English in South Korea, which began in July 2008.

“It has been my dream to teach internationally ever since I studied abroad in Nairobi, Kenya,” she said in an interview for the website. “My hometown, Greenwood, Wisconsin, is a very small town. I’ve arranged for my students in South Korea to be pen pals with some students from my former high school.”

Kennedy said she felt prepared for teaching abroad after spending a year working in an academic enrichment program at a Grand Rapids Public Schools elementary school.

For more information on the Fulbright Program or any other scholarship opportunities the Office of Fellowships has to offer, visit one of the informational events the office holds twice on Wednesday.

The “Discovering the Right Fit” Workshop will take place in Henry Hall 115 at 2 p.m. and in Niemeyer Living Center’s room 114 at 7 p.m.

The Office of Fellowships also schedules appointments at 616-331-3219.

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