By Elizabeth Murray, Associate Director of Public Relations

Two members of the Class of 2025 will spend the next year in the Czech Republic and in Vietnam after being selected for fellowships through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Jarrett Sweet of Fletcher, Vermont, will teach English as a second language in Vsetin, Czech Republic, and men's cross country alumnus Pat McGloine of Schuylerville, New York, will conduct research on macro plastics in Vietnam. McGloine is the first St. Mike's Fulbright awardee in school history to be selected for a research-focused Fulbright, said Political Science and International Relations Professor Trish Siplon, who guides students through the process of applying for post-graduate fellowship programs.

Fulbright scholarships are highly competitive international grants given to students, scholars, professors, and young professionals to study, research, or teach overseas. During this past academic year, 10 Saint Michael's College students were selected as semifinalists out of 16 applicants, with Sweet and McGloine ultimately receiving Fulbright awards.

Over the last decade, Saint Michael's College has seen growing success with students applying for Fulbright scholarships. In 2024, the College was recognized by the Fulbright Program as a top producer of scholars in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2023-2024 academic year.

"For a small residential, liberal arts college, I am especially proud of our continuing track record of students being selected for Fulbright awards post-graduation," said Political Science and International Relations Professor Jeff Ayres, Director of the Institute for Global Engagement. "It is a testament to the solid liberal arts education students receive at the College; the close mentoring, support, and encouragement from faculty and staff; and the availability of high-impact co-curricular global engagement opportunities that provide students with global and intercultural competencies that enhance their Fulbright applications."

The Freeman internship impact 

As St. Mike's undergraduates, both Sweet and McGloine completed international internships in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, through a program funded by the Freeman Foundation. St. Mike's is one of 33 institutions nationwide to receive funding through the Freeman Foundation, which allows more than a dozen Saint Michael's College students each summer to complete internships in either Ho Chi Minh City or Seoul, South Korea.

Ayres and Siplon both believe this experience enhanced Sweet's and McGloine's applications to the Fulbright program.

"The Freeman Foundation International Internship Program is clearly helping to prepare students well for Fulbright applications," Ayres said. "The eight-week Freeman experience indicates a student's commitment to global citizenship and cultural fluency, demonstrates a student's willingness to work and live outside their comfort zones on the other side of the world, and provides students with ample opportunities for multi-national community engagement and cultural diplomacy – all sought-after experiences and skills by the Fulbright Program."

Like Ayres, Siplon said the Freeman experiences help develop participants into the kind of candidates that the Fulbright program and other prestigious grant programs seek.

"Living in another country with a specific role to play within their society is a very different experience than visiting as a tourist," Siplon said. "Our students have this role-based experience and return with both the desire and skills to go deeper. It's also become a motivator for students to apply to our two Freeman countries – Vietnam and South Korea – specifically."

Both Sweet and McGloine are continuing on paths that began during their time in Ho Chi Minh City. Sweet, a Secondary Education and Equity Studies double major, had taught English at the Sylvan Learning Center in Vietnam and now gets to apply that experience to his Fulbright in the Czech Republic. McGloine, who majored in Environmental Science and double-minored in Physics and Mathematics, is continuing research he had started while in Vietnam for his internship. During his Fulbright year, he is focusing on the link between rain events and the movement of macro plastics. 

Becoming a global citizen at St. Mike's and beyond 

Sweet and McGloine both say their experiences as students helped prepare them for global citizenship through the Fulbright program. Different opportunities they had while undergrads helped them clarify their paths after graduation.

"I came to St. Mike's knowing I was passionate about environmental issues, and the Environmental Science program gave me the tools, experiences, and confidence to pursue this passion on a larger scale," McGloine said. "The hands-on projects and opportunities to engage deeply with real-world problems prepared me to take on the role of a Fulbright Student Researcher."

He added, "This wasn't the exact path I imagined four years ago, but I'm grateful and excited to be on it now."

Sweet said that applying for a Fulbright grant became a goal of his after an academic study trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, during his sophomore year. He credits Saint Michael's with giving him the community and opportunities to grow as a learner, take on leadership positions, and become a global citizen.

"I am most excited about teaching and meeting the students," Sweet said. "Through my experience, I have found that you learn a lot about a country through their education system. I am also looking forward to building friendships with the many people on this journey and hearing their stories from their lives." 

Learn more about the post-graduate fellowship opportunities available to St. Mike's students.