USD 40th Fulbright Scholar to Teach in Romania
Amelia Harrington, Ph.D. ’25, had a lot to celebrate this past weekend.
On Saturday, May 10, Harrington walked across the stage at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, receiving a doctoral degree in English literary studies with a concentration in creative writing while family from Virginia cheered from the audience. Just two days prior, Harrington also got news that they received the prestigious Fulbright Teaching Assistant Award.
“It feels like a graduation present,” said Harrington, who will travel to Romania in October to teach English at the university level for eight months.
Harrington is USD’s 40th student to receive a Fulbright Award.
“I applied for the Fulbright because I know that I love to teach English to English learners,” Harrington said. “And I love working with students who love language.”
Harrington started doctoral studies at USD in 2020 and taught classes in English composition, literature and creative writing in the English Department while also working as a graduate coordinator at the USD Writing Center. After finishing the in-person coursework for the doctoral program, Harrington moved to Omaha to finish their dissertation and work at the Metropolitan Community College’s Writing Center.
“The community college setting suits me,” Harrington said. “I like working with nontraditional students and people who are seeking to improve their lives and find new educational opportunities.”
While a doctoral student at USD, Harrington enjoyed classes with faculty members such as Lee Ann Roripaugh, professor emeritus of English, and Prentiss Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of English, both of whom served on their dissertation committee.
“If I could just keep taking literature seminars forever, I would,” Harrington said. “Prentiss especially is an extraordinary professor. She makes every student feel like their work matters.”
Harrington’s own poetry work comprises their dissertation, a book of poems entitled “If You Want to Hear Your Own Blood Rush.”
Clark said Harrington’s experiences as a teacher and mentor will serve their future students well
“Amelia will be an outstanding ambassador while in Romania,” said Clark. “Amelia approaches teaching, learning and living as processes of collaboration and intellectual generosity. This quality will make them an excellent representative of USD and the United States.”
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
Melissa Berninger is USD’s coordinator of nationally competitive scholarships and director of the University Honors Program. She assisted Harrington with the Fulbright application process.
“Fulbright provides an important opportunity for American students to share the best our country has to offer and to bring back what they learn about other cultures to their communities,” Berninger said. “I'm excited for Amelia to embark on this adventure.”
You May Also Like
USD Business and President's Senior Leadership Institute Students Travel to New York City
Twenty-three students from the Financial Management Association (FMA) student chapter and President's Senior Leadership Institute at the University of South Dakota traveled to New York City to meet with top financial firms and distinguished alumni, gaining invaluable experience through real-world exposure to the financial industry, professional networking and firsthand insights into potential career paths.
Two USD Students Win South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition
University of South Dakota Department of Sustainability & Environment students Khushboo Jain and Abhinav Chandel took first place and a $5,000 prize in the South Dakota Governor’s Giant Vision Competition.
From Student Consultant to Project Advisor, Trevor Sinclair Gives Back Through Coyote Business Consulting
University of South Dakota alumnus Trevor Sinclair ’24 gained invaluable experience through Coyote Business Consulting. Now, as associate financial advisor at Elgethun Capital Management, he’s helping the next generation of students access the same opportunities that helped shape his own career path.
