Jackson Hite, a graduating senior in Advertising and Public Relations from Scottsville, is WKU’s second Fulbright US Student Program grantee of the 2023-24 award year. Jackson has been awarded an English Teaching Assistantship for North Macedonia. 

Albeit 5,000 miles away, the North Macedonia ETAis a natural next step for Jackson. As an elementary school student, his interest in the country was kindled by a family friend who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer there. At WKU, Jackson has developed strong communication skills through academic programs in advertising, public relations, and arts administration, and his years-long service in youth sports coaching, Best Buddies, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Junior Achievement has cemented a desire to build a career around enriching communities. After earning a Gilman Scholarship to study in Italy in summer 2022 and interning abroad again this spring in Thailand, he is learning how to thrive in the challenging andsometimes unpredictable role of an English teacher abroad. 

Applying for nationally competitive scholarships like Gilman and Fulbright requires a lot of reflection, as applicants must convey to selection committees who they are, what they care about, why they care about it, and how they want to carry those commitments into their future. For Jackson, this reflection was transformative.  

“Fulbright was my second application process for a nationally-competitive scholarship. The process is challenging, but so rewarding. The staff at OSD truly makes these opportunities attainable and fulfilling no matter the outcome,” said Jackson.  

Part of the reward was greater clarity about his future. “After much consideration, I have decided to become a teacher. Being raised by a faithful educator and surrounded by so many others, I hope that I can inspire others the way that these educators inspired me,” he said. Like the Peace Corps Volunteer who shared her experience of North Macedonia with him when he was young, Jackson looks forward to sharing his multiple international experiences with his future students and his home community when he returns.  

About the Fulbright Program: 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 140 countries worldwide. 

About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development mentors students applying for national scholarships to fund “academic extras” such as study abroad, research, professional experience, and more. From first drafts to final submissions with multiple revisions in between, OSD helps students make more possible. By conceptualizing and revising the stories they tell in application essays and interviews, students better understand their strengths, interests, and purpose—and explore multiple possible pathways to that work.