Fulbright Recipient Spotlight: Fajir Amin, Education, United Arab Emirates
Fajir Amin, from Richmond, Virginia, received her Master of Education in elementary education degree from VCU in 2012, ten years after attending the Al Iman School for Girls in Jerusalem, Palestine in 2002. With the support of her Fulbright award, she will study the effects of looping on the aptitude and attitude of students towards English language acquisition amongst elementary students in the United Arab Emirates. In the future, Amin plans to continue impacting education around the world on a macro level.
What is your research focus or proposal for your Fulbright award?
The proposal at hand would involve studying the effects of looping “when teachers stay for more than one year with the same cohort of students” on the aptitude and attitude of students towards English language acquisition amongst elementary students in the United Arab Emirates.
What initially drew you to apply for the Fulbright?
I had always been inspired by my cousin Hanan Abed, a VCU graduate and Fulbright Scholar herself. When I graduated from VCU in 2012, I knew I wanted to use my time in education to benefit as many people as possible, not just within one classroom. This sense of ambition came from my years at VCU, where I was able to serve on many committees such as SCHEV, the 20/20 task force, and the Student Leadership Council and many more. It felt epic to be able to contribute any humble contribution that would go very far and wide. The past two years I taught on a rural island that is part of the UAE, and I looped with the same group of students. The choice to move up with them form 4th grade to 5th grade was essential to the idea of my research. It came from the heart and because I saw essential need for it. That is when I decided to apply for a Fulbright, it felt the natural thing to do, because it would benefit both the UAE and the USA, in addition to it being a wonderful opportunity to be a cultural ambassador.
What do your future plans hold?
- Completing the school year with my 5th grade students on Delma Isaland.
- Returning to the USA for the Fulbright orientation, a prep for the study and summer vacation.
- Returning to the UAE for the academic year of 2016-2107 to research the effect of looping as a Fulbright scholar.
- Working on effecting education around the world on the macro level throughout the rest of my career.
What advice would you give to future applicants?
Go for it! But when you do, do it from the heart about something you really care about. If it is not relevant to you, it wont be to anyone reading your application, and even if you got it, it is not the same as when you whole-heartedly believe in the importance of your research. If I had been turned down, I would have still kept looking into ways to research this subject since I cared about it so much.
VCU is an epic university, and it prepared me to get where I am today. They will help you and guide you selflessly! All you have to do is ask, and be prepared. If you don’t have direction, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a destination, it just means that the GPS needs a bit of fine tuning, you may need to whip out an old fashioned map or get out of the car and ask for help, if you are persistent, you will get there.
The world can sometimes deal you a tough hand. Not everyone will realize how great you are, if that happens, remember that you are the author of your story of life. Make sure you give yourself your own promotions, don’t wait for someone to give them to you. Finally, volunteer in any capacity you can within your own community, because many of my very best opportunities came from or were shaped by volunteering opportunities in one way or the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply for a Fulbright?
Fajir and her ten fellow recipients from VCU worked with the National Scholarship Office (NSO) at Virginia Commonwealth University. The NSO works with VCU alumni, graduate students, and undergraduates who wish to compete for prestigious national and international scholarships, such as Fulbright. If you are interested in applying for Fulbright or other nationally or internationally competitive scholarships, please contact the NSO at natlscholar@vcu.edu or (804) 828-6868.
How many students from VCU are awarded the Fulbright?
With this latest group of Fulbright Student Scholarship recipients, 42 VCU students and recent alumni have been offered Fulbright awards since the National Scholarship Office was created in 2005.
Can you tell me more about the Fulbright?
Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries, through the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills. Sponsored by the United States Department of State, the Fulbright Program provides funding for students, scholars and professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Learn more at us.fulbrightonline.org.