Seiler Rivers is a 2024/2025 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant alumna. With a BS in Computer Science, a minor in Music, and a passion for both choral music and supporting young women in technology, Seiler was placed at the Gymnázium and Business Academy in Mariánské Lázně, the youngest town in the famous spa triangle of Western Bohemia. Coming from Mercer University, a private research institution with over 40,000 students, she initially worried about adjusting to life in a relatively small and seasonal town of just 14,000 residents. Inspired by the experiences of previous Teaching Assistants, Seiler hoped to join a local choir or orchestra (as a piano player) to integrate into her new community while continuing to do what she loves. She succeeded. Music, often called a universal language, helped her navigate challenges and connect with others in ways that went well beyond choir rehearsals and performances. Today, Seiler reflects on the question: "Why do we sing? Is it to be ...
Katie Googe is an expert on American literature. During the 2024/2025 academic year, she spent eight months at the Department of English and American Studies at Masaryk University in Brno, where she explored the connections between Czech science fiction in the aftermath of the First World War and depictions of time and colonialism in early American speculative fiction. Coming from the University of Southern California, Katie was excited to experience Czech culture firsthand. While she enjoyed immersing herself in local traditions, she was also struck by how international her academic environment turned out to be. In her Brno classroom, students and colleagues from nearly every continent sparked conversations that enriched her understanding of literature and culture far beyond the lecture hall. Reflecting on her Fulbright experience, Katie shares: "Over the next two semesters, I learned more from my students than I could have even imagined." On my final night in Brno before I...